Companies falling short on climate pledges, survey finds

Sphera, an ESG software, data and consulting firm, surveyed 300 operations managers in industrial sectors across the UK, US and Germany.

It found that although 85 per cent of companies now have net zero strategies, only 41 per cent of operations managers had seen sustainability strategies produce ‘significant changes’ in daily practices, and 32 per cent said their firms do not align with science-based emissions targets.

Many reported that responsibility for net zero is too heavily concentrated at the top, with 95 per cent reporting that accountability for net zero lies solely with C-suite executives and the board of directors. 42 per cent of operations managers said they receive little or no encouragement to contribute suggestions on improving the environmental sustainability of business operations.

Yet the survey found a growing desire among mid-level employees to share responsibility for climate change goals, with 40 per cent of operations managers calling for carbon targets to be included in their performance reviews.