Note from headline sponsor

A sustainable commitment

Navigating the road to Net Zero

Keith Softly Head of Commercial Banking Intermediaries Lloyds Bank

For many SMEs, the road to Net Zero is one that may not be fully mapped out, but when change happens together that is when the best results take place, and our research shows clearly that the best route to achieving our decarbonisation goals is through collaboration.

We are supporting one in five SMEs in the country and are extremely proud to play our role in their Net Zero journeys. We do this through working with them and others, including brokers, to deliver the best solutions for sustainability and growth.

In creating ‘From Now to Net Zero: A Practical Guide for SMEs’, we found that there is a will to act among SMEs, but the way forward is not always clear. The research showed that for many, barriers such as knowledge and resourcing gaps, not knowing the commercial benefits of the sustainability journey, and not having access to the appropriate finances, get in the way. While we can’t provide all the answers, we are working hard to create solutions that will benefit our SME customers:

• Knowing that knowledge and understanding are key barriers, we have built and continue to evolve our Sustainability Hub. It is a repository of tools and data that can help businesses build their own roadmap to sustainability.

• Our Clean Growth Financing Initiative offers discounted lending to businesses that are investing in green assets which is directly helping SMEs to make a difference. • For many SMEs, the most controllable part of their journey is the buildings they inhabit. That is why we have built our interactive Green Buildings Energy Efficiency Tool to allow businesses to assess the energy use and efficiency of their properties, identify actions that could reduce energy waste (and cost), and set targets and priorities for future investment.

• Working with Lex Autolease we support our business customers with the vehicles and tools to assist the transition to low emission vehicles.

• And finally, one of our most important commitments to our customers’ sustainability plans is our colleagues. More than 1,000 of our relationship managers have been trained in partnership with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability

Leadership to provide guidance and support to businesses which ensures our teams are equipped with the knowledge

SMEs need.

Our ambition is to be a leading partner supporting other businesses along the road to Net Zero. Through collaboration and facilitation, we believe that despite its challenges, this journey can drive growth for businesses and the UK’s economy.

For more information visit lloydsbank.com/sustainability

All lending and contract hire is subject to status. Lloyds Bank plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under Registration Number 119278. Lex Autolease Ltd is part of the same Group of Companies as Lloyds Bank plc. Lex Autolease Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for Credit Related Regulated and Insurance Distribution Activities.