As a zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity* supplier, sustainability has always been at the heart of what we do. Within our Bryt by Nature framework, we’re working to become a better, truly sustainable business, and this wouldn’t be possible without our team, who help us to deliver our company purpose.  

With the impacts of climate change being felt across the world and the deadline to reach net zero drawing closer, we felt it was an important time to deliver training to our team that would help them feel confident to discuss and implement actions to reduce carbon emissions, at home, at work and in the community. 

Carbon Literacy offers just this. So, if you’re looking into sustainability training for your organisation and want to know more about our own experience, take a read below.

What is Carbon Literacy and why did we choose this course?

Carbon Literacy is a one-day course set up by the Carbon Literacy Project in 2013 and is defined as “an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis”1.

Speaking on why we chose this course, our Sales & Marketing Director, David Taylor, said: “We chose this course as we were able to customise it to cover how Bryt Energy’s purpose and sustainability strategy, along with our parent company Statkraft, fits within the broader approach to tackling climate change. In particular, we tailored the course to tackle specific aspects of the net zero energy transition, and the important role the energy sector has in driving change and the ways that Bryt Energy and its customers can contribute.”

After completing the course, participants can become certified as Carbon Literate by committing to two climate actions, joining over 100,000 others across 26 nations all over the world2. On top of this, research estimates that Carbon Literate individuals can achieve annual carbon savings of 5-15% per person3. Crucially, this training course is designed to encourage learners to discuss and share knowledge with peers, friends and family, and advocate for sustainable practices across their wider sphere of influence.

Developing our Carbon Literacy course

In 2024, our senior leadership team set a new objective to develop and implement an employee engagement programme on climate change and sustainability. Carbon Literacy training became a key part of achieving this, and a priority for the sustainability team. Our first focus was finding certified Carbon Literacy Trainers who we could collaborate with to create and deliver a bespoke course, tailored to our core purpose.

We worked together with Susanne Bearblock who specialises in circularity and behaviour change (key aspects of the core training), and Dr Helen Rodgers, MEng, Ph.D. who works as a consultant within the renewable energy sector. Both certified Carbon Literacy Trainers had the expertise and passion we were looking for to help us create the 8 hours’ worth of tailored content needed to deliver to over 100 members of staff.

Susanne Bearblock, Carbon Literacy Trainer, commented: “Carbon Literacy gives participants the opportunity to understand the bigger picture of how and why our world is changing, and encourages us to think about our role in the climate emergency. The light bulb moments I see throughout the day when participants start to realise the steps they can take to create positive changes that will lead to a better world – this is one of my favourite parts of the day.”

What does the training cover?

The Carbon Literacy training covers the causes and impacts of climate change, as well as the vulnerabilities faced by different communities. We also learn what makes up a carbon footprint, with special attention to our own footprint as a business and what employees can do to help reduce it.

Whilst the science behind climate change is stark at times, focus is also given to the solutions, and the action being taken to tackle climate-related risks at a local, national and global level. We included how our own industry is changing in the transition to net zero, and the key role renewables such as solar, wind and hydro power have in decarbonising the grid. Lastly, to continue momentum after the sessions, employees have been encouraged to commit to carbon reduction actions within their roles at work.

Our Sustainability Specialist, Georgina Kilburn, said: “It has been great to work with such passionate trainers who really care about educating people on climate change, and how we can feel encouraged to use this learning to create real and substantial carbon reduction. I think everyone at Bryt Energy has taken a lot from the course and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s ambitious actions come to life.”

Susanne Bearblock added: “What a privilege it’s been for me to be involved in delivering training to five cohorts of engaged staff who have every intention of rippling their knowledge, actions and determination for change out into society. I look forward to seeing the participants truly develop their “carbon sense” and to start taking meaningful climate action.”

Continuing our sustainability journey

As a result of the Carbon Literacy training, we feel our team has become more connected to our purpose and has a deeper understanding of how our sustainability strategy – and that of our parent company, Statkraft – fit within global solutions to climate change. 90% of employees who took part in the course would recommend the training to others4, and we hope it has inspired them to have meaningful conversations that encourages even more people to take action on climate change. We’re looking forward to continuing our Carbon Literacy journey into the future.

You can read more about our progress to becoming a sustainable business in our mid-year Bryt by Nature report. And if you are interested in Carbon Literacy training for your own organisation, you can find out more information here: https://carbonliteracy.com/

Sources
  1. https://carbonliteracy.com/what-on-earth-is-carbon-literacy/ 
  2. https://carbonliteracy.com/
  3. https://carbonliteracy.com/organisation/
  4. 90% of surveyed employees said they would recommend the training to others, based on 33 respondents.

*visit www.brytenergy.co.uk for more information on our products and services.

When businesses choose a renewable electricity contract, they usually do so because they are sustainability-minded, and they want their organisation to play their part in driving forward solutions to tackling the climate crisis.

That’s why at Bryt Energy, we’re passionate about our fuel mix – we only supply zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity, sourced solely from solar, wind and hydro power. Our fuel mix is audited and verified by an independent third party, EcoAct, every year and allows our customers to report their Scope 2 electricity consumption as zero carbon, under the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol market-based method.

Like the weather, our fuel mix ratio changes year-on-year, but you can always be sure that we only ever source our electricity from solar, wind and hydro power. Unlike fossil fuels, these sources are all zero carbon and 100% renewable forms of electricity at the point of generation, meaning they don’t create any carbon emissions or harmful air pollution, and are naturally replenishing.

All sources of electricity generation have their own unique considerations when it comes to their impact. We want to be totally transparent about why we’ve chosen our fuel mix and acknowledge that constructing, operating, and generating electricity comes with the need to manage sustainability challenges. Like all electricity generation, there are considerations such as human rights, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the embodied carbon of concrete that are crucial to manage and improve. We’re proud that our parent company, Statkraft, the largest renewable energy generator in Europe, has a long history of working to reduce the impact of different renewable electricity generation projects.

We have created this blog to take a deeper look into our fuel mix, to explain the benefits and considerations, and reiterate that by choosing solar, wind and hydro, we can help lead Britain towards a net zero, sustainable energy future.

SOLAR

Solar panels, also known as photovoltaics (PV), capture energy from the Sun and convert its light into electricity. So, at the point of generation, solar power produces zero emissions and is 100% renewable (for as long as the Sun keeps shining!).

In addition to being a zero carbon source of electricity, solar technology has seen consistent year-on-year improvements in efficiency. Since 2010, solar PV has become nearly 60% more efficient, meaning the size of panels can be kept the same, with higher capacity for electricity generation1. Well-managed solar farms have also been found to support biodiversity and bird species that are in decline2. In fact, Statkraft is developing a solar site in Cambridgeshire that will include measures to enhance biodiversity at the site by 141%3.

To reach net zero emissions, the UK Government announced targets to increase the capacity of solar generation from the 15 gigawatts (GW) currently installed4, to 70GW by 20355. Whilst increasing the deployment of solar power has led to debates in political circles around land use, research has shown that upscaling solar in line with net zero targets would only take up roughly half of the space currently used for golf courses6. Despite this, it remains important to optimise the area used for solar generation – with a recent study finding that utilising rooftops and car parks has the potential to provide at least 40GW of electricity generation capacity in England by 20357.

