Business Case: Mayor of London's Business Climate Challenge (BCC)

The Mayor of London's Business Climate Challenge (BCC) programme has delivered measurable impact by empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and commercial organisations to accelerate workplace decarbonisation. The initiative provided tailored energy audits, technical support, training, and recognition, driving voluntary energy-efficiency action across London businesses—with io-gen powering data collection and analysis for robust outcomes.

Programme Impact Highlights

• The BCC equipped 203 workplaces across multiple sectors with the tools to reduce energy consumption and emissions, reach financial savings, and foster climate action.

• Participating businesses implemented an average of 3.5 energy-saving measures each, achieving a mean 7.1% reduction in energy use (2023 vs. 2022) and saving an average of £2,843 in utility costs, demonstrating the real-world return on support and investment.

• 45 businesses surpassed the programme’s 10% energy reduction target, and 99% of surveyed participants said they planned more energy-saving actions after engaging in the programme. A third took climate action that would not have occurred without BCC support.

io-gen: Data-Driven Decarbonisation

• The io-gen platform underpinned the programme’s evidence-based approach, enabling comprehensive energy data capture and actionable analytics for 170 workplaces. This allowed businesses and technical partners to benchmark performance, monitor progress, and identify savings opportunities with confidence.

• Reliable io-gen data enabled analysis for 105 workplaces with a full year of post-intervention energy data, revealing substantial reductions and enabling sector-wide insights.

• Participants valued the io-gen energy dashboard, which provided clear, real-time visibility over energy use and significantly reduced manual reporting burdens—driving continuous improvement and engagement.

Sector & Community Impact

• Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) used the BCC model to catalyse action, extend sectoral knowledge, and unlock new skills. The programme’s scaling success has seen four BEPs replicating the model and recruiting hundreds more businesses across London through consortia.

• The BCC served as a foundation for ongoing collaborative action, fostering a London Energy Working Group to share best practices and drive future carbon reduction initiatives.

Success Factors & Lessons Learned

• The Mayor’s branding and credible technical support were key to building trust and motivating SMEs, while Mayoral recognition and peer-to-peer learning proved vital for sustained action.

• Audits and io-gen data helped businesses to confidently direct investment into impactful, cost-effective measures such as LED lighting, solar arrays, and behaviour change practices. Highlighting the value of tailored, technical support over generic advice.

• The programme also revealed common barriers: data metering challenges, cost constraints, landlord engagement, and lease durations. Solutions included the io-gen platform’s clarity, targeted engagement, and a segmented approach for different sectors and building types.

Business Cohort & Commitment

• Of the 203 workplaces supported, 53% had existing environmental plans, but many businesses cited cost savings as their primary motivation. The BCC model and io-gen enabled both committed and newly engaged companies to achieve meaningful, measurable improvements.

The BCC, supported by io-gen, is a proven, scalable model for business-led climate action—inspiring organisations to reduce emissions, cut costs, and build a more sustainable future for London’s commercial landscape.

Link to the BCC publications: https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/environment-and-climate-change/climate-change/zero-carbon-london/mayors-business-climate-challenge