In partnership with BNP Paribas

 

 

We face a crisis of unprecedented severity. At stake is the very survival of human civilisation and the environments and life for which we bear responsibility.

At BNP Paribas, we strive to do everything we can to contribute to the successful management of the climate crisis. Our role is to help companies to develop new products, work more efficiently and embrace positive change while nurturing their commercial viability.

We do this by helping companies create their futures in ways that put carbon reduction, protection of the environment and efficient use of resources at the heart of successful funding. 

We are #1 in sustainable bonds and sustainability-linked loans because we know how to create financing that works for companies, their investors and the world.

It is clear to us, however, that we cannot achieve all that needs to be achieved simply by helping companies deploy existing technologies and processes more efficiently. There is a gap between what can be achieved with the tools that we currently have and the work that needs to be done.

That gap can only be filled by innovation. 

We must find new ways to produce, to work and to live that significantly reduce our impact on the natural world.

That is why we are proud to partner with Tech Nation in supporting young companies who are building the technologies on which our futures depend. 

The companies you can find out about here are in the vanguard of the charge against the climate crisis. From agriculture to transport, data and disclosure to the built environment, they are creating solutions that reduce carbon use, increase efficiency and protect our world.

Our role, as the bank that works to guide our clients through a changing world, is to ensure that this vital work can be funded in a way that encourages positive change, to advise these new leaders on how best to grow their companies and to connect them to other organisations so that their innovations can become rapidly embedded across industries and economies.

This partnership with Tech Nation is a vital part of that mission in the UK.

Executive summary

The UK Net Zero Ecosystem Map captures the pioneering companies operating to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The UK government were one of the first to make this pledge, against a backdrop of climate protests and uncertainty around the UK's future with the European Union.

This progressive measure is not being taken lightly by the companies featured below. But far from seeing the target as the objective, most of these firms are working to embed sustainable practices across the UK, whether through other businesses, or helping the general population to do so. Alongside this, it's clear that climate tech, or Net Zero companies, have a keen economic interest - with nearly £4.6bn investment received by the 1,315 companies identified.

This map has been built to enable a deep level of company exploration. Use it to identify and connect with firms addressing challenges you need help with, or those in your region, for example.

This forms a body of work, alongside the Net Zero Report - and our Net Zero programme, a commitment to supporting scaling Net Zero companies accelerate their growth for both economic benefit, and the sustainable future of our lived environment.

Key statistics

Net Zero companies are distributed across the UK with 75% outside of London

Figure 1 National and regional distribution of Net Zero Companies in the UK

Source: Tech Nation, 2020; Beauhurst 2020

UK Net Zero map

Explore the UK's 1,300 pioneering Net Zero companies by hovering over the green and orange markers. Understand the sectors that these companies are operating in, and if you want to connect - take a trip to their websites.

Methodology

Beauhurst

This map uses data from Beauhurst, as well as Tech Nation data.

Beauhurst identify a range of criteria that characterise high-growth companies. Each of these are a sign of external validation that a business is either actively growing or creating ambitious growth plans. If a business meets one or more of these triggers, Beauhurst begin collecting information to build a detailed profile of it on their platform.

Using the platform, data was collected for all companies that fall under the Cleantech tag, or have the terms related to the reduction of carbon emissions, with associative corpus of key words. This allows companies operating across the economy, in a diverse range of sectors, using technology, to be identified. This data was then manually checked to ensure validity.