As much as 99 per cent of all UK businesses do not know their carbon footprint and so lack key information for being able to reduce CO2 emissions, according to a new report
But the Carbon Trust study found that almost half of blue-chip FTSE-listed companies can assess their carbon footprint.
Such larger companies were more likely to see climate change as creating an opportunity to reduce costs rather than to generate new business, compared with smaller and medium-sized businesses.
The survey was based on interviews with 700 leaders from a representative sample of UK businesses. The Carbon Trust said the findings show that the last two years have been a turning point for implementing policies to cut emissions, with 32 per cent of all UK companies having a plan/policy or target in place to make cuts.
But it says that smaller UK businesses have more work to do in measuring their emissions: 46 per cent of FTSEs know their carbon footprint compared with 15 per cent of large companies, 12 per cent of medium companies and just 1 per cent of all UK business.
Tom Delay, chief executive of of the Carbon Trust, said: '[Knowing your carbon footprint] is one of the key first steps for any business wanting to act on climate change. By measuring and assessing a business' impact through undertaking a carbon footprinting exercise a company can better understand where carbon reductions can be made and cost savings achieved.'