Do business owners really care about energy efficiency? New survey reveals all

New research by YouGov has revealed that 62 per cent of workers believe that their employers are invested in energy saving. Commissioned by British Gas, the survey polled 1,118 workers (individuals in businesses rather than decision makers) across the UK in an effort to find out how dedicated company owners and managers are to being energy efficient.

Whilst the results indicate a positive inclination toward the economical use of gas and electricity, it’s worth mentioning that fewer than half (43 per cent) of workers said that their company or organisation ensures that all lights and computer screens are switched off when not in use and fewer than one in five (18 per cent) said they conduct a regular energy audit.

According to Brian Stewart, Head of Customer Strategy and Insight at British Gas Business (the business arm of the energy company), companies are spending more on energy efficiency but that more could be done to save on energy consumption.

The support of employees goes a long way in businesses attempts to save energy, and good news for employers is that 68 per cent of UK workers take extra care to help make their work place more energy efficient, with 22 per cent saying they care a great deal. YouGov’s survey found that hospitality and leisure workers care the most (82 per cent) about saving business energy. Financial services and manufacturing ranked high, with workers affirming a respective 77 and 76 per cent commitment to helping their employers meet energy efficient targets.

Other than the backing of employees and obvious habits like turning off plugs and electronic devices when not in use, another practical way to be more energy efficient is to introduce a paperless policy. Interestingly, 38 per cent of respondents working in the financial services industry indicated that their companies have gone paperless, which is 12 per cent more than the average (26 per cent). It’s a small thing but it can make a huge difference not only to the environment but to business overheads.

For more information on how to make your business’s energy more efficient and more affordable, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: Britishgas.co.uk – “More than two thirds of UK workers say they care about energy saving in the workplace”