Looking at the lifecycle of solar panels, there is still a challenge with global supply chains, due to the ethical considerations of manufacturing being located in areas where there are significant human rights concerns8. There is a global consensus that if the supply chains of solar PV are concentrated in one area, then the industry could become vulnerable. The IEA suggests that diversifying the supply capacity would reduce the associated risks and potentially lead to economic and environmental benefits. Additionally, industry initiatives to improve the end-of-life recycling of solar panels will also reduce the environmental pressure that is placed on raw material demand, encouraging circular solutions9.

For the UK to achieve net zero, solar power will need to rapidly increase its contribution to the UK’s energy mix – a big challenge, but one we believe, together with our customers and the wider energy industry, is achievable.

WIND

Wind turbines, which sees rotating blades connected to a generator, harness energy from the wind by converting the kinetic energy into electricity. Wind energy makes up a significant proportion of our fuel mix and is particularly abundant in the UK, due to naturally windy conditions and the national ambition to be world leaders in wind generation10.

In the first quarter of 2023, wind farms in the UK generated more electricity than gas for the first time11, with record breaking wind generation set to continue as more capacity is installed. Whilst wind turbine infrastructure has presented challenges when it comes to end-of-life recycling12, a recent breakthrough in chemical technology means that it is possible for new epoxy-based blades to be broken down, reused and crucially, avoid landfill.

Some concerns have also been raised over the impacts of wind turbines on wildlife. However, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) stated that it supports the growth in offshore and onshore wind projects, with the knowledge that continued research on placement can minimise impacts on bird migration13. Moreover, some studies have shown offshore wind turbines can positively affect biodiversity, with algae, mussels and oysters growing on the foundation, providing them, and other marine species, with protected habitats14.

Both wind and solar are referred to as “intermittent” renewable energies, they cannot be turned on like traditional fossil fuel generation when there is demand. However, these energy sources can be co-located alongside battery storage to ensure renewable electricity is stored for when it’s needed, regardless of the weather. The reliability of wind generation here in the UK also hits its peak out at sea, where offshore wind farms are exposed to higher and almost constant wind speeds – ideal conditions for electricity generation.

Statkraft has ambitions to “accelerate growth in solar, onshore wind, and battery storage…reaching an annual development rate of 4GW by 2030”15. This rapid upscaling in renewable energy capabilities will support the UK’s target of increasing wind generation capacity and decarbonising the power system by 203516.

HYDRO

Hydro power stations take advantage of water flows by harnessing its kinetic energy and turning it into electricity. Despite being only a small part of the UK’s electricity mix17, hydro power is a mature technology with a history of more than 2,000 years, and globally, produces more electricity than all other renewable sources combined18. Hydro power stations can also be multipurpose, providing clean water and irrigation for agriculture, as well as providing flood and drought protection in some areas19. Research suggests the use of this technology in the last 50 years alone has helped to avoid more than 100 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) that would have been released from fossil fuel combustion20.

However, the development of hydro power can lead to socio-economic and environmental impacts during both the construction and the ongoing operation of projects. For example, hydro power developments have been criticised for displacing local communities, disrupting the surrounding water flows, and impacting local natural habitats21. Statkraft, the largest producer of hydro power in Europe, ensure they conduct impact assessments of new projects and work to mitigate the impacts22. At several of their sites, including at Rheidol hydro power station in Wales, Statkraft control water flow and install fish ladders to create better conditions for fish, protecting biodiversity23.

Hydro power is a reliable source of electricity, as water flow is predictable and controllable. This means hydro power stations have the ability to be turned on and off quickly, providing a stable source of generation during periods of fluctuating electricity demand, when the sun doesn’t shine, or the wind doesn’t blow. Hydro power is expected to remain the largest source of renewable electricity generation globally into the 2030s, providing much needed system flexibility24.

BIOMASS AND NUCLEAR

Both biomass and nuclear energy have been considered important sources of low carbon electricity generation that will help the UK transition to a net zero energy system. This is due to biomass being dispatchable on demand, while nuclear can provide a continuous stable baseload. Whilst we are strongly in favour of moving away from fossil fuels and the energy sector using all tools available to do this, we believe it is still important to critically assess all sources of electricity generation.

Biomass is derived from recently living organic materials (typically wood pellets in the UK) that is combusted to generate electricity. Although it is abundant and naturally replenishing, biomass does create carbon emissions when burned. There can, therefore, be a discrepancy between the CO2 released when combusted, and the time it takes for the same amount of carbon to be absorbed again by new biomass25. Because of this, there are ongoing debates whether biomass can be classed as a source of zero carbon electricity.

Nuclear energy creates electricity by splitting atoms apart, which creates heat. This heat is then turned into electricity by transforming water into steam, which spins a turbine26. Although nuclear can be classed as ‘zero carbon’ at the point of generation, it cannot be classed as renewable. This is because it requires uranium, a finite radioactive resource. Nuclear power is also controversial due to the environmental and health risks27 associated with the use of uranium and the accompanying radioactive waste it creates.

At Bryt Energy, we therefore chose to only supply our customers with zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity sourced solely from solar, wind and hydro.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR CUSTOMERS?

Here at Bryt Energy, we’re passionate about the sources we have chosen to include in our fuel mix and the reasons why. While solar, wind and hydro power each have their own unique benefits and considerations, we believe that, together, they offer a resilient fuel mix that powers British businesses and leads the way towards a net zero, sustainable energy future.

So, if you’re a Bryt Energy customer, you can benefit from total peace of mind that our fuel mix has been comprehensively thought out to accommodate our sustainability values. You can also be assured that our fuel mix is matched with renewable energy guarantees of origin certificates (REGOs) which have been audited and verified by an independent third party, EcoAct. This means our customers can report zero carbon emissions on their Scope 2 under the GHG Protocol market-based method. For more information about our fuel mix and what you can report, read our thorough FAQs here.

By choosing zero carbon, renewable electricity from Bryt Energy, you are also indirectly supporting renewable generation because we are part of the Statkraft Group. Statkraft has invested over £1.3 billion in the UK’s renewable energy infrastructure since 2006, and with their vision to “renew the way the world is powered”, we’re working to deliver this, together.

Join Bryt Energy today:

If you’re interested in securing zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity for your business, find out more about becoming a Bryt Energy customer today by calling us on 0330 053 8620 or email heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk.

Or if your business is looking to take the next step on its sustainable energy journey, you can access our series of guides on ‘Navigating the net zero energy transition’, here: https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/navigating-the-energy-transition/.

*Bryt Energy’s supply product has been audited and verified by an independent third party, EcoAct, to guarantee that our products are backed by Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin certificates (REGOs). Bryt Energy manages these certificates to ensure that we have a sufficient amount in order to supply renewable power to all of our customers across a year, and therefore allow our customers to report zero carbon emissions under the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Scope 2 Guidance. All source certification meets GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance Quality Criteria for market-based reporting method.

Certificates are held by energy suppliers for Fuel Mix Disclosure (FMD) purposes and Bryt Energy’s FMD represents the total amount of electricity purchased from the wholesale market to cover our portfolio of customers’ supply in given FMD year. 100% of the total amount of electricity purchased for supply by Bryt Energy during the period 2022/23 was from renewable sources. Bryt Energy purchases all electricity through our parent company, Statkraft, who procure the electricity volume to match our customers’ contracted amount from the wholesale electricity market.

Please note, all electricity to your properties is supplied via National Grid’s transmission network and local distribution networks (not directly from a renewable generator), so you will be provided with electricity from a mix of sources that the grid is being supplied with at that time from all generators – this may include fossil fuel sources.

