Mitie, a facilities management and professional services specialist, has committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2025. The company claims it is the first facilities management provider to do so.

To ensure the pledge is met, Mitie’s ‘Plan Zero’ is focussed 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 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.

The company 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.”