Driving economic growth and prosperity through sustainability

At Deloitte UK, we work with our clients to find sustainable solutions that allow them to grow and prosper. We are focusing our impact on three vital areas – helping to deliver green infrastructure and energy transition programmes, accelerating the power of data and AI, and convening leaders across industries to drive action.

Our FY25 flagship sustainability event, “Growth35: A vision for the UK economy by 2035”, explored how to create the conditions for a high-growth economy, including how investments in net-zero can enable new high-value industries, cheaper energy and enhanced resilience.  

Since then, £725 billion have been committed to UK infrastructure over the next 10 years. If deployed correctly, with sustainability and the energy transition built into design, it can attract significant private investment to transform our environment, upgrade our transport network, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, create jobs and drive a virtuous cycle of both productivity and sustainability.  

Our research shows that even in challenging market conditions, sustainability continues to be a priority for C-suites.  

Deloitte's 2024 CxO Sustainability Report, which surveyed 2,100 global executives, found climate change to be a top three issue for C-suite level business leaders. In total, 85% of CxOs said they had increased investments in sustainability in the past year, up from 75% in 2023. Half had started to implement technology solutions to help achieve climate goals.   

The UK’s ambitious infrastructure and energy agenda is a huge opportunity.  

Investments in offshore wind – now among the cheapest energy sources – plus carbon capture, tidal energy and nuclear power enhance productivity by helping us to lower both the cost of energy and the UK’s dependency on fossil fuels.  

At Deloitte UK, we have been particularly focused on supporting projects that make a tangible contribution to the UK’s growth and net-zero target. This includes: 

• Harnessing public assets: Unlocking the potential of public land for renewable programmes at low or no cost to the taxpayer. 
• Retrofitting public buildings: Creating a stable demand for retrofit supply chains, boosting energy efficiency and local economies. 
• Accelerating the uptake of electric vehicles: Expanding adoption and scaling charging infrastructure in the UK.  

We were delighted to be shortlisted for a Management Consulting Award (MCA) for our work with the Mining Remediation Authority. Using geospatial modelling to develop heat networks powered by mine water, we’ve developed the commercial case to heat 600,000 UK homes and businesses.  

We’re also helping our clients to explore how, using data and AI, they can future-proof themselves, while maximising value from their existing technology stacks and information sources.  

Deloitte partnered with internet networking company Cisco to create its Sustainability Data Foundation, which has enabled the organisation to establish a single source of sustainability-related data. The central platform consolidates fragmented information, including from customers, suppliers and other third parties, and enables Cisco to calculate and provide a detailed carbon footprint for over 65,000 of its products. 

The work won an impact award from SustainableIT.org and has been shortlisted for an Management Consulting Award. This year, we were also proud to support the National Trust by exploring the potential of data to fund large-scale nature restoration.

And we’re proud to be part of the government’s effort to kickstart the hydrogen industry, a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, by advising DESNZ on financial due diligence and commercial processes. Low-carbon hydrogen will help us cut industrial emissions and support Britain’s industrial renewal by creating thousands of jobs in the UK’s industrial heartlands.

For example, this year we held a Nature & Finance Symposium that brought together leaders from financial services, charities and NGOs to explore how to unlock sustainable investment in nature-positive solutions.  

During London Climate Action Week in June, we also hosted a fantastic session to explore how AI can transform UK infrastructure by optimising energy consumption in buildings and transport networks, reducing operational costs and improving resource management. 

Projects like these show the power of collaboration when it comes to climate action. They also demonstrate our commitment to creating a more sustainable and prosperous UK.