How Climate Change Will Affect Businesses

How Can Climate Change Affect Your Business

The effects of climate change are starting to intensify around the world and people are starting to wake up to the ways in which it could affect their daily lives. In April 2019, the UK government declared a climate emergency following calls to take action against the extreme weather events taking place around the world.

Although most people and businesses around the UK are yet to have been significantly impacted by our warming world, the tide is starting to change. According to a recent Met Office report, for example, record-breaking summer heatwaves have been made thirty times more likely as a result of human-induced climate change. Hotter and wetter summers and more extreme weather events will soon become the norm. So how could this affect your business?

1. Unpredictable weather can damage your grounds or buildings

Unpredictable weather can wreak havoc on business premises if left unchecked. A particularly hot or wet summer, for example, could damage the plants, flowers and grass in your grounds. This could hinder the appearance of your grounds and generally demoralise staff members or clients, potentially even hindering productivity.

Buildings are also prone to damage from weather events such as extreme heat and rain. Indeed, many buildings in the UK are simply not designed to withstand high temperatures. This means they could face structural damage and require regular repairs. Heavy rain and storms could also wear away building exteriors, causing your premises to look ragged and unprofessional.

2. Unexpected water shortages or flooding

One of the most serious climate change effects on business premises is that of flooding. Heavy rains have already caused damage to homes and businesses around the UK in 2019, and have alerted business owners to the importance of implementing flood defences. Indeed, floods can cause businesses to lose many days’ worth of profit and the necessary repair costs are often very high.

Water shortages are another problem that could be caused by excessive heat as businesses cannot trade if they do not have access to water.

3. Clients may be turned off by the state of your grounds

If your business grounds start to look worn out and battered by unpredictable weather events, you may start to find yourself losing clients. Indeed, shabby grounds give off the message that you do not care about the environment, which wouldn’t reflect well on your business.

How can hiring professionals help?

If you are concerned about the ways in which the changing weather could affect your business, it may be time to look for some professional advice. As well as hiring building experts to protect yourself from flooding and other kinds of weather-related damage, it is a good idea to hire some grounds maintenance experts to ensure that your outdoor spaces are kept healthy and aesthetically pleasing.