We are
Sustainable
Energy First
Built on 25 years of BiU heritage, Sustainable Energy First is a force for good within the energy and carbon sector.
Watch to learn more about Sustainable Energy First
Want to know more about us and what we do? Chief Executive, Michael Abbott, explains here in this short video.
Sustainable Energy First is an energy and sustainability consultancy, founded in 1997 to solve energy management problems in very large, complex commercial estates.
This remains the core of our business driven by a commitment to sustainability and the goal of reducing our clients’ carbon footprint.
8
Leaders
Founded, and still owned, by 2 sector pioneers, and supported by 8 senior leaders
160+
Team
160+ sustainability changemakers supported by a world-class people and wellbeing team
ESG
Our ESG
Our environmental, social and governance impact to reach sustainable goals and science-based targets
One purpose
Inspire and
empower
a positive difference
Our values
Empowering a positive difference by being bold, responsible, imaginative and together.
Bold
Responsible
We own our words and behaviour; the effect they have on our colleagues, clients, community and culture. We care about the work we deliver and don’t sit back and let others solve a problem, whether it’s a billing conundrum or a net zero solution. Everything we do is underpinned by high quality standards and must meet our environmental objectives.
Imaginative
We fuel a space that allows people to create the new, push the boundaries and think differently. Our team is determined to overcome obstacles and identify solutions for our clients that optimise energy use, reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment.
Together
We are in this together. We recognise a team is greater than the sum of its parts and we take our clients with us. Everyone is treated with respect regardless of race, age, gender or beliefs and we value the differences that the mix of people bring to Sustainable Energy First.
Established on 25 years of BiU heritage
In 2022 BiU evolved into Sustainable Energy First, reflecting our renewed focus on supporting British business to achieve a positive climate impact.
We apply our talent and technology towards improving your organisation’s sustainability performance in three specific areas: economic, environmental and social.
Beginnings
We have been people-focused from the beginning, and set out to challenge statistics that show only a small minority of the global workforce are engaged at work. This purpose has supported us to grow into a 160-strong team, serving the UK’s largest enterprises across a diverse range of sectors.
In recent years, as businesses have become more aware of the urgent need to act on climate, we’ve adapted our delivery model to help clients (and ourselves) to move swiftly to decarbonise.
Over the last five years, we have invested significantly in building a credible delivery capability in sustainability services including a net zero carbon framework, trading renewable gas and power, delivery of corporate power purchase agreements and a ‘deep green’ power consortium.
Taking a gear-change in our approach, we now want sustainability to be central to everything that we do.
Sustainable Energy First was born.
2022 and beyond
We will now apply our talent and technology towards improving UK business’ sustainability performance in three specific areas: economic, environmental and social.
Sustainable Energy First’s approach is different to anyone else in the traditional ‘TPI’ (Third Party Intermediary) market. We want to share in the decarbonisation targets of our clients.
Fashion comes and goes; politicians and political parties come and go. In stark contrast, sustainable businesses contribute to society for hundreds of years, and there are many businesses that have been in existence for over 1000 years. The effects of climate change are here to stay. They cannot be reversed, but they can be arrested. We still have time to make a change and, right here right now, sustainability is the sensible economic choice and the wise ethical choice. This is our stand.
We are also committed to reducing Sustainable Energy First’s own carbon footprint. We are setting a science-based emissions reduction target this year, in line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). We will set a net zero target, with a clear pathway on how this will be achieved and by what date (before the UK’s 2050 target).
Sustainable Energy First achieves B Corp Certification
November 2023
We are incredibly proud to announce that Sustainable Energy First is a certified B Corporation.
As a B Corp, we join a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. The certification is an acclamation that our business is a force for good and complements our purpose of inspiring and empowering our people to create a positive difference for themselves, our clients and the planet.
The Sunday Times 2020