Our full Fuel Mix Disclosure and FAQs on our products are available here. You can find our verification assurance statement here.

Sources
  1. https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/executive-summary
  2. https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/national_survey_finds_that_well_managed_solar_farms_can_address_loss_of_bio
  3. https://www.statkraft.co.uk/about-statkraft-uk/where-we-operate/Locations/stargoosesolar/
  4. https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/government_figures_show_a_6.7_increase_in_the_uks_solar_capacity_in_last_ye
  5. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-net-zero-government-response/responding-to-the-independent-review-of-net-zeros-recommendations
  6. https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-is-solar-power-a-threat-to-uk-farmland/
  7. https://www.cpre.org.uk/news/rooftops-can-provide-over-half-our-solar-energy-targets-report-shows/
  8. https://www.statkraft.co.uk/lowemissions/
  9. https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/executive-summary
  10. https://www.ukri.org/news-and-events/responding-to-climate-change/topical-stories/harnessing-offshore-wind/
  11. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/british-wind-power-overtakes-gas-first-time-q1-2023-report-2023-05-10/
  12. https://www.vestas.com/en/media/company-news/2023/vestas-unveils-circularity-solution-to-end-landfill-for-c3710818
  13. https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/science/posts/the-rspb-and-offshore-wind
  14. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44183-022-00003-5
  15. https://www.statkraft.co.uk/about-statkraft-uk/strategy/
  16. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/powering-up-britain/powering-up-britain
  17. https://www.congletonhydro.co.uk/about-dane-valley-community-energy-dvce-benefit-society/hydroelectricenergy/#:~:text=Hydroelectric%20Power%20in%20the%20UK,1.8%25%20of%20our%20national%20capacity
  18. https://www.irena.org/Publications/2023/Feb/The-changing-role-of-hydropower-Challenges-and-opportunities
  19. https://www.hydropower.org/iha/discover-facts-about-hydropower
  20. https://www.hydropower.org/factsheets/greenhouse-gas-emissions#:~:text=Independent%20research%20suggests%20that%20use,United%20States%20for%2020%20years
  21. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/environmental-impacts-hydroelectric-power#:~:text=Flooding%20land%20for%20a%20hydroelectric,way%20for%20reservoirs%20%5B3%5D
  22. https://www.statkraft.co.uk/sustainability/our-commitments/environment/
  23. https://www.statkraft.co.uk/about-statkraft-uk/where-we-operate/Locations/rheidol-hydropower-plant/
  24. https://www.iea.org/energy-system/renewables/hydroelectricity
  25. https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/nature-s-advocates/posts/biomass–_2d00_–a-burning-issue
  26. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/nuclear-energy/
  27. https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/explainers/role-nuclear-power-energy-mix-reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions/ 

As a zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity supplier, we have always believed that acting sustainably is quite simply the right thing to do. That’s why we launched our Bryt by Nature programme in 2020, practicing what we preach by fully documenting our journey to becoming a truly sustainable business.

We know that being sustainable is about more than just our environmental impact, so our Bryt by Nature programme consists of four key areas aligned with the values our business holds of being Sustainable, Passionate, Trusted and Pioneering by nature. These values shape all of our company objectives – from how we construct our products to how we influence our wider communities – and help us to deliver our purpose.

With the release of our 2023 Bryt by Nature report, take a look below at the progress we’ve made on our sustainability journey over the past year.

Our progress

This year, we’re proud to announce that, after a robust validation process, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved our near-term science-based emissions reduction targets. We’ve joined over 4,000 companies that have set targets with clearly defined pathways to reduce emissions in line with the latest climate science.

We’ve also continued to invest in our sustainable growth – we are thrilled to be celebrating another milestone in our journey by hiring our 100th employee and becoming the 10th largest British I&C (Industrial and Commercial) electricity supplier in 2023*. This is a huge testament to the growth in businesses looking for renewable electricity from conscious partners and marks an exciting development in our ability to deliver our purpose.

Through our collaboration with key technology partners, we’re proud to have helped our customers to use electricity more intelligently and sustainably– providing 10.6MW** of flexibility to the grid and supporting the transition to a net zero energy system. To this aim, we’ve also empowered our customers to take greater control of their energy usage, doubling our yearly target for smart meter installations set for us by Ofgem.

What we’ve learnt this year

This year, our journey has continued to teach us that embedding our sustainability values, policies, and initiatives across our team is essential to achieving our goals. We’ve focused on employee engagement, celebrating various sustainability awareness days and reminding colleagues of the employee benefits on offer to help them make sustainable choices.

A key learning this year has been the importance of collaboration. More than ever, we’ve understood that working in isolation is no longer a viable option in the face of intricate supply chains. We’ve recognised a need to engage more with both external stakeholders and the teams across our business and to gain greater insight into our carbon footprint, enabling us to create a holistic plan to reduce it. We’ve also understood that if the UK is to achieve net zero, organisations will also need to increase collaboration efforts with each other; innovating and evolving our product offerings will be crucial in navigating the complexities of a changing energy landscape, and collectively moving forwards to a net zero, sustainable energy future.

We know we have a long way to go on our sustainability journey but, by sharing best practice and working together, we feel we can create real change, faster. We will continue to be transparent and share what we’ve learnt, in the hope that by doing so we can help others to have a smoother path.

For more details, you can read our 2023 Bryt by Nature report by clicking here: https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/who-we-are/sustainability/.

Sources

*Cornwall Insight’s biannual ‘Business Market Share (Electricity)’ reports – Q2 & Q4 2023 – Q2 supply volumes adjusted by Cornwall Insight as part of Q4 2023 report.

** www.brytenergy.co.uk/bryt-energy-wattstor-partner-for-launch-of-marketshield/

1. Since launching Bryt by Nature, are there any changes you have made in the last year that were particularly challenging to implement?
2. How important do you think it is for businesses to have dedicated sustainability roles?
3. Have you got any tips for boosting staff engagement around sustainability?
4. With remote working more common, how are you measuring Bryt Energy’s work-from-home carbon emissions and helping staff make reductions?
5. Now that we’ve achieved carbon neutral supplier status*, what is next big milestone for Bryt Energy?

Please note that Bryt Energy is no longer a carbon neutral organisation. Instead we have decided to focus on robust carbon emissions reduction targets, which have been validated by the globally recognised Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). By setting our targets using the most up-to-date climate science, we are ensuring we are playing our part in global action to tackle climate change and are accountable for reducing our emissions alongside a verifiable pathway. To learn more about our targets, you can visit page 16 of our 2023 Bryt by Nature report, here.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Following the launch of our latest Bryt by Nature report, we spoke to our Sustainability Manager, Jos Mister, about her involvement with all things sustainability, including the progress we’ve made on our journey so far. Her answers might help you think about how your own business can make progress along a similar path – if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

1. Since launching Bryt by Nature, are there any changes you have made in the last year that were particularly challenging to implement?

Reflecting on the recent launch of 2021’s Bryt by Nature report, are there any changes you have made in the last year that were particularly challenging to implement? Do you have any advice for people who might be trying to get similar changes across the line?

Our Bryt By Nature programme has got off to a great start, and we’ve already implemented a number of changes since the start of the year – but they haven’t all been easy!

