The proportion of businesses reporting concern about climate change reached 41 per cent in September 2026, matching the highest level recorded since February 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Four in ten businesses said they were either “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about the impact climate change may have on their operations, the ONS posted this week. The figures come from the Business Insights and Conditions Survey, a voluntary fortnightly poll covering businesses with ten or more employees.
The September 2026 reading is a sharp climb from June 2026, when 32 per cent of businesses reported some degree of concern — a nine percentage point rise in roughly three months.
That jump matters. It’s one of the faster moves in the series, and it brings the proportion level with the previous peak recorded in February 2023.
The survey asks businesses about a range of assessed risks, including coastal erosion, increased flooding, supply-chain disruption, temperature increases, water scarcity and wildfires. Businesses are also asked whether costs, a lack of information or guidance, or other barriers have prevented them from acting against climate-change effects. The ONS collects this alongside broader data on business performance, workforce issues, prices and trade.
There are limits to what the figures show. BICS is voluntary, and its results are weighted survey estimates classified as official statistics in development rather than finalised data. The 41 per cent figure measures reported concern — it does not capture actual financial losses or the number of businesses that have taken steps to reduce their exposure. Fieldwork for the wave producing the 41 per cent figure ran from 21 September to 4 October 2026.
Source: @ONS