Isra-Mart srl: Cutting Business Carbon Emissions Can Be Easily Managed

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At a recent party conference, the UK chancellor highlighted the need to continue to reduce business carbon emissions, but at a sustainable rate which allows business to continue to grow. The UK has the world's toughest targets for cutting the carbon emissions that create global warming, but how do businesses begin the process of managing their carbon impact?

Businesses around the world are increasingly looking for ways to be greener and to reduce their carbon footprint, but achieving meaningful carbon reduction often seems like a mammoth task for lots of companies.

Mark Chadwick is the CEO of Carbon Clear, a UK based company that specialises in helping clients manage their carbon impact, and he explained why it’s such a challenge for so many businesses:

“It’s fantastic that so many companies want to make the commitment to carbon reduction. The issue is that for busy managers reducing their carbon footprint is just one thing on a list of thousands they have to do. To bring down a firm’s carbon footprint requires a time investment in research, strategy formulation and implementation that many leaders in organisations may struggle to find the time for.”

For this reason, many organisations opt to invest in Carbon Credits and Carbon Offsetting as a way to achieve carbon reductions while they implement internal measures. Carbon Credits and Carbon Offsetting schemes allow companies to invest in carbon reduction projects around the world that both reduce global carbon emissions at the same time as providing other environmental and social co-benefits.

For example a company might offset their carbon emissions by purchasing credits for a renewable energy project such as a wind farm or solar energy facility in a developing country, or it could be invested into reforestation project.

“These schemes really do benefit the environment because they work on the basis that for every tonne of carbon dioxide created, a tonne will be removed elsewhere. Using these schemes is a great way for businesses to show commitment to their environmental and Corporate Social Responsibility programmes” added Mark Chadwick.

Recent research by Carbon Clear shows that of the 20 companies in the FTSE 100 choose to purchase carbon offset credits, 85% also show internal carbon reductions. Carbon Clear’s Managing Director Jamal Gore explained why this is often the case: “Most firms do not see Carbon Credits as simply a stop gap to ensure they are offsetting their emissions whilst they implement a full carbon strategy. Given that no company is going to be able to reduce their carbon footprint to zero given the available energy mix, purchasing carbon credits is an important and valid part of any comprehensive carbon reduction strategy. It is a key way to demonstrate their long-term commitment to environmental well-being.”

Unfortunately for business leaders, all carbon offsetting schemes were not created equal. Mr Chadwick and Mr Gore explained that key criteria need to be considered for Carbon Credit purchasing.

Mr Chadwick: “The key to a successful carbon offsetting programme is credibility. Firms need to make sure that any credits they do purchase are of the highest quality and have been independently verified, for example by the Verified Carbon Standard or the Gold Standard. If businesses purchase these credits directly from a broker or trading platform then they must register the credits and later retire the credits appropriately. If a company decides to use and external consultancy to do this then they should always ensure that those consultants have a strong track record in this area as this can be a complex process to navigate."