It's no longer a surprise that we will face extreme weather in the coming years. Wildfires, flooding, and severe rainfall are activities that are inescapable when watching the news. The significant consequences of high CO2 emissions are frightening. Although extreme weather is most common in Asia, companies in the United Kingdom (UK) are expected to be affected sooner or later. How can you best prepare your business for this?
Different forms of extreme weather
In the UK, we are at risk of various extreme weather scenarios due to CO2 emissions. Firstly, we are naturally very susceptible to rising sea levels, but due to climate change, severe rainfall is also becoming more frequent. Additionally, you may have already noticed that even the UK has become vulnerable to extreme heat in the summer. In 2022, the temperature reached 40°C for the first time; a temperature that would not have occurred without global warming.
Is your business properly insured?
The costs resulting from extreme weather can be enormous. Therefore, it's wise to insure against such damage. Lightning damage is often already included in standard insurance if you have goods and inventory insurance or building insurance. However, it's prudent for your business to regularly check that all buildings, stock, or other items are not uninsured.
Stay flexible in your business operations
As a business, it's important to maintain a certain level of flexibility. This means you need to be prepared for extreme weather both socially and financially. For example, ensure that your employees can work not only at the business location but also from home. For example, this is crucial in the event of extreme heat at the business location. It is also important to maintain a financial buffer. Ideally, you should have three months' worth of cash as a buffer so you are not hit too hard by crises resulting from extreme weather conditions.
Other practical tips
Apart from these major tips, you can also pay attention to the smaller details:
- Unplug all plugs from the sockets and switch off the main switch to prevent severe lightning damage.
- Keep your inventory low. Water and fire damage can severely impact your business. Therefore, consider keeping inventories as low as possible to prevent this.
- Always close windows and doors to limit further water damage.
Want to take the initiative?
The idea of climate change is unpleasant and severe. Do you want to help reduce it as a business, but don't know where to start? We can help! Request a free platform tour, and we'll look at the solution together!
