Climate worries for smaller firms

Smaller Scottish companies feel less prepared to cope with the impact of climate change compared to larger firms, according to a new poll.

The survey of 300 businesses, commissioned by WWF Scotland, indicates only two in five of Scotland’s small and medium-sized firms feel prepared to deal with the risks of climate change.

More than three-quarters of larger businesses stated they are either fully or partly prepared.

They also dwarfed small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by the proportion of responses suggesting climate change does pose a threat, with 85% of big business agreeing it is a risk compared to 23% of SMEs.

Gina Hanrahan, head of policy at WWF Scotland, said: “These findings should ring a warning bell for our political and business leaders that many of the smaller companies that form the backbone of Scotland’s economy are ill-prepared for the very real effects of climate change.”

Garth Gulland, owner of Glasgow fruit and veg merchant Roots, Fruits and Flowers, said: “This year proved to be challenging, with the very dry summer meaning many of our UK-grown fruit and vegetables were affected.

“Businesses like mine need more support to prepare for the consequences of our changing climate, and more support to reduce our own impacts on the environment would be very welcome too.”