Business awareness & advice

A study commissioned by AXA Insurance on climate change effects and SMEs in 2006 found that:

  • 70% of businesses in high risk areas not concerned about flooding.
  • Although 85% of small businesses thought that climate change was a serious problem for the world, only 26% thought it to be a real and serious threat to their business.
  • 69% do not have a practical contingency plan.

Climate South East’s SME Director Due Diligence study in 2007 found that:

  • 54% of respondents had been affected by at least one extreme weather event in the past two years.
  • However, most do not associate weather events with climate change.
  • Climate change is a low priority.

The Chartered Management Institute’s 2007 Business Continuity Management survey reported that:

  • 73% of managers report that Business Continuity Management is important in their organisation.
  • Small organisations are less likely to have a specific business continuity plan. 66% of those from small organisations said they had no plan.
  • Since 2006, those affected by extreme weather events has risen from 9% to 28%.