Most businesses across the G7 are continuing to pursue climate action even as political and media skepticism around net zero increases. According to BSI’s latest survey of more than 7,000 business leaders, 83% of respondents say they remain committed to achieving net zero by their national target date. A similarly strong 78% say they will continue to pursue net zero regardless of political uncertainty because it is good for business, while 76% say customer and client expectations remain a major driver.

This matters because it shows that climate action is still holding its place inside business strategy even as public rhetoric becomes more contested. For many companies, the commercial and operational logic of net zero appears to be stronger than the short-term political environment around it.

 

Companies are increasing action even as public language shifts

 

The survey suggests that climate action is not slowing in operational terms. In fact, 69% of respondents say their business has increased its level of net zero action over the past 12 months, compared with only 4% reporting a decrease. Looking ahead, 38% expect to increase their investment in net zero over the next year, while only 25% anticipate a reduction.

At the same time, many companies are changing how they talk about these efforts. Around 61% say they have adjusted the way they communicate their net zero initiatives in response to climate skepticism in politics and the media. Rather than emphasizing environmental language alone, businesses are increasingly framing their action around resilience, risk mitigation, preparedness, and long-term stability.

 

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Net zero is being recast as a resilience strategy

 

This shift in messaging is one of the most important findings in the survey. Companies are not necessarily abandoning climate action, but they are repositioning it in terms that feel more closely tied to business continuity and strategic advantage. That reflects a growing recognition that emissions reduction is not only an environmental issue. It is also linked to supply chain security, operational risk, future cost exposure, and long-term competitiveness.

The survey supports that interpretation. Around 75% of respondents say net zero is important for their future business resilience, while 74% believe the risks of not transitioning are greater than the risks of transitioning. Nearly three quarters also say continued net zero action would give them a competitive advantage if rivals scaled back.

 

Political uncertainty is affecting targets and investment confidence

 

Even with broad commitment still in place, the report makes clear that the policy environment is creating real complications. About 76% of business leaders say policy uncertainty around net zero makes it difficult to invest confidently. In addition, 32% say they have revised their net zero plans, and 33% say they have reevaluated their targets. Within that group, 13% report that they have dropped their targets altogether.

This is a meaningful pressure point. It suggests that while most companies still believe in the business case for climate action, many are finding it harder to move forward with the same level of confidence when policy direction becomes less stable. That creates a gap between strategic intent and investment certainty.

 

Companies still see future political momentum returning

 

One of the more striking results in the survey is that 79% of respondents believe net zero will become a political priority again within the next decade. This suggests that many business leaders see the current backlash as temporary rather than structural. In effect, they appear to be preparing for a future in which climate action regains stronger policy support and becomes more central again to regulation, markets, and investor expectations.

That matters because it helps explain why so many firms are continuing to act even while changing how they communicate. Businesses appear to be managing the current political cycle without giving up on the long-term direction of travel.

 

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Cost and capability remain bigger barriers than politics alone

 

Although political uncertainty is clearly a major issue, it is not the only one. The survey shows that the top barriers to net zero progress are still cost, limited financing for green technologies, and lack of internal skills and knowledge. These challenges continue to weigh on corporate transition efforts even before political instability is factored in.

This is important because it shows climate action is not being held back only by rhetoric or policy shifts. Many businesses still face practical implementation constraints that make transition harder, particularly when capital is expensive and internal expertise remains uneven.

 

The next phase of business climate action may look different, but it is still moving

 

The broader takeaway from the survey is that business commitment to climate action remains stronger than the surrounding political mood might suggest. Most companies are not stepping away from net zero. Instead, they are adjusting the narrative around it, making it more commercially grounded and more closely linked to resilience, competitiveness, and risk management.

That signals a more mature phase of corporate climate strategy. Businesses are becoming less dependent on idealistic messaging and more focused on explaining why emissions reduction matters in operational and economic terms. In the current environment, that may prove to be a more durable way of sustaining momentum.

 

Source: Bsi Group