 

One thing we’ve learned is that it’s so important to discuss any changes we’re thinking about making with everyone involved. You need support from your senior stakeholders, as they will be able to give you the time and resources you need to deliver your ambitions. But it’s also important to understand how your sustainability measures might impact other members of the wider team. For example, I spent a lot of time researching a new travel initiative that I thought would be brilliant for Bryt Energy, and gained the support of senior stakeholders to go ahead. But it wasn’t until I spoke to other departments that I realised it just wouldn’t be practical for us to implement at the moment for various technical reasons. In hindsight, I could have saved a lot of time if I’d had those conversations with the right people at the start.

 

I’ve also been discovering that sustainability is about so much more than your organisation’s carbon footprint. It’s also about providing social value and having a positive impact on the communities your business is operating in. So we recommend incorporating social value into your sustainability strategy too, such as by championing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

Another challenge – which is also a huge opportunity, really – is that we’re never short on ideas for further sustainability initiatives! We invite our entire team to suggest new ideas, and we’re all passionate about sustainability at Bryt Energy, so we receive plenty. It’s brilliant to be constantly thinking of next steps, but make sure you put a plan in place to put all of your ideas into action – like our Bryt by Nature programme.

 

2. How important do you think it is for businesses to have dedicated sustainability roles?

Your appointment as Sustainability Manager has itself been a key element of Bryt Energy’s sustainability journey. How important do you think it is for businesses to have people in similar dedicated roles?

If you’re putting a sustainability plan in place, it’s vital to ensure that someone is responsible for delivering it. Appointing a dedicated Sustainability Manager shows our customers that we’re committed to improving the organisation’s impact on the environment and the communities we operate in. It also demonstrates our sustainability commitment to our team, and gives them someone they can go to with any ideas or questions they have about sustainability.

 

It also means that I can really push the sustainability agenda forwards and put the knowledge and expertise I have into creating a practical plan, as sustainability is my sole focus in my role. But I’m not the only person that’s responsible for sustainability at Bryt Energy – we have a Head of Marketing and Sustainability position, too. Sustainability shouldn’t exist in a silo, so by integrating sustainability into other roles, we ensure that it’s embedded throughout the business.

 

We also have a sustainability student with us on a placement from a local university. This is something we’re all really excited about because it allows us to gain a fresh perspective on our sustainability strategy, whilst helping to hopefully inspire and nurture the next generation of sustainability experts.

 

Of course, not every business will have the resources to appoint a dedicated sustainability manager. But if you can embed sustainability into certain roles, you’re likely to find it easier to give them the time and resources to push changes forward, and truly champion sustainability in your organisation. So look for any roles that could take on sustainability tasks – perhaps your Health & Safety team could take on sustainability responsibilities, for example.

 

3. Have you got any tips for boosting staff engagement around sustainability?

Has it been easy to get everyone at Bryt Energy on-board with sustainability? Have you got any tips for boosting staff engagement?

As a renewable electricity supplier, sustainability has always been a core part of Bryt Energy’s ethos, so we think it’s really important for all of our staff to be on board with our initiatives. That’s why we talk with all of our team members about our commitment to sustainability and the role they can play from their initial induction. We then continue to provide support and training to all of our staff to enable them to get involved with our initiatives, and we keep everyone updated with our progress in company-wide updates and meetings.

 

If you’re trying to encourage your employees to engage with your sustainability initiatives, you could consider establishing some employee sustainability champions across different departments. We use our Employee Champions to motivate others in their teams to get involved with our sustainability programme, and gather new ideas and feedback from across the business on the work we have done so far. They can be really helpful when it comes to understanding what everyone thinks about the measures we’re implementing and identifying what might be preventing them from engaging with our initiatives.

 

We would also recommend bringing sustainability into employee benefits and schemes to support their sustainability progress and engage them on your journey. We’ve recently introduced a new Climate Perks scheme that enables our employees to claim up to two paid ‘journey days’ per year if they choose to travel on holiday by train, coach or boat rather than flying. This means they can travel sustainably without using up their annual leave, and we’ve already had one team member take us up on it! We’ve also had lots of employees apply for our new electric vehicle (EV) salary sacrifice scheme. Think about how you can use benefits to make it easier for your employees to improve their own sustainability, as they’re much more likely to get involved if it’s simple for them to do so.

4. With remote working more common, how are you measuring Bryt Energy’s work-from-home carbon emissions and helping staff make reductions?

With so much of the Bryt Energy team working remotely at the moment, how are you measuring their work-from-home carbon emissions – and helping them make reductions?

It hasn’t been easy to gather all the data we needed to determine the carbon emissions our employees are creating while they’re working from home! We have been closely monitoring who is in the office and who is working remotely for health and safety reasons, but this data was also useful for identifying where our carbon emissions were coming from.

 

It was very interesting to see the results. Working from home reduced emissions in historically the biggest area of our carbon footprint – travel – because it significantly reduced the number of staff commuting to and from the office or travelling to business meetings. However, in the winter months, when everyone began to turn their central heating on, the emissions from heating were slightly higher than those we typically created from commuting.

 

In a Sustainability Manager’s ideal world, employees would work from home in the summer and then commute into the office in the winter, but that’s not going to happen! Instead, we’re encouraging our employees to switch to renewable tariffs at home where possible, by providing them with advice and incentives for doing so. An anonymous employee survey revealed that over 50% of our employees are already on a renewable tariff, so we’re heading in the right direction!

5. Now that we’ve achieved carbon neutral supplier status*, what is next big milestone for Bryt Energy?

Now that we’ve achieved carbon neutral supplier status*, what do you think the next big milestone will be for Bryt Energy?

Becoming carbon neutral* was a brilliant achievement and a key milestone in our sustainability journey – but we’re not stopping there. The next step for us is to aim towards net zero by 2025. This involves significantly reducing our carbon emissions across all our activities, then eliminating any emissions we can’t yet reduce via projects that remove or capture carbon emissions from the atmosphere, so that we are no longer a net contributor to climate change.

 

For any organisations that are looking for advice on their own sustainability journey, one of our key recommendations would be to start mapping out your Scope 3 emissions as soon as possible – these are indirect emissions in areas such as your supply chain and employees’ business travel and commuting. We are mapping out our Scope 3 emissions with a consultant, and I thought it would be a fairly simple process, but there is so much more to it than I realised! There are 15 categories under Scope 3, which means gathering a lot of data, but it’s vital to ensure that you have a clear view of your entire carbon footprint. Don’t panic if adding your Scope 3 data increases your carbon footprint – it’s better to be aware of where your emissions lie, as this will help you to identify where to focus your efforts going forward.

 

If your business is going to offset its emissions to reach a goal like carbon neutrality, we would also recommend ensuring that the project you choose aligns with your wider ethos and incorporates social value in some way. We chose the Bokhol Solar Project, for example, because it provides around 160,000 Senegalese people with access to renewable energy. This aligns with a number of our Sustainable Development Goals, as the Bokhol Solar Project is helping people to access clean energy at affordable prices, which enhances their wellbeing and also addresses climate change.

If you could give one piece of advice to a business just getting started on their sustainability journey, what would it be?

Just do it! It’s easy to feel daunted, but start somewhere. We’re all learning along the way.

 

If you’re interested in finding out more about our journey so far, check out our Bryt By Nature report – and if you’d like to find out how we can support you, get in touch on 0330 053 8620 or on heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk today.

