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Whitepaper
Sustainability

A Turning Point: From Sustainability Ambition to Commercial Necessity

Read the sixth Net Zero Barometer and our new cross-sector analysis, examining how the transition is progressing across key areas of the UK economy.

Net Zero Barometer 2026 Cross-Sector 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 bigger picture to sector-level progress

Explore how the net zero transition is unfolding across key UK sectors, from Energy and Manufacturing to Transport, Built Environment, and AI & ICT.

Cross-Sector Report

Sector Insights

Explore net zero progress across key UK sectors, from the challenges shaping the transition to the opportunities ahead.

Open each section and navigate to the sector that matters to you for dedicated insights and perspectives from industry experts.

There’s no net zero without clean energy. As the sector races towards Clean Power 2030, the challenge is to accelerate decarbonization while maintaining energy security, affordability and resilience.

With major investment already underway, the sector is navigating grid constraints, geopolitical and supply-chain pressures, data challenges and the growing need to balance pace with technical viability.

Explore the dedicated Energy report for the latest data, key challenges and opportunities, and insights from BSI energy specialist Abbey Dorian.
The built environment is highly sensitive to changing economic conditions, with investment shaped by interest rates, material costs and competing priorities.

With around 25 million existing UK homes requiring retrofit, the sector faces a significant delivery challenge alongside skills shortages and gaps in embodied carbon policy. Yet energy efficiency, climate resilience and whole-life carbon management are creating opportunities for long-term progress.

Explore the dedicated Built Environment report for the latest data, key challenges and opportunities, and insights from BSI specialist Anthony Burd.
Transport is not on one unified journey to net zero. Road electrification is accelerating, while heavy transport, aviation and maritime face more complex infrastructure, technology and safety challenges.

Progress will depend on infrastructure keeping pace, greater interoperability and collaboration across transport, energy and the built environment, alongside a growing focus on climate adaptation and resilience.

Explore the dedicated Transport & Mobility report for the latest data, key challenges and opportunities, and insights from BSI specialist Nick Fleming.
Climate change and human health are closely connected, creating a strong imperative for action across healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Yet progress must be balanced with strict regulation, patient safety, affordability and complex global supply chains.

From product-level emissions and sustainable procurement to targeted circularity, the sector is finding new ways to reduce its environmental impact, with the NHS helping to shape approaches beyond the UK.

Explore the dedicated Healthcare, Medical Devices & Pharmaceuticals report for the latest data, key challenges and opportunities, and insights from BSI specialists Courtney Soulsby and Rob Turpin.
UK manufacturers are balancing strong net zero ambitions with intense commercial pressures, from high industrial energy prices and tight margins to global competition and complex emissions reporting.

Despite these pressures, investment appetite remains strong. The opportunity lies in making decarbonization commercially viable through greater energy efficiency, digital optimization, on-site renewables and stronger practical and financial support.

Explore the dedicated Manufacturing report for the latest data, key challenges and opportunities, and insights from BSI specialist Ben Sheridan.