Half of all infrastructure firms have no policy to record their energy and emissions use.

That’s the stark finding of a survey of 300 major building and manufacturing firms across the globe.

Although 68% said they would be focusing on reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption in 2015, half admitted they had no company-wide programme to record what they were doing. And only 16% ever monitor emissions happening in their supply chain.

The survey conducted in the UK, Nordics, USA, Canada, Brazil and Spain looked at businesses in the construction and engineering, oil and gas, mining and cement, power and utilities and manufacturing sectors.

It was conducted by global supplier information firm Achilles.

Its Chief Executive Adrian Chamberlain said: “It’s impossible for businesses to reduce their carbon footprint unless they measure and monitor emissions within their own organisations and their supply chains.

“In our experience, most large businesses are only motivated to tackle carbon emissions when it’s mandated by clients as part of the tendering process.

“At a time of rapidly increasing energy bills, cutting carbon and cutting costs are not mutually exclusive – they are naturally compatible.”

Huong Truong