Businesses remain concerned about the impacts of energy security and prices, which could be a catalyst for a range of environmental, social and economic ripple effects, according to ABB Electrification’s Energy Insights survey.
Energy costs and insecurity are having a significant impact on the workforce with decreased investment in employees. Business leaders are also concerned about potential impacts of meeting their sustainability targets.
Rising energy costs and insecurity are forcing business leaders to rethink how they operate and where they invest in their businesses, to grow and remain competitive. The key impacts on businesses due to rising energy costs in the last year include lower profit margins (34 per cent) and cuts to spending in some areas (34 per cent), leading to a shift away from investment in R&D and other business growth initiatives. Over a third (38 percent) have or plan to reduce technology investment, while a third (33 per cent) expect to cut spending on infrastructure and 31 per cent foresee a decline in marketing spend.
Businesses say they have reduced investment in their workforce in the last year because of increased energy costs and the need to implement mitigation measures. This is expected to continue over the next three to five years if energy challenges persist. Three of the top five business areas highlighted for budget reductions are related to the workforce: 42 per cent will spend less on recruitment; 38 per cent will decrease spending on salaries, overtime and bonuses; and 37 per cent will reduce investment in staff training and development.
Respondents further cite concerns that energy pricing and insecurity could delay progress on climate change, with meeting carbon reduction commitments currently considered less of a priority than reducing energy costs. Over half of business leaders surveyed said the cost of power could delay achieving their sustainability and carbon reduction targets by anywhere from one to five years. While reducing power costs is the top priority for 61 per cent of companies, only 40 per cent currently have reducing carbon emissions within their overall business priorities.
83 per cent of business leaders express concern about the security of their business’s power supply, and many are taking action to address this. Over a third are worried about further rises in energy costs, 31 per cent are concerned by power cuts and blackouts, and a quarter by energy rationing. In response, 34 per cent have already increased investment specifically focusing on improving their energy efficiency and 40 per cent are looking to install on-site renewable energy generation to become less dependent on the grid.
“Businesses say they need to insulate themselves from energy prices and insecurity and are re-evaluating current and future spending plans,” said Morten Wierod, president, ABB Electrification.
“Taking action to mitigate this is a clear priority, but this doesn’t have to be a catalyst for potential workforce or environmental impacts. Investing in smart and sustainable on-site renewables and energy efficiency technology means businesses can simultaneously cut costs and reduce their emissions. With the right approach, it is possible for industry to achieve cost savings without sacrificing competitiveness, workforces or the journey to decarbonisation.”
