Novel net zero policy for small and medium sized enterprises: Introducing relationship-to-carbon and policy congregations

We are failing to make sufficient progress to reduce carbon emissions by business. The progress of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to reach net zero is particularly slow, despite them being responsible for half of non-household emissions; as such, climate change policy is failing to reach most SMEs. We present a new typology based on relationship-to-carbon, which overcomes the challenge of SME heterogeneity to enable meaningful engagement with carbon reduction. Building on this, we conceptualise a novel approach to climate policy beyond metaphorical carrots, sticks and sermons, to add congregations, a relational approach to policy. We argue that firms entrained in the carbon economy (rather than intrinsic or extrinsic) can be engaged in carbon reduction through collaborative, dialogic and relational instruments drawn from feminist policy. We use the example of the UK construction sector to illustrate how the conceptual typology, and the extension of policy approaches, might operate in practice.