Business Challenge
How to design and implement net zero transition plans that deliver real value and that are set up to succeed, with the appropriate governance, change plans and capabilities in place?
Delivering Net Zero: Are Businesses Set Up to Succeed?
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​Setting a net zero target is only the starting point. Many businesses lack the conditions needed to turn ambition into delivery — clear governance, internal ownership and belief, cross-functional coordination, and the right transformation capabilities. Plans often stall not because of intent, but because they’re disconnected from how decisions are made and change is delivered.
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Just as important is learning from the outside in. Some businesses are rethinking value chains, forming new types of partnerships, investing in digital efficiency, and reframing how products, services and geographic strategies align with net zero goals. These approaches are bold, often unfamiliar — and critical to reshaping what’s possible.
What's the challenge?
​​Barriers
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Embedded BAU: Businesses operate with established ways of workings, operating models and commercial models hard coded into financial plans and objectives – pivoting from these is tough.
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Lack of Success Models to Inspire: Radical approaches to value chains, partnerships, digital efficiency and mindsets about products, services and geographic strategy are needed but unfamiliar.
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Internal Misalignment: Sustainability teams often operate without full alignment from finance, operations or commercial functions - reducing impact and accountability.
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Capability Gaps: Few businesses have the transformation governance, delivery skills or cross-functional coordination needed to implement major sustainability shifts.
While many organisations have set net zero targets, too few have credible, actionable transition plans or are making consistent progress. According to Accenture's 2024 Destination Net Zero report, only 16% of the worlds largest 2000 companies are on track to deliver net zero by 2050.
Plans often lack business alignment, realistic pathways, or internal ownership - making implementation slow, fragmented, or disconnected from core decision-making.
What's Driving the Need to Change?​
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Credibility Gap: There is growing reputational risk and regulatory scrutiny (e.g. greenwashing accusations, FCA/SECR reviews) on Net Zero claims that aren’t backed by robust plans and delivery mechanisms. Increasingly progress to address risks and opportunities being made is not shared publicly.
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Market Momentum: Leaders in sectors like FMCG, manufacturing and finance are accelerating, setting a new performance baseline — raising competitive pressure on those lagging behind. However, without clear success examples and benchmarks, moving first may not be an advantage.
​What Next?
During 2025 and 2026 I will be exploring what it takes to diagnose weaknesses in transition plans and close this gap. I will also be researching what's transition activities are having an impact, how are they being implemented and which business are driving real progress.
My aim is help businesses to design net zero transition plans that deliver real business value, that can be delivered successfully and that are backed by the governance, capabilities and change mechanisms needed to succeed.
​This will include sharing best practice and building an understanding what’s holding organisations back - from embedded commercial models, lack of capital allocation, capability gaps to misaligned teams. I'll be sharing updates on companies that are making progress and of new and innovative ways in which business and digital transformation is delivering profitability and growth as well as reducing emissions.