UK businesses accelerate shift to clean energy

The move demonstrates that emissions reduction can go hand-inhand with business growth, says the Group.

RBS has said it will switch 300 vehicles to electric and encourage staff uptake of EVs by building on the charge points it already offers, providing a further 600 by 2030, as a new member of EV100. The bank also joined EP100 and will reduce its energy consumption by 40% by 2025 against its 2015 baseline, says the Climate Group.

Meanwhile commercial property development and investment company Landsec will increase the number of EV charge points across its portfolio to over 300 by the end of 2019, as a new member of EV100. The company has been a member of EP100 since 2017 and is committed to doubling its energy productivity within 20 years from 2014 levels.

Both companies are already committed to 100% renewable electricity as members of RE100, with Landsec already receiving over 95% of its electricity from renewable sources and RBS almost 75% of the way to its 2025 commitment – adds the Group.

Mike Peirce, Corporate Partnerships Director at The Climate Group, said: ‘To keep to a world of no more than 1.5°C of warming we need major companies everywhere to seize the opportunities presented by cleaner, smarter energy. As climate change increasingly poses a threat to our economy and more importantly human lives, this is what now defines corporate leadership.’