 

*Carbon neutral is defined by Bryt Energy as Scope 1, 2 & 3 for the categories of gas, electricity, water, waste, business travel including hotel stays, employee commuting and working from home. The scope 1, 2 & 3 carbon emissions for 2020 were 43.8 tonnes and therefore 50 tonnes of carbon credits from Bokhol Solar project were retired on behalf of Bryt Energy by EcoAct in August 2021.

Please note that Bryt Energy is no longer a carbon neutral organisation. Instead we have decided to focus on robust carbon emissions reduction targets, which have been validated by the globally recognised Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). By setting our targets using the most up-to-date climate science, we are ensuring we are playing our part in global action to tackle climate change and are accountable for reducing our emissions alongside a verifiable pathway. To learn more about our targets, you can visit page 16 of our 2023 Bryt by Nature report, here.

____________________________________________________________

 

With it being 5 years since we began our Bryt Energy journey last month, and just over half a year since we launched our Bryt by Nature programme, we thought that it would be an ideal time to reflect on the progress we’ve made on all things sustainability.

 

In 2020, we documented all of the actions we took to achieve our carbon neutral* status in our Bryt by Nature report. But that was just the beginning of our journey. We’re aiming to reach net zero by 2025, so we’re not wasting any time in making further progress.

 

Our Bryt by Nature programme for being a better business consists of four key elements, and we’re striving to make continual improvements in all of these areas. Here’s what we’ve done so far in 2021

SUSTAINABLE BY NATURE

We’ve always believed that businesses have a responsibility to minimise their impact on the environment, so we’re constantly working to reduce our emissions wherever possible. Due to the pandemic, most of our staff have been working from home since March 2020, which means our office-based emissions are likely to have fallen – but we know that we’re still responsible for the emissions our employees create while working from home. We’re documenting our employees’ working-from-home emissions (such as the energy they use to power their IT equipment and heat their homes) and are supporting more staff to switch to a renewable electricity supply at home, by providing them with advice and incentives.

 

Now that restrictions are easing, we’re also thinking about how we can address our Scope 3 emissions, which are indirect emissions in areas such as our supply chain and employees’ business travel. Business travel accounted for a significant part of our carbon footprint pre-pandemic, so we’ve been busy introducing new policies to encourage our staff to opt for low carbon travel when it’s safe to return to the office. Our employees can now take out an interest-free season ticket loan (we pay for the travel pass and they pay it back monthly), buy a bike through our tax efficient bike-to-work scheme, or switch to an electric vehicle through our new EV car salary sacrifice scheme.

 

We’ve also appointed a dedicated Sustainability Manager to help us drive our sustainability agenda forwards, as well as taking on a sustainability placement student from a local university, to support and inspire the next generation of sustainability experts.

PASSIONATE BY NATURE

Without our incredible team, we wouldn’t be able to deliver our purpose – so we’re always looking for new ways to make Bryt Energy a positive, diverse and inclusive place to work. Most recently, we’ve done this by becoming an accredited Living Wage employer, which means all our staff are paid at least the Living Wage. That’s currently £9.50 an hour in the UK, with a higher rate of £10.85 in London to reflect the higher costs of living in the capital. We’re also committed to ensuring that all of our third party contracted staff are paid the Living Wage by the end of 2021.

 

As well as this, we know that our employees share our commitment to sustainability, so we’ve recently added ‘Climate Perks’ to our staff benefits. This means that all of our staff members can take up to two paid ‘journey days’ per year if they choose to travel on holiday by train, coach or boat rather than flying – so they can travel sustainably without using up their annual leave.

TRUSTED BY NATURE

As part of our Bryt by Nature programme, we made a promise to our customers to be accurate, reliable, and there when they need us. So, despite the challenges of the pandemic in the past 18 months, our passionate team have continued to support both new and existing customers. In fact, during this time, our average customer satisfaction rating was 4.9/5+, showing that customers trust us to help them on their sustainability journeys.

 

Furthermore, with business decarbonisation critical to meeting the UK’s goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050, organisations are increasingly choosing us and our zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity supply to help them meet their carbon reduction targets, resulting in us being the fastest growing business electricity supplier in Britain in 2020^.

PIONEERING BY NATURE

Alongside our own sustainability journey, we’re committed to helping our customers use electricity more intelligently and sustainably for us to reach Net Zero by 2050. As we transition to 100% renewable generation, and with EVs and heat pumps coming on board, balancing our energy system will become more challenging and consumers will need to play their part.

 

We want to empower businesses to be part of the solution, to practice good grid citizenship and to improve their energy efficiency, by providing flexibility to the system. That’s why we’ve developed pioneering optimisation solutions which are accessible to all types of businesses. By combining our expertise in renewables with industry leading technology providers, our solutions seamlessly integrate with customer’s assets and buildings. This enables them to unlock value from their operations and to be rewarded for supporting the clean energy transition – all without impacting their business activities. Find out more from our expert Chris Curry here and join us on the next step of the journey.

JOIN OUR JOURNEY

We’re determined to be totally transparent in our sustainability journey, and as we’re now working towards net zero emissions by 2025, we’ll regularly update you on our progress.

 

If you’re interested in our journey so far, check out our Bryt By Nature report – and if you’d like to join us on the road to net zero, find out how we can support you by calling 0330 053 8620 or emailing heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk today.

 

* Carbon neutral is defined by Bryt Energy as Scope 1, 2 & 3 for the categories of gas, electricity, water, waste and business travel. The scope 1, 2 & 3 carbon emissions for 2016-2019 were 106.64 tonnes and therefore 110 tonnes of carbon credits from the Bokhol Solar project were retired on behalf of Bryt Energy by EcoAct in August 2020.   

 

+based upon all customer responses to all routine satisfaction surveys undertaken by Bryt Energy between April 2020 – May 2021.

 

^Organic growth only, based on Bryt Energy’s 2020 share of national settled electricity volumes in Great Britain compared to 2019 share, versus other business-only suppliers.

Here at Bryt Energy, we’re proud to announce that we have now received our accreditation as a Living Wage Employer.

This means that we’ve joined over 7,000 other UK businesses in committing to pay every employee at least the current Living Wage. This is one of several employee benefits that we provide as part of our commitment to being a responsible and ethical business, the framework for which is outlined in our Bryt by Nature sustainability report.

What is the Living Wage?

The Living Wage is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay published by the Living Wage Foundation that aims to cover a realistic cost of living. This is higher than the government’s minimum, National Living Wage. It is currently £9.50 in the UK, with a higher rate of £10.85 for London, reflecting the higher costs of living in the capital.

 

The West Midlands has one of the highest proportions of non-Living Wage jobs in the country (21%), with around 442,000 jobs paying less than the real Living Wage. Our voluntary commitment means each of our employees will be paid a minimum of the Living Wage’s calculated rate.

 

Laura Gardiner, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Bryt Energy has joined the movement of over 7,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on. They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Bryt Energy, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”

 

Our Director of Customer Service & Operations, Heidi Wilbor, said: “The Living Wage is a great initiative, so I’m delighted to say this has been implemented and all employees are now being paid at least the Living Wage. Being Passionate by Nature, we’re also committed to ensuring all our third party contracted staff are paid the real Living Wage too, by the end of 2021.”

Health and beauty giant, A.S. Watson, owner of Superdrug, The Perfume Shop and Savers, have recently confirmed they will be extending their zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity supply contract by 12 months, after celebrating a year and a half since switching to us.

