A survey has found that 40 per cent of UK manufacturers are operating without a sustainability policy, despite the UK hosting Cop26. The survey, commissioned by Subcon, did find that 95 per cent of those respondents claimed they planned to introduce one by summer 2022.
When asked what support was necessary from the government if manufacturers in the UK were to meet top targets, the top responses were overwhelmingly in favour of lower taxes and grants to help pay for clean energy.
Amongst the other findings 67 per cent of the respondents confirmed they reuse and/or recycle materials, 58 per cent have reduced their energy consumption and 31 per cent source locally to reduce freight miles.
Sustainability will be a key theme at this year’s Subcon, with a number of speakers and sessions touching on the topic.
“Manufacturing is the most energy-intensive industry in the UK and, with Cop26 taking place in Glasgow in November, there’s no escaping the importance of accepting the impact of climate change,”Gordon Kirk, event director at Subcon, said. “We need to start adopting and taking responsibility for sustainable practices right across the sector, to create a genuinely circular economy.”
