Carbon emission reduction strategies in the UK industrial sectors: an empirical study

Purpose The problem of climate change is one aspect of the broader problem of sustainability. Many businesses in most sectors now accept that they must address the issue of climate change in order to survive and grow in ever‐changing entangled business economies. Due to mounting pressure from stakeholders, top executives of many organisations are now implementing various carbon emissions reduction strategies. However, the extent to which businesses embrace climate change and carbon management as an integral pillar of their business models remains unclear and poorly understood. This paper seeks to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach The aim of this research is to investigate the key carbon emissions reduction initiatives currently being implemented in the UK industrial sectors so as to improve their competitiveness. In order to achieve this aim, a mixed research methodological approach was adopted to collect and analyse data. Four industry sectors were examined, specifically: energy and utilities, transportation, construction and not‐for‐profit organisations; with specific respect to their environmental, social and economic impact on the UK society. Findings The level of implementation of carbon emissions reduction strategies within the UK industrial sectors is fairly “low” and varies significantly across the four sectors; with relatively high uptake in the energy and utilities sector, and low uptake in the construction sector. The level of implementation of change management initiatives to deal with carbon emissions reduction initiatives is also relatively “low”. Practical implications This study suggests that carbon emissions reduction strategies are in their infancy. Taken together, the impact of management commitment and leadership, climate change‐related policies, structures, reward systems, training programmes and performance reporting are key factors in successful implementation of low carbon strategies. The paper concludes that there is a need for cross‐sector collaboration to capture and share best and worst practices relating to low carbon strategies. Originality/value The paper provides a richer insight into the understanding and awareness of low carbon strategies for competitive advantage.