Since 1st April 2019, all 1400 retail sites nationwide have been supplied with zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity, sourced solely from Wind, Hydro and Solar power. In the first 12 months on supply, A.S. Watson saved over 19,000 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of filling Wembley Stadium with CO2 almost three times! In addition, the 12-month contract extension strengthens our growing partnership with A.S. Watson.

 

A.S. Watson had been looking to gain an understanding of their energy usage across their retail portfolio, as well as reduce their carbon footprint as part of their sustainability and corporate social responsibility programme. Offering them a unique package of renewable electricity, with the opportunity to install solar and storage technology, optimisation controls and smart data portfolio analytics, we became the ideal choice of partner. Having the trust in our ability to take on and manage the entire site portfolio in a complex and dynamic market was a key factor in the final decision making for A.S. Watson.

 

Our Managing Director, Ian Brothwell, said: “We are continuing to develop a long-term partnership with A.S. Watson to provide retail portfolio solutions that allow them to understand, monitor and reduce their consumption, work more sustainably and future-proof their energy supply. The switch demonstrates their confidence in Bryt Energy and, more broadly, the market’s move to purchasing from renewable sources.”

 

Nigel Duxbury, Property Director at A.S. Watson UK, said: “Being a responsible retailer is vitally important for us and our customers, and we are pleased to use renewable energy in our stores. This is a change which has a positive impact on the environment, being made across our business to be more sustainable.”

 

 

For more information on how we can support your business on its carbon-reducing journey, get in touch at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk or on 0330 053 8620. You can also follow us at:

 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/bryt-energy/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/BrytEnergy

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/brytenergy/

As the UK looks to rebuild its economy following the effects of Covid-19, there is a question of whether the pandemic, with all its social, health and welfare implications, will propel businesses faster down the sustainability route. Or will the best of intentions get overlooked in a rush to return to economic growth at any cost?

EARLY SIGNS ARE ENCOURAGING

Many agree that the pandemic recovery plan should put us on a path to a cleaner, greener future. Early signs are encouraging, at least for the UK and Europe. Our Prime Minister talks about creating a fairer, greener, and more resilient economy, whilst the EU is in the process of spelling out its green recovery programme.

 

However, there is much scope for progress for both. Before the pandemic, Britain ranked a moderate 12th in the international league table for meeting the UN’s target of achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 20301. These are integrated goals that balance social, economic, and environmental objectives, including ‘Climate Action’, ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’, ‘Reduced Inequality’ and ‘No Poverty’2.

CALLS TO EMBRACE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The Government has been encouraged to embrace the SDGs in its recovery programme. In this way, we can achieve a recovery that balances the economy with the environment. Many businesses, academia and charities have united to call on the PM for a ‘Green, Fair and Healthy Recovery’ and their recommendations include:

  • Use the SDGs in the recovery programme to unite all sectors behind a plan to build a stronger and more resilient economy3
  • Prioritise the most vulnerable in our society and level-up regional and societal inequalities3
  • Build coherent policies for a healthy planet and aid the transition to net zero3
  • Make climate risk disclosures mandatory for businesses4
  • Ensure financial support for business is conditional on their plans and action to align with the UK’s net zero target and the 1.5°C goal4
  • Strengthen the UK’s economic competitiveness and productivity through investment in the sectors and technologies of the future5
  • Deliver critical public goods, including clean air, better health, and improved financial resilience to future environmental shocks5
  • Enable UK businesses to be competitive providers of low carbon goods and services, ahead of G7 and COP26 summits5

 

It’s clear that industry groups and businesses are acknowledging how important it is for the recovery programme to benefit the economy, society, and the environment, equally.

TAKEAWAYS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

The lockdown has shown what clean air can mean for city dwellers and returning to old habits built around ‘take, make and waste’ now appear to make little social, as well as environmental, sense.

 

So, what thoughts can we draw together at this early stage in terms of what these may mean for your business in the future? And how can your business become more sustainable during the recovery?

 

   1. Demonstrate your credentials

The ability to prove your company’s sustainability credentials is becoming more important, as businesses look for competitive advantage whilst satisfying consumer demand. A good place to start in becoming more sustainable is adopting the ‘circular economy’ approach – addressing your business’ processes and looking at how to optimise them. Based on the principles of re-use, repair and recycle, the EU already has a Circular Economy Action Plan6. Products to be sold on the EU market in the future will need to last longer and use recycled materials as much as possible.

 

So, if you have operations in the EU or simply sell into the area, then you will need to find out what the implications of the Circular Economy Action Plan could mean for your business. Good places to look include the EU’s website6 and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation website7. Adopting circular economy practices will form an essential part of achieving net zero, and you can calculate how well your business is transitioning towards more sustainable behaviours, here.

 

   2. Check your reporting requirements

As we’ve seen from examples earlier, further reporting requirements seem only a matter of time. These are likely to require more extensive reporting on your energy consumption and emissions, financial and environmental risks, and your net zero commitments and progress. Your organisation could be one of the 11,000 covered by BEIS’ Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) scheme8. If not, you may well be included in the future as consumption thresholds are expected to reduce. The scope of emissions covered could be extended and plans remain to create a publicly accessed portal at some point, where reputational performance comparisons could be made. To learn more about how reporting requirements could affect your business, there’s a useful guide to SECR on Carbon Trust’s website8.

 

Public pressure is also mounting for companies to declare how they intend to achieve net zero. Now is the time for your business to consider adopting science-based targets to achieve net zero, especially if you are looking to qualify for future financial support. A useful introduction to what’s involved can be found on the Science Based Targets website9.

 

   3. Create boardroom action

UN Global Compact maintains that whilst commitment to sustainability is high in businesses, more needs to be done if SDG goals are to be achieved by 2030.

 

A survey of Chief Sustainability Officers conducted between February and May 2020 found that, whilst 84% of companies are taking action to advance the SDGs, only 46% are currently embedding them into their core business10. Plus, whilst 39% say they believe their targets are sufficiently ambitious to achieve the 2030 deadline, only 15% have targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

 

A good starting point for understanding how sustainability can truly be embedded in your organisation is to look at the report ‘Uniting Business in the Decade of Action‘ from UN Global Compact10.

 

 4. Make the most of a unique opportunity

The next 18 months are set to be high profile for sustainability and climate action, both in businesses and across the public at large. Not only will there be the pandemic recovery measures to digest in terms of what opportunities and incentives it may bring, but there’s also the UN’s World Energy Summit, COP26. Rescheduled for November 2021, the delay means that it can now take on an even greater significance, providing a platform for governments to showcase the green steps to recovery that they are taking, as well as their progress on the Paris Agreement.

 

In the meantime, there are many things your business can do during the recovery to ensure you become a more sustainable, resilient, and competitive business on the other side.

 

Here at Bryt Energy, we can support your business on its sustainability journey, providing you with zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity, sourced solely from wind, hydro and solar power. If you have any questions on how we can help you towards a low carbon, sustainable future, please speak to our friendly team at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk or on 0330 053 8620. Let’s make a difference, together.

Sources

1.  Institute for European Environmental Policy

2.  United Nations

3.  United Nations Global Compact

4.  The Climate Coalition

5.  The Aldersgate Group

6.  European Commission

7.  Ellen MacArthur Foundation

8.  The Carbon Trust

9.  Science Based Targets

10. United Nations Global Compact

The University of Sheffield has recently made the switch to our zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity!

