GUIDE

Clean Air, Better Business: A Practical Guide to Outdoor Air Quality

Is the air outside your building costing you money?

Air pollution costs the UK economy over £27 billion every year — through lost productivity, healthcare pressures, and missed workdays. For businesses, outdoor air quality isn’t just a health issue. It’s a leadership one.

The business case you can’t ignore

Three million workdays are lost annually in the UK due to poor air quality. Research from Cambridge Judge Business School shows teams take up to 5% longer to solve complex problems on high-pollution days. And short-term exposure to common pollutants causes fatigue, headaches, and reduced cognitive function — the kind of drag that’s easy to miss but hard to afford.

Meeting WHO air quality standards could unlock £1.6 billion in economic benefits per year. The businesses that act now will be ahead of the curve.

What’s in the air around your workplace?

Three pollutants are most likely affecting your team without you knowing:

PM2.5 — Fine Particulate Matter Microscopic particles that penetrate the lungs and bloodstream, linked to cardiovascular issues and low energy levels.

NO2 — Nitrogen Dioxide Causes airway inflammation and worsens respiratory symptoms — particularly common near busy roads and traffic intersections.

O3 — Ozone Irritates airways and reduces lung function. Levels spike in urban areas on hot, sunny days.

What you’ll learn in the guide

Developed in partnership with Air Aware Labs, this practical guide gives you everything you need to understand outdoor air quality and take action. You’ll come away knowing what the key pollutants are and how they affect your people, how to monitor air quality at a local level, what steps you can take to reduce risk for staff and customers, and how better air quality management signals strong, responsible leadership.