Better2Know announces commitment to Net Zero by 2050

Climate change remains one of the most pressing challenges of the modern age. The continuous injection of carbon dioxide and other fossil fuels into our atmosphere threatens to degrade ecosystems, increase the number of extreme weather events, and destabilise access to all kinds of resources, like fresh water, food, arable land, and more.

Better2Know recognises the challenges climate change poses to our world. We’re therefore committing to a strategy that will achieving Net Zero emissions within our business by 2050.

View our full carbon reduction plan.

Who are we?

Better2Know is the worlds leading sexual health testing organisation that aims to improve the sexual and general health of all our patients.

We provide a wide range of services from STI testing, sexual health advice, treatment, and fertility services. Our goal is to provide everyone with a clear view of their sexual health so they can get the treatment and care they need.

What is Net Zero?

When an organization, like a company or government, commits to Net Zero, they commit to not adding more carbon emissions into the atmosphere than you take out.

Companies need energy to operate, and a good chunk of the energy burned by most companies include fossil fuels like natural gas, oil, and coal.

When burned, these fuels release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane. These gases increase global temperature by trapping extra energy in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Reducing the amount of emissions is a necessary step in reducing the worst impacts of climate change.

How are we measuring emissions?

In order to determine whether our emissions are going down, we need to establish a figure for baseline emissions. Baseline emissions are a record of the greenhouse gases that have been produced in the past prior to the introduction of any reduction strategies. They are the base line against which all emissions reductions are measured.

We chose 2019 as a representative pre-COVID 19 operational year as a baseline against which we will determine the success of these strategies.

Click here for a breakdown of our emissions targets and figures.

How are we decreasing emissions?

We’ve already been hard at work decreasing our existing emissions. Since 2019, we’ve slashed our emissions from our three offices in the UK, Spain, and South Africa by 48% against our 2019 baseline.

We achieved this through:

• Installing solar panels in our UK offices to reduce energy consumed through the grid
• Installing energy efficient lighting
• Introduced video conferencing to reduce business travel
• Introduced hybrid and remote working practices to reduce time and energy spent commuting
• Promoting ride-sharing schemes within the company
• Going fully digital in all our internal and external communications
• Partnered with low-emission courier services for sample logistics
• Selected suppliers based on Carbon Neutral policies

But we’re not stopping there.

We have planned projects that will come into effect after 2025, including:

• A transition to fully electric company vehicles
• Establishing partnerships with laboratories with green policies
• Adopting a Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) guidelines
• Engaging with suppliers on supply chain decarbonisation
• Introducing staff sustainability training and incentivized travel schemes, like cycle-to-work schemes

How are we offsetting our carbon footprint?

Reducing the amount of greenhouse gases we emit is important for meeting our climate goals. However, we can go even further by offsetting residual emission through verified carbon removal schemes like:

• UK-based tree planting projects
• Investment in carbon capture technologies
• Reforestation
• Solar household lighting
• Mangrove restoration
• Renewable and alternative energy projects

A better option for our patients

We know that our patients care about the state of our environment. That’s why we want to offer our patients a better testing option that not only improves their own sexual health, but also the health of our planet.

Mike Asher, Chairman of Better2Know, had this to say about Better2Know’s Carbon Reduction Plan:

“We at Better2Know need to do what we can to help the fight against climate change. We’re excited by what we’ve already achieved and also by what we can do in the coming years to reduce our emissions even further. Protecting the health of our patients and the health of our planet are all part of the same mission.”

View our full Carbon Reduction Plan.

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