Last December some 60 + EBN members and guests joined us for the Live Show in association with Aviva Investors at their achingly cool offices in Hoxton Square in London.

There, we heard from Nick Molho, Head of Sustainability Advocacy for Aviva plc, as he told us about the work he authored in creating the definitive policy roadmap needed to increase low carbon investment in the UK.

It was fascinating stuff too, but the world has changed significantly since the summer of 2024 and a more innocent and optimistic time has given way to one of greater geopolitical turmoil, increased extreme weather events (will it ever stop raining here in the UK?) and, of course, a change of President in the United States!

So, it was great for us to be invited along to Aviva in the City, recently to an event marking the 2025 update to the road map and to hear from Nick and distinguished guests including Katie White, the Minister for Climate in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

In support of global and domestic efforts to tackle climate change, Aviva was the first major global insurer – and one of the first major financial institutions – to set a 2040 net-zero emissions ambition. It covers all parts of Aviva’s business and includes its investments, insurance underwriting, insurance claims supply chain, and its operations and supply chain.

The event (and report) focuses a lot on the energy markets which is hardly surprising as this is a major sustainability success story. In 2024, Aviva reported, some $2.1tn was invested globally in clean-energy technologies, $728bn of which was in renewables.

However, Aviva recommends an integrated approach to the UK’s sustainability ambitions, which also incorporate nature, climate adaptation, and social considerations.

Despite the negative mood music, coming from the US in particular (as we write the news has emerged that the Trump administration has revoked the landmark ruling that greenhouse gases harm public health), there are significant reasons to be (cautiously) optimistic.

As Aviva state in the report “in the UK, the low-carbon economy continues to gain importance….(as) the CBI suggests that low-carbon supply chains contributed £83.1bn in gross value added to the UK economy in 2024, employing 951,000 people across the country and (significantly) with typically more productive and higher-paid roles than the UK average”.

So, the mass of SMEs and mid-market businesses that form the backbone of the EBN are making a difference and benefitting from it.

The Aviva roadmap is a superb report and well worth reading with a hot cup of coffee and a comfortable chair. The link can be found HERE