New research has revealed that eight out of ten business executives admit to not having a strategy in place to address their environmental impact, despite widespread acknowledgement that climate change is a significant business issue.

The survey, conducted by YouGovStone on behalf of the KPMG Carbon Advisory Group, also found that under one fifth of the 200 senior UK business executive respondents were aware of their organisation’s carbon footprint.

Astonishingly, less than one in ten knew that the UK had committed to reduce 60% of total green house gas emissions by 2050. The business community is expected to play a vital role in achieving this goal but a large number of those polled (58%) say that the government isn’t doing enough to educate UK businesses about how they can help tackle climate change.

The lack of education, respondents argue, has engendered confusion among the business community with few companies having a strategy in place to reduce their carbon footprint. Nearly three quarters of those questioned agreed that education and raising awareness among businesses is the key to combating climate change.

As a result, for a third of companies questioned the issue of combating climate change is yet to make it on to the boardroom agenda. A further fifth stated that it was unlikely to be a subject discussed at board level in the near future.

It would appear, however, that it also makes good business sense to be environmentally aware said Richard Sharman, partner and head of KPMG’s Carbon Advisory Group. “Even by taking some very simple steps now and gathering basic energy and emissions data, a business is less likely to be caught out by legislation when it does come and they could be cutting wastage and energy bills in the meantime.”

However, the picture is not all negative; there are some companies who are taking strident steps to reduce their environmental impact including 77% of businesses who claimed to be recycling or using recycled products and 67% who said that they are using energy efficient appliances.

© Crimson Business Ltd. 2008