Planet Mark | UK’s big businesses continue to prioritise net zero

UK’s big businesses continue to prioritise net zero despite political backlash, according to largest ever UK business survey on climate action

Survey of over 2,000 UK firms finds nearly 8 in 10 large businesses (79%) and a third of SMEs (35%) consider net zero to be a strategic priority for the future.
Companies see value in climate action, with only 3% of large businesses and 25% of SMEs saying net zero brings no benefits.
Investment and action on net zero is at risk of reducing due to regulation uncertainties.

The largest-ever survey of UK businesses on their approach to net zero reveals that 79% of large companies view it as a strategic priority for the year ahead. More than a third (35%) of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) also regard net zero as a priority, despite facing fewer regulatory and reputational pressures compared to larger firms.

The 2025 UK Net Zero Business Census surveyed over 2,000 British businesses, providing the most in-depth insight to date on the UK private sector’s attitudes and actions towards net zero. It has been delivered by the UK Business Climate Hub in partnership with Planet Mark, Sage, and a coalition of more than 50 leading business organisations, including the British Business Bank and the British Chambers of Commerce.

It shows that companies believe progress on net zero can go hand in hand with value creation. Only 3% of large organisations believe net zero has no business benefits, rising to 25% among SMEs.

As businesses step up their net zero commitments, a greater emphasis is being put on collecting emissions data throughout supply chains, as a critical first step to identifying and implementing meaningful reductions. This is reflected in the reports, with over half of large UK organisations (51%) having received requests for carbon data from suppliers, rising to 62% among those exporting to international markets. Even among SMEs, 37% of medium-sized businesses, 20% of small businesses and 8% of microbusinesses have been asked by customers for carbon data in the last 12 months.

Alongside the 2025 UK Net Zero Business Census Summary Report, an SME-specific report has been produced by British Business Bank. This finds that most SMEs (63%) report organisational benefits from progressing towards net zero and that three-quarters (77%) have taken steps towards it.

Barriers and recommendations

The report highlights a set of persistent roadblocks holding back business progress on net zero. Regulatory uncertainty remains a significant challenge, with 70% of UK organisations citing it as a barrier. Costs being too high (66%) and a lack of finance or grants (57%) were also identified as being moderate to significant barriers.

Based on the survey findings, the report sets out clear recommendations to ensure businesses can play their part in delivering the UK’s 2050 net zero target. It calls on policymakers for greater regulatory clarity and standardisation, including the swift publication of UK Sustainability Reporting Standards and Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting updates.

It also calls for expanded access to financial mechanisms – such as grants and proposed “Help to Green” vouchers – to support SMEs in starting carbon reduction projects. Capacity building with SMEs could also be achieved through government and industry partnering on a major communications campaign to raise awareness with SMEs of trusted guidance like the UK Business Climate Hub, and invest in targeted training to build carbon emission measurement and reduction capabilities across SME workforces.

Membership | Training | Standards

BICSc is the largest independent, professional, and educational body within the cleaning industry providing training and education, setting standards and procedures for cleaning. BICSc membership now stands at over 71,000 individual and corporate members in the UK and Internationally.

We are a membership organisation that strives to bring recognition of the vital role cleaning operatives play in everyone’s day-to-day life.

Whether you’re shopping, travelling, working, holidaying or recuperating, every one of these scenarios has cleaning staff striving to ensure that the environment is not only clean but also safe.

Founded over 60 years ago, BICSc key objective is to promote the value and professionalism of the cleaning industry, providing training in the key skills required to enhance a cleaning operative’s core role whilst keeping them safe and encouraging them to work in a more effective and efficient manner.

With a range of both practical and theoretical qualifications available, BICSc has something to help further the career of every cleaning professional from entry level, through to supervisor level, and up to an employer with your own business tendering for cleaning contracts.