By Malcolm Morrison, a director of several companies including Sutherland-based GMG Energy and Melvich Bay Caravan Park. He was the winner of the Inverness Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year award in 2025
FOR many business owners, the phrase ‘net zero’ can feel like another target being imposed from the outside. It is often talked about in terms of environmental responsibility, regulation or reporting requirements, but while those things matter, I believe businesses need to start looking at net zero differently.
Done properly, it is not simply about reducing emissions, but rather about reducing waste, improving efficiency, strengthening resilience and building a more sustainable business for the future.
At my business, GMG Energy, a sustainable timber product specialist, our own net zero journey started with a detailed carbon audit. Rather than treating it as a box-ticking exercise, we used it as an opportunity to understand how our business operated and where improvements could be made.
What quickly became clear was that some of our largest emissions were connected to activities we had barely questioned for years. One unobvious example at the time, was the transportation of wet sawdust and woodchip away from our site.
Like many businesses, this was simply the way things had always been done, but once we examined the carbon impact and associated costs, it became obvious there was a more efficient solution. That has led to our substantial investment in a new sawdust drying and briquette production system which is now nearing completion.
Instead of transporting wet by-products long distances, we will process them on-site and convert them into high value renewable biomass briquettes for local customers.
And here is the point: the environmental benefits are significant, but so too are the commercial advantages. By reducing transport costs, we are creating a new revenue stream and making better use of materials that were previously viewed as waste.
That experience reinforced something I think many businesses are beginning to realise: Net Zero is often less about spending money and more about identifying inefficiencies hiding in plain sight.
The timing could not be more important. Businesses continue to face pressures beyond their control; conflicts around the world have demonstrated how exposed energy markets are, resulting in volatile fuel and energy costs that affect almost every sector, while, at the same time, regulation is evolving rapidly.
Measures such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, due to come into force in 2027 and commonly known as CBAM, will increasingly place a spotlight on the costs of product and supply chain carbon footprints. Businesses that start preparing now, however, are likely to find themselves in a far stronger position than those that wait until compliance becomes unavoidable.
The encouraging news is that technology and support are becoming more accessible than ever. Renewable energy solutions that were once considered specialist products are moving into the mainstream: solar panel systems are becoming easier to access and understand, giving businesses more options to generate their own electricity and reduce reliance on external energy markets.
Artificial intelligence is another area with enormous potential. While AI often attracts attention for its more headline-grabbing applications, it can also help businesses analyse processes, model different scenarios and identify opportunities to improve efficiency.
Even small improvements across energy consumption, logistics or production can add up to meaningful financial and environmental savings over time.
No business should feel that it needs to navigate these challenges alone. Some of the best advice can come from trusted professional advisers who already understand your operation. Accountants, business consultants and local authority economic development teams are often aware of funding programmes, grants and support schemes that many businesses never hear about.
A short conversation can sometimes unlock opportunities that significantly reduce the cost of making improvements, while equally important is talking to other business owners. Across Scotland and the wider UK, there are companies already making progress on their net zero journeys. Sharing experiences, learning what has worked and understanding what has not can save both time and money.
Net zero should not be viewed as a burden, but as an opportunity to future-proof businesses, improve efficiency and become less vulnerable to rising costs and external shocks.
Every business is different and there is no single solution that works for everyone. However, there is one common starting point: take a close look at where waste exists in your operation and ask whether there is a better way.
That simple question has shaped some of the most important investments we have made at GMG Energy. It may, too, do the same for many other businesses like yours.
