Net zero – hold firm or fold?
05 June 2025
In England, the Labour Government have significantly scaled back their Net Zero Investment Plan but remain committed to their targets of zero emissions by 2050.
The NHS, for example, has legally binding net zero targets, committing to achieving net zero by 2040 for its direct emissions and by 2045 for the emissions it influences. These targets are enshrined in the Health and Care Act 2022, making the NHS the first health system to incorporate net zero into legislation.
The 2050 target in the UK is legally binding but it seems likely that other self-imposed targets will be watered down. Several major organisations—including banks, energy companies, airlines and technology companies—have already scaled back or abandoned their net zero commitments, citing a mix of political, financial and operational reasons.
To help senior leaders grapple with these future-defining issues, The One Planet Standard provides tools and assessment services that enable senior leaders to get on board with their own plans and work to their own timetables, confident they are taking their people with them as they double down on the challenges.
Virginia Isaac, adviser to the One Planet Centre and former CEO of The Inspiring Future Foundation, encourages us to look beyond political rhetoric and Net Zero targets to achieve small and manageable environmental goals that include plastic waste, carbon emissions and efficiency.
Simon Stallard, Sustainability Programme Lead at NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board, will share a case study of how they delivered and implemented their ICS’s Green Plan using the One Planet Standard.
And GGI CEO Professor Andrew Corbett-Nolan will talk about some of the governance implications of sustainability.
What small steps can be taken now to ensure your organisation meets its targets without the need for dramatic or costly last-minute changes?
We hope you will be able to join us on Wednesday, 9 July, to discuss some of them.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact events@good-governance.org.uk.
