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Whitepaper
Sustainability

A Turning Point: From Sustainability Ambition to Commercial Necessity

Our sixth Net Zero Barometer reveals how UK business leaders are navigating cost, risk and uncertainty as net zero becomes core to strategy.

Read 2026 Report

The 2026 Net Zero Barometer report

The data reveals how businesses are navigating cost pressures and uncertainty, with a recognition that the cost of inaction is no longer sustainable.

Commitment remains strong, with businesses continuing to act despite pressure.
Cost savings and operational efficiency are now driving decision-making.
Financial pressure remains the defining barrier, constraining investment.
Targets are becoming more fluid as businesses manage uncertainty.
Political uncertainty and skepticism are reshaping communication strategies.
Demand for support is widespread, with calls for clearer guidance and financial incentives.

How the net zero journey has evolved since 2021

Revisit previous Barometer reports to see how UK businesses have evolved over five years, from early awareness to embedding net zero into strategy.

2025 Net Zero Barometer report

UK businesses continue to navigate the complexities of working towards net zero

Read 2025 Report

2024 Net Zero Barometer report

Charting the progress of UK business on the road to net zero.

Read 2024 Report

2023 Net Zero Barometer report

Unlocking the path to net zero with businesses and consumers.

Read 2023 report

2022 Net Zero Barometer report

There is a will, a desire and optimism to achieve the net zero goal.

Read 2022 report

2021 Net Zero Barometer report

Exploring how UK businesses are managing the transition to net zero.

Read 2021 report

From the UK to the G7: how global businesses are responding

Explore insights from 7,000+ G7 leaders, showing how businesses remain committed while adapting plans amid cost pressures and uncertainty.

Data insights

Step inside the data to see how UK businesses are adapting in a more complex environment

Explore the defining trends shaping business decisions around net zero, from shifting drivers to growing pressure and demand for support.

The biggest shift this year isn’t just in action, but in mindset. What began as a sustainability ambition is now being treated as a core business priority. Cost savings and operational efficiency (37%) have overtaken traditional drivers, signalling that organizations are embedding sustainability into performance, competitiveness and long-term resilience rather than treating it as a separate initiative.
82% of businesses remain committed and 81% are acting, showing that momentum remains strong. But beneath this stability, confidence is becoming more fragile. Less than half are increasing investment, and many are balancing ambition with immediate financial pressures, highlighting a growing gap between intent and execution.
Businesses increasingly understand the risks of inaction, with 80% recognizing the long-term financial and operational consequences of failing to prepare. This includes exposure to rising costs, supply chain disruption and stranded assets.

Yet progress remains uneven. While commitment is high, investment is more limited. Only 46% of businesses expect to increase investment over the next 12 months, while 20% are reducing it. Many are managing short-term cash flow pressures, with 80% citing the cost of doing business as a major pressure point.

The case for action is widely understood, but investment is constrained by immediate financial pressures. This is where the transition is now being tested. Not in ambition, but in execution.
In today’s business climate, flexibility is replacing certainty. The transition plans are becoming more adaptive, but not by choice. 38% of businesses have extended, paused or adjusted their targets and over half say political uncertainty could influence whether they continue.

As long-term policy direction becomes less predictable, businesses are finding it harder to commit to fixed timelines and large-scale investment. In response, many are shifting toward more flexible, responsive planning, balancing ambition with the need to manage risk in an uncertain environment.
Smaller and medium size businesses are emerging as critical drivers of progress. Despite facing the greatest financial constraints, with more than half citing cost as a key barrier, many SMEs are taking practical, incremental steps. Their focus on resilience and future viability shows how the transition is becoming embedded across the wider economy, not just led by large corporates.
The challenge is no longer whether businesses want to act, but how they can do more with the right support. 91% are seeking support and 88% are calling for stronger financial incentives. As organizations move from planning to implementation, the need for clear frameworks, technical guidance and stable policy is becoming the defining factor for progress.
Building on the UK Net Zero Barometer, BSI’s G7 Net Zero Temperature Check surveyed 7,000+ business leaders across major economies using a consistent framework. It places UK findings in a global context, showing how businesses are adjusting plans, communications and strategies in response to cost pressures, political uncertainty and shifting market conditions.

Across the G7, organizations show continued commitment while managing similar tensions between long-term ambition and short-term constraints, providing context on how the UK compares and where approaches may diverge.