What Burnham’s premiership means for UK businesses and sustainability
With Andy Burnham taking the role of Prime Minister, UK businesses may be considering the impact of this political shift on their organisation – with new policies affecting costs, uncertainty over taxation and growing challenges with consumer demand, sustainability may become an afterthought. Yet Natalie Dunbar, head of net zero services at Consultus Sustainability, encourages businesses to focus on what’s inside their circle of control and plough on with resilience planning.
“Andy Burnham has officially stepped over the threshold at 10 Downing Street as the fifth new prime minister in just four years. His message has been focused on bringing the ‘biggest changes’ to politics in four decades. Among his cabinet appointments are John Healey as Chancellor and Jonathan Reynolds as Secretary for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.
“While this certainly is a moment to be recognised, in many ways, it doesn’t really matter who is leading the country, and the response from businesses should be the same. In times of political transition, building resilience is the priority, and often this requires blocking out noise from the rapidly evolving news agenda and instead focusing on what you can control internally.
“One of the top factors to consider is energy. The Middle East conflict and its ripple effect on energy costs exposed the risks that businesses in the UK face when energy prices soar. However, there are always ways to regain and retain control through monitoring energy use, reducing consumption, offsetting the rest and investing in on-site renewable generation. By becoming less reliant on the grid and more self-sufficient, businesses can make serious savings while also building resilience for the future, helping to deflect the impact of market spikes often caused by political turbulence.
“Energy is just one area of risk that businesses can actively mitigate against – the key is to understand all the challenges that are specific to your business, and make a plan to prevent or deal with them, rather than being caught out in a crisis. Within the current climate and a summer of multiple, high-alert heatwaves, it has never been more important to think ahead about what the reality of your business could be in 10-50 years’ time.
“However, during political transitions such as this one, we often see businesses holding off on investing in new sustainability projects, or wanting to freeze spending on ‘non-essential’ initiatives. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the importance of sustainability and achieving net zero. It isn’t a regulatory burden or a separate add-on, but should instead be viewed as a core mechanism for financial resilience.
“If you’re worried about what the transition might mean for you, then our advice is to focus on your circle of control by protecting your business against volatile energy costs, avoiding regulatory penalties and investing in activity that will futureproof your business long-term. Sustainability is a proven revenue and efficiency driver, so while political landscapes may change, the commercial necessity of building a more resilient business remains absolute.”
