Mitie launches Plan Zero with a commitment to reach zero carbon by 2025 in FM industry first

• Mitie is the first facilities management (FM) company to make such an ambitious net zero carbon commitment
• Focused around three key pillars to create maximum impact by drawing on expertise from within Mitie’s business
• ‘Plan Zero’ blueprint will be leveraged across Mitie’s Public and Private Sector clients to support both their individual, and the UK’s wider business ambitions

Mitie has launched its new industry-leading ‘Plan Zero’ commitment, pledging that it will reach net zero carbon emissions by 2025. Mitie is the first facilities management (FM) company to set such an ambitious net zero emissions target, 25 years ahead of the UK Government’s 2050 target.

To ensure this commitment is achieved, Mitie’s Plan Zero is focused around three key pillars, encompassing the key areas of environmental impact for the business, and setting specific targets to

• Eliminate carbon emissions from power and transport
• Eradicate non-sustainable waste
• Enhance inefficient buildings to meet the highest environmental standards

In power and transport, for example, in addition to the current commitment to switching its fleet to electric vehicles, Mitie has also pledged to decarbonise its heating systems and switch to 100% renewable electricity, as well as using smart building technology to maximise energy efficiency.

Mitie will also remove all single-use materials from its business by embracing the circular economy through initiatives such as closed-loop paper recycling and only using natural, non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning products. It will also improve biodiversity at all its sites helping ecosystems flourish.

Plan Zero draws on expertise from across all areas of Mitie’s business including Renewable Energy, Sustainable Infrastructure, Efficient Buildings, Waste Reduction and EV Transition. Using its Plan Zero blueprint, Mitie will apply its capabilities to help its clients achieve their own net zero carbon targets with a package of new services designed specifically to help more clients address these sustainability challenges.

Simon King, Mitie’s new Director of Sustainability, said:

“The climate emergency is a problem that we all need to take responsibility for. If we have any chance of solving it, then businesses need to take bold action now. Plan Zero is our ambitious 2025 commitment, to lead the way, not just within our own industry but across wider UK business too.

We’re putting the expertise within our business into action. We’re stepping up the roll out of our electric fleet, powering our buildings with renewables and championing the circular economy. Plan Zero is our promise to protect the planet and leave it in a better condition than we found it. Over the next five years, and beyond, this will simply become how Mitie does business and we hope many more companies will join us on this journey.”

Plan Zero: Our Commitment

Mitie will reach Net Zero Carbon by 2025

Eliminate carbon emissions from power and transport – we will:

• Convert our fleet to zero emission and power our Mitie EV charge points with green energy
• Decarbonise our heating systems and use 100% renewable energy for our sites via a subsidy-free Power Purchase Agreement
• Increase our use of technology to reduce work travel to a minimum. Where travel is necessary, we will choose low carbon methods

Eradicate non-sustainable waste – we will:

• Eliminate single-use materials by embracing the circular economy, such as through a closed-loop paper recycling system
• Reduce our use of natural resources, with only items which fit our circular economy approach allowed on site
• Use natural, non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning products, and champion the use of new innovations wherever possible, such as microfibre and surface coatings

Enhance inefficient buildings to meet the highest environmental standards – we will:

• Always choose new offices with at least an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating and only re-sign leases on offices with an A EPC rating
• Enhance energy optimisation and use our smart building technology to achieve maximum energy efficiency at all our sites
• Improve biodiversity at all of our sites using initiatives that help ecosystems flourish, such as choosing plants which attract wildlife or establishing bug hotels