Beyond The Race To Zero

Climate change and carbon neutrality are both hot topics of discussion currently.  If you fully accept the science and its implications, then carbon neutrality is but an intermediate step on the pathway to reversing the growth in emissions and in addressing climate change impacts. 10 to 15 years ago carbon neutral was considered a ‘fringe concept’ which very few businesses or the community considered; 5 years ago the concept of “net neutral” was incorporated into the Paris Accord.  Now carbon neutral is accepted by a growing number of ‘mainstream’ businesses.

Over ten years ago, Beyond Neutral was asking whether “by 2020 or 2025 will carbon neutrality be enough for society or your business’s customers?” Given the rapid rise in global emissions and associated climate change impacts, this question is more and more relevant. If we are to achieve the Paris Accord’s goals (net neutral by 2050) or limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C, being carbon neutral only gets us part of the way there.

The Customer is Always Right

Climate change is a problem your customers and investors increasingly want addressed; customers are increasingly supporting businesses that genuinely aid them to be a part of the climate solution just by using of their products or services.

Ultimately as concern about climate change grows, customers will increasingly reward those organisations that move past a neutral (“don’t blame me”) position and become an active participant in what needs to be a global response to achieving a climate change solution. These rewards will be in the form of enhanced reputation, less shareholder agitation and greater customer loyalty, leading to increased sales and market share.

Get Ahead of Your Competitors

Moving towards, or becoming carbon neutral are positive steps in dealing with climate change. Beyond Neutral can help you progress along the carbon neutral pathway in an effective and efficient manner.

Unfortunately in today’s marketplace, once there you will find that you are sharing the high ground with a growing number of businesses who all want to claim neutrality in the “battle against climate change”.  Some of these businesses will be your competitors and you will have to work harder just to be noticed. Even worse, some competitors will be make claims that increase the cynicism of potential customers, especially if they ever read the fine print of their claims.

Our approach allows you to set the level of claim you wish to make, to act on the twin imperatives and to demonstrate that you are focused on more than yourself, that you are a true global citizen.

Beyond Neutral® will work with your company to help it get ahead of its competitors, leaving them at the intermediate step on the pathway to addressing climate change, while you have clear air to communicate your message.

Carbon neutrality is a race to zero; let Beyond Neutral® help you in the race to become part of the solution.