The signed contracts will ensure the entire University’s estate will be supplied with our zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity, sourced solely from Wind, Hydro and Solar power. This covers all the University’s buildings, including their central campus, accommodation, and all other facilities.

 

With electricity being the largest component of the University’s on-campus carbon emissions, their switch to renewables will have a dramatic impact on their carbon footprint and shows the University’s commitment to sustainable development.

 

Our Managing Director, Ian Brothwell, said: “We are looking forward to developing a long-term partnership with The University of Sheffield to support them on their low carbon, sustainability journey. The switch highlights their confidence in Bryt Energy and sets a positive example to the rest of the higher education sector.”

 

Professor Koen Lamberts, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “We are absolutely committed to addressing climate change via our research, our education and our institutional actions.
“Switching to a 100% renewable electricity contract is an important step in our sustainability work and follows our work to completely divest from fossil fuels and incorporate sustainable development into our education.

 

“We look forward to working closely with our students and staff on the next phase of our sustainable development.”

 

 

For more information on how we can support your business on its carbon-reducing journey, get in touch at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk or on 0330 053 8620. You can also follow us at:

 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/bryt-energy/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/BrytEnergy

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/brytenergy/

As every area of the globe feels the effects of coronavirus, daily life has changed dramatically. Now several months into this crisis, the world has been given a view into how the environment reacts in the absence of normal daily human activity.

 

As keen as we are to return to normality, what can we learn from this crisis and how can we use this insight to build a healthier, more sustainable future?

HOPE FOR A LOW CARBON FUTURE

As our daily lives and behaviours have adapted dramatically for coronavirus, the world is noticeably quieter, cleaner, and wilder. Reports show that human activity is at its lowest on record1, and demand across industries has plummeted2. This lower demand, with greater proportion of renewables in use3, has resulted in lower emissions and thriving nature. Through this, we’ve had an unprecedented glimpse into what our world could look like. It’s demonstrated that radical behavioural change can rapidly reduce emissions.

 

Reduced emissions

Worldwide reductions in travel have resulted in a fall in emissions. There was an estimated 5% global CO2 reduction for Q1 20203.

 

Figure 1: Global energy-related CO2 emissions, 1900-2020 – International Energy Association

 

During their virus peak, it’s estimated that China’s carbon emissions dropped by 25%4 whilst carbon monoxide emissions fell by 50% during one week in New York5. Similarly, methane and nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen in Italy6 and the UK7. Clearly, rapid emission reduction is possible, but we will need extensive, worldwide changes if we are to see this going forwards.

 

Nature bounces back

There have also been widespread reports of nature flourishing. Deer in Haridwar, wild boar in Barcelona and the Llandudno goats8, all show wildlife extending into quieter cities. Bees are thriving on the wildflowers of uncut verges9 and, with less traffic noise, bird song can be heard.

RISK FALLING BEHIND IN SUSTAINABILITY ACTION

Whilst offering a hopeful glimpse into a more sustainable future, such news shows that action is needed now more than ever.

 

The changes are temporary

It is neither desirable nor realistic for recent behaviour changes to be a method for reducing emissions and they will inevitably rise as we return to normality. China is showing an increase in emissions as restrictions have been lifted4 and it is likely that we will begin seeing the same in Italy and France.

 

Sustainability on pause

Understandably, attention has been pulled away from sustainability action during the crisis, but this poses long-term risks for climate change. Over a third of sustainability professionals in the UK have reported a pause on projects and investments10 and the postponement of COP26 may mean a pause on global policies with far-reaching consequences.

 

For biodiversity, an important aspect of preventing climate change and reducing emissions, there is a serious risk of future loss. Fire prevention work in the Amazon has been negatively affected11 and many ecological initiatives reliant upon tourist revenue now face failure12. With such uncontrollable factors affecting our efforts, it is particularly important to consider the sustainability actions within our control.

 

Risks from new habits

Behavioural changes have created new habits, some with increased emissions. Predictions from 2019 showed an 80% increase in data centre traffic by 202213, with data use expected to account for 14% of global emissions by 204014. With remote working being effective for many companies during the crisis and employees seeing work-life balance benefits, this is only likely to increase. As new practices develop it is important to consider any impacts and ensure that efficiency and sustainable options are considered.

HOW CAN WE LEARN TO ACHIEVE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE?

So, how can we continue our efforts and achieve the sustainable future we now know is possible?

 

1) Mindset change

In the last few months, the world has moved together to put people before profit. This is a monumental mindset change that highlights how, when needed, we can ‘be the change’. The current situation and its damage to our wellbeing and economy cannot continue, but nor can unethical business growth without thought for the long-term impacts. We must balance people, planet, and profit, for the sake of each.

 

2) Be smarter about our consumption

Recent reduced consumption will not continue, but we now have a unique opportunity to reflect, learn and change. Societies have been forced to think about their consumption on global, industrial, and personal scales15. Many are considering working from home as a longer-term option, whilst reduced accessibility has made us more aware of how we consume products, what we need and potentially how much we waste.

 

Energy use accounts for a substantial proportion of global emissions. With populations expected to grow16, this is likely to increase. Being more aware of our consumption, more efficient and less wasteful would be a big step towards reducing emissions and preventing climate change.

 

3) Rebuild in the right way

Whilst the International Energy Association (IEA) have proposed that this may be the end of coal power3, there is a risk of a move back to traditional investments in fossil fuels as countries rebuild. Instead, a continuation of last year’s sustainable investment movement17 would offer an economic boost in a way that helps everyone. Choosing sustainable products and services will be more important than ever, and there is both opportunity and responsibility for businesses within this.

 

4) We can do it together

The one overwhelming message from Covid-19 has been that we can do more when we are united. We have seen this in the collaborative efforts of governments, international organisations, businesses, and individuals world-wide in response to this crisis – together we really can make a difference.

 

Let’s do this

We have all faced loss and disruption over the last few months, and it will take time to recover. But let’s not forget this glimpse into what could be. Let’s rebuild to a healthier, happier future. Together, we’ve already proven we can make a difference, so let’s do this.

 

To understand more about our commitment to helping British businesses achieve a low carbon future, get in touch with our friendly team at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk or on 0330 053 8620.

Sources:

1. BBC

2. Financial Times

3. International Energy Agency

4. Carbon Brief

5. BBC

6. BBC

7. ESA

8. Newsflare

9. The Guardian

10. Edie

11. The Guardian

12. The Guardian

13. IEA

14. The Guardian

15. Bryt Energy

16. The UN

17. Bryt Energy

Images:

Figure 1: 2020 Global Energy Review: International Energy Association

Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2oC and pursue efforts to keep to 1.5oC, reached at the UN climate meeting in Paris, is driving businesses at home and abroad to take action. Businesses are adopting targets in their push to becoming more sustainable – here are some of the best, most recent examples of these commitments in action:

INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES COMMIT TO PARIS CEILING

According to the global research organisation the World Resources Institute, 87 companies based in 27 countries are now committed to working towards the 1.5oC target across their operations and value chains1. The We Mean Business Coalition employs over four million staff and includes many well-known names such as Astra Zeneca, Hewlett Packard, Unilever and Vodafone. Adopting science-based targets, the companies plan to reach Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050 at the latest, saving direct emissions that are equal to the output from 73 coal-fired stations1.

