Businesses have been urged to make environmental concerns a priority, as overlooking the issue could prove costly.

Andrew Hebden, head of business at ncjMedia, told the Journal that there is no doubt that ecological matters are now very high up the agenda for many companies.

However, he noted that in the current economic climate, some may be tempted to put their environmental responsibilities to one side.

Mr Hebden warned that this would be a mistake, as the threat of climate change is not going to go away.

"Instead of seeing environmental issues as an expensive add on, the leaders of the best companies will see them as a great opportunity," he commented.

This comes after ice cream firm Ben and Jerry's attracted criticism after it was found that it washed its scoops with taps that were left running continuously.

The company has since invested in water saving devices to minimise its impact on the environment, which it says has reduced the amount of water it uses by more than three-quarters.