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Key elements of a net zero roadmap

Moving from commitment to action on your net zero roadmap

Despite widespread commitments to net zero among the world’s largest public and private companies, only around 4% of these are linked to credible implementation plans. This represents a missed opportunity, and a potential risk.

Download: The road to Net-Zero

A roadmap for net zero emissions: heading towards 2030 and 2050

While many companies are still in the "comply and communicate" phase rather than implementation of net zero roadmaps, early adopters are gaining an edge. Effective implementation towards a net zero target is often associated with benefits like access to green financing and enhanced brand value. It also opens up potential new revenue streams and market share for low-carbon products like green steel or recycled plastics, which are in limited supply and can be sold at a premium.

Creating a simple, actionable and pragmatic net zero roadmap

Developing a net zero roadmap is a complex process, largely due to the number of factors that need to come together to deliver on it. Effective implementation requires top-down, cross-geographical, cross-business unit, and cross-organisational involvement and buy-in. It needs to be driven by the CEO, but supported by every employee, now and in the future, if it is to be successful. 

Companies that act now will be able to seize opportunities for value creation early on. 

Key elements a robust net zero roadmap include:

  • Measure and baseline;
  • Engagement and buy-in;
  • Implementation; and
  • Reporting and monitoring.

Key steps to developing a net zero roadmap

In our experience, a few key factors can go a long way to accelerate action. These include:

This step involves implementing robust GHG accounting, understanding your baseline emissions which any target will be based upon, and ensuring that the implications of any target you set (net zero, SBTi, etc) are understood by senior management.  Understanding which abatement interventions and levers will get you to your target, and the interdependency of various actions is a key step, as is understanding the estimated financial impacts in the short, medium and long-term, and building this into financing and investment strategies.

A net zero roadmap is instrumental in bringing together a range of stakeholders across the organisation. Without this extensive network, the roadmap can’t ultimately be successfully embedded within the organisation and implemented. From the CEO to procurement, finance, strategy, risk, IT, Operations, R&D, Innovation, communications, sustainability and markets, regional leadership, to the value chain and customers, ongoing engagement and buy-in is vital to any net zero journey.

In order to successfully implement a net zero roadmap, it needs to be embedded within a few vital functions within an organisation, it needs a strong governance model behind it and the net zero strategy must be embedded within business strategy. Achieving net zero targets will require a fundamental transformation of operations and the supply chain. Other success factors for implementation include a focus on the right technology and tooling for accelerating the net zero journey, optimising product portfolios to include low carbon products, as well leveraging partnerships and broader value chain ecosystems.

Measuring and reporting on your impacts, actions and progress towards achieving your targets in a transparent, robust and auditable way should help you monitor opportunities and risks associated with your net zero journey.

Getting started on your net zero roadmap

There is no magic formula to creating a net zero roadmap, and the elements above are merely guiding in nature. Every company must discover how best to spur action towards their net zero target. However, our guiding principles, gathered from working with your peers, can help you understand where and how to get started. For further details, download our ‘road to net zero’ paper today, and feel free to reach out to us for any questions around your net zero journey.

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