 

UK COMPANIES STEP UP TO THE PLATE

But achieving Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050 is going to need more than converting to renewable energy sources and boosting energy efficiency, according to a new report from the Ellen Macarthur Foundation3. The report believes that energy measures will achieve 55% of the emissions reduction necessary. Achieving the balance will need to be tackled separately, focusing on the continuing need for food production and manufactured goods.

 

THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

This is where the Circular Economy comes in, working on the three principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use and regenerating natural systems. Based on work in various industries, including plastics, food, cement and steel, the Foundation calculates that adopting a Circular Economy Framework would eradicate a further 20% of global emissions, leaving a balance of 25% to be achieved through emerging technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, and changes in diet and lifestyle3.

 

PLASTICS ARE A PRIORITY

The need to keep plastics in the economy and out of the ocean lies at the heart of the Global Plastics Commitment, which now contains over 400 signatories including 200 businesses representing over 20% of all plastic packaging used4.  They have a combined annual revenue in excess of $2 trillion and include well-known names such as Coca Cola, Nestle and Mars.

 

Their objectives for 2025 include increasing the use of recycled plastic five-fold and eliminating problematic plastic packaging, equivalent to leaving 25 million barrels of oil in the ground. The vision remains to achieve a Circular Economy for Plastics in which plastic never becomes waste, by re-using, re-cycling or composting.

THE BRYT FUTURE

Our parent company, Statkraft, has recently joined with two other major electricity companies in Scandinavia, Vattenfall and Fortum, to issue the Nordic Coalition Declaration5. It requests that the European Union raises its climate ambitions to match the Paris Agreement and set Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050 into European Climate Law.

 

These examples of how businesses are responding to the Paris Agreement, and Climate Change in general, show just how fast industries and economies are changing.

 

Your business can play its part too with a simple switch to a zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity supply. To find out more about how Bryt Energy can support your sustainability journey, get in touch with our friendly team at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk or on 0330 053 8620.

Sources:

World Resources Institute

YouGov

Ellen Macarthur Foundation

New Plastics Economy

Nordic Coalition Declaration

Here at Bryt Energy, we are pleased to announce that our zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity supply product has once again been assessed, verified and assured by an independent third party, to give our customers the confidence they require when reporting their carbon emissions.

The audit was undertaken by EcoAct, who verified our supply product against the ‘Quality Criteria of the GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance (2015)’ and assured that our customers could report the electricity they purchase as zero carbon. 

WHO IS ECOACT?

EcoAct is an international advisory consultancy and project developer that works with clients to help them succeed in their climate ambitions. They believe that climate change, energy management and sustainability are drivers of corporate performance and they help to address business problems and opportunities in an intelligent way. Learn more at https://eco-act.com/

 

Mark Chadwick, CEO of EcoAct, says: “By independently verifying and assuring its product as 100% renewable and backed by guarantees of origin, Bryt Energy gives its customers confidence that the electricity they purchase is zero carbon. This provides clients with the proof they need to report zero emissions as part of their environmental strategies.”  

THE VERIFICATION PROCESS

EcoAct reviewed and tested the design, implementation and operation of our zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity product. From the design and marketing to the sales and operational systems, EcoAct studied our processes and visited our site to meet the team involved.  

 

The audit also involved evaluating our GoO (Guarantees of Origin) and REGO (Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin) balance for the Fuel Mix Disclosure period of 1st April 2018 – 31st March 2019. These are certificates which prove that we purchase electricity produced from renewable sources, as defined by Ofgem, on behalf of our customers.

 

After a rigorous assessment, EcoAct confirmed that our product is exactly what we say it is – zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity, sourced solely from our wind, hydro and solar portfolio. 

 

Chairman of Bryt Energy, Dave Cave, commented: “The mission to become zero carbon is becoming more important to businesses, as changes in legislation encourage us all to be more transparent with our Fuel Mix. Bryt Energy’s customers are one step ahead, as they continue to work with a pioneering, trusted and certified energy supplier.” 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

If you’re a customer of ours, EcoAct’s Assurance Statement and Stamp allow you to report your related electricity consumption as zero carbon, with confidence. 

 

It reinforces our trusted and transparent relationship with our customers – doing the basics brilliantly at the highest of ethical standards. 

 

To learn more about our EcoAct audit and how it benefits your business, please contact us at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk or on 0330 053 8620. 

THE SITUATION

Last year saw the IPCC report and UN Climate Change Conference warn of the dangers of increasing temperatures exceeding 1.5°C. Rising sea levels and damage to ecosystems and coral reefs are just the tip of the melting iceberg. 

 

There is a 97% consensus of scientists who agree that human-induced climate change is happening [1]. 

 

“If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon” – Sir David Attenborough, COP24 Climate Conference, Katowice, December 4th 2018) [2].

 

As an individual, you can make a big difference with small changes in your lifestyle. 

 

Here are our top 5 tips to live more sustainably and improve your Carbon Karma.

There it is, 5 ways you can reduce your carbon footprint and live more sustainably to help limit climate change. To learn more on what your business can do to help the environment, read https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/knowledge-hub/ipcc-report-what-does-it-mean-for-your-business-and-how-can-you-make-a-difference/

 

Interested in switching to zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity? For more information, please get in touch at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk or on 0330 053 8620.

Sources

[1]  https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/

[2] www.independent.co.uk/environment/david-attenborough-climate-talks-cop-24-poland-global-warming-civilisations-collapse-a8664856.html

[3] http://theconversation.com/its-time-to-wake-up-to-the-devastating-impact-flying-has-on-the-environment-70953  

[4] Carbon offsetting organisations https://climatecare.org/ & www.carbonfootprint.com/carbonoffset.html  

[5] https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/news/14245701-how-planting-trees-can-help-reduce-your-carbon-footprint  

[6] https://www.carbontrust.com/resources/guides/energy-efficiency/buildings-energy-efficiency/  

CHRISTMAS – IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR. APART FROM THE BILLS THAT CAN COME WITH IT!

Here at Bryt Energy, we’ve come up with our top 5 tips to keep your bills down this Christmas, whilst living more sustainably along the way:

 

1. Reduce, reuse, recycle

Each year, wasted wrapping paper could wrap around the Earth’s equator nine times1!

Using recycled cards and wrapping paper in your office, and then reusing or recycling them again, could drastically reduce your business’s waste.

2. Use LED lights on decorations

Rather than filament light bulbs, LEDs in your office Christmas decorations can last up to 100,000 hours and use 90% less energy than a traditional filament set of Christmas lights would2.

 

3. Reduce your Christmas leftovers

A total of four million Christmas dinners are thrown away each year3. You could cook less, freeze or compost your leftover dinner, to help your food go further. This would reduce the carbon footprint associated with your food.

 

4.  Rechargeable batteries

Whether you’re at home or working this holiday, with Christmas comes toys, gadgets and technology – and lots of them. By switching from disposable to rechargeable batteries, you can reduce your costs and waste along the way.

 

5. Ditch stand-by

Rather than putting your appliances on stand-by, you could turn them off when they’re not in use. This could help you save on energy consumption and consequently your bill. This includes turning off office or warehouse appliances and lights when not in use. Even households that do this year-round could save an annual amount of £1004!

 

6. (A Christmas bonus)  Save energy – don’t misuse the photocopier at the office Christmas party!

By reducing your waste and making some small changes to how you use energy, you could save money on more than just your energy bills this Christmas.

 

If you have any other money-saving tips for Christmas, or just have a query, get in touch at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk.

Sources: