Business Stream, one of the UK's biggest water retailers, has cut its carbon emissions by 50% over the past year.
Photo credit: Business Stream HQ - Renzo Mazzolini
The result, measured from April 2022 to April 2023, exceeded the retailer’s promise to cut emissions by 20% during the 12-month period.
Scottish-headquartered Business Stream achieved the 50% reduction by rolling out a series of carefully-planned measures to deliver environmental savings and continuing to retain many of the positive behaviours that had been adopted during lockdown.
Jo Dow, Chief Executive of Business Stream, said:
“In addition to supporting our customers to achieve their sustainability goals, we also have a responsibility to reduce our own environmental impact.
“Over the past two years we’ve taken proactive steps to significantly lower our carbon emissions – contributing to our goal of achieving net zero by 2030.
“We’re delighted with the progress we’ve made but we also recognise that there’s more to do in order to continue to deliver environmental savings. Work is now underway to identify the additional steps we need to take to reduce our footprint further”.
Business Stream is the largest operator in Scotland’s non-domestic water market - its 350-strong workforce have played a crucial role in helping deliver its environmental targets.
The water retailer has also implemented a number of other measures to reduce emissions, including replacing its diesel fleet with electric vehicles and investing in new, more energy efficient air conditioning units.
Originally created in 2006 to offer best in class water services to businesses in Scotland, Business Stream later acquired the non-household customer base of Southern Water ahead of the planned opening of the English retail water market.
The market change in 2017 paved the way for 1.2 million businesses and public bodies in England to be able to choose their water supplier. In 2019 Business Stream acquired the customer base of Yorkshire Water Business Services (YWBS) and Three-Sixty, doubling its market share.
The 2022-23 carbon reduction figure has been externally verified and is a significant step toward Business Stream becoming net zero by 2030 – well ahead of the Scottish Government’s 2045 target.
The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scottish Water with its own board and independent management team. Business Stream will publish its second sustainability report in the coming weeks.
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