Benefits for business
ICaN: Investing in Climate and Nature – For Business Supporters
What is ICaN?
ICaN is South Gloucestershire Council’s initiative to fund projects that tackle the climate and nature emergencies. Our projects focus on three critical goals:
- Mitigation – reducing the factors that contribute to climate change.
- Adaptation – making South Gloucestershire more resilient to its impacts.
- Recovery – supporting biodiversity gain, stronger more productive ecosystems.
By investing in these solutions, we protect our communities, minimize risks to residents and businesses, and maintain a vibrant, growing local economy.
Why Your Business Should Care
Climate change and biodiversity loss are urgent realities. Healthy ecosystems regulate temperature, filter pollutants, and store carbon. Their decline threatens these services, increasing risks for everyone.
Businesses that lead on sustainability benefit from:
- Investor confidence – ESG-aligned companies attract capital.
- Talent retention – employees prefer ethical, future-focused employers.
- Brand loyalty – customers reward businesses that act responsibly.
The Cost of Business as Usual
Extreme weather events are more frequent and severe. Flooding disrupts transport and property. Heatwaves challenge productivity and comfort in workplaces. These impacts translate into:
- Supply chain vulnerabilities
- Raw material shortages
- Higher energy costs for heating and cooling
- Cost of living increases
- Increased wage pressures and lower productivity
Proactive investment in climate resilience reduces these risks.
Alignment with Regulatory Frameworks
The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks guide businesses in integrating sustainability into financial reporting and decision-making. While currently voluntary, TNFD is expected to become mandatory in the UK.
Supporting ICaN projects provides:
- Reportable, high-value contributions for TNFD and ESG disclosures
- Evidence of beyond-profit social responsibility
- Tangible commitment to the environment and local communities
Measurable Impact
ICaN’s Valuation Tool delivers robust, monetized assessments of the benefits your support creates. Our cost-benefit analysis typically shows a 10:1 return—a £10,000 contribution generates £100,000 in benefits over the 15-year period we maintain project outputs.
Join Us
Partner with ICaN to protect South Gloucestershire, strengthen your ESG credentials, and create lasting value for your business and community.