Research Reveals Energy Concerns Impacting Business Competitiveness, the Workforce and Decarbonization
Research shows that businesses around the world remain concerned about the impacts of energy security and prices, which could be a catalyst for a range of environmental, social and economic ripple effects. According to ABB Electrification’s Energy Insights survey of 2,300 leaders from small and large businesses across a range of sectors, 92% of respondents feel that the continuing instability of energy is threatening their profitability and competitiveness.1 Energy costs and insecurity are having a significant impact on the workforce with decreased investment in employees. Business leaders are also concerned about potential impacts of meeting their sustainability targets.
Rising energy costs and insecurity are forcing business leaders to rethink how they operate and where they invest in their businesses, to grow and remain competitive. The key impacts on businesses due to rising energy costs in the last year include lower profit margins (34%) and cuts to spending in some areas (34%), leading to a shift away from investment in R&D and other business growth initiatives. Over a third (38%) have or plan to reduce technology investment, while a third (33%) expect to cut spending on infrastructure and 31% foresee a decline in marketing spend.