more... tweets

more... latest

What is carbon footprinting?

Carbon Footprinting is a useful tool for measuring your company’s environmental impact and for identifying opportunities for reducing costs, improving efficiency, and reducing wastage.

A carbon footprint can also be used to demonstrate an organisation's commitment to improving its environmental performance or to help market an organisation’s ‘green’ credentials.

What exactly is my Corporate Carbon Footprint?

A Corporate Carbon Footprint is the sum of total greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from all activities within an agreed boundary and multiplied by their respective Global Warming Potential (GWP - see right), with the result expressed as tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO2e).

A footprint provides a snapshot of the environmental impact of a company’s daily operations.  GHGs are released through all business activities, including:

  • Consumption of electricity, gas and other fuels                                                                 
  • Water consumption and treatment of wastewater
  • Treatment of solid waste
  • Transportation including collection and distribution
  • Maintenance, purchase and decommissioning of refrigeration units      

How is it calculated?

Sustainable Food & Drink uses a standardised carbon footprinting methodology based on current international reporting standards and Defra guidance, tailored to the food and drink sector.  

Defra's methodology and emission factors are available from here.

What are the benefits?

The Carbon Trust have identified the following benefits of Corporate Carbon Footprinting to a company.

     

  1. Cost savings: Provides a simple  framework for evaluating performance and identifying cost savings
  2. Enhancing reputation: Mechanism for demonstrating environmental commitment
  3. Workforce engagement: 80% of people are more likely to want to work for a company that is considered environmentally responsible.
  4. Sector and Government Targets: Can identify areas for aligning with industry targets/clients. 

Is it free to have my Corporate Carbon Footprint measured by Sustainable Food & Drink?

Yes! Because we're funded by the European Union and the Scottish Government, our support, including a carbon footprint assessment, is impartial and free to eligible businesses. Any information shared with us will be treated as confidential and not be shared with any third parties.

What information is required?

To have your carbon footprint measured by the Sustainable Food & Drink team all you need to provide is some basic information (easily found in bills or management accounts) about your company's use of energy, water, transportation and refrigeration and production of waste.

NB: All information you provide will benefit from the highest levels of commercial confidentiality and we will not share your information with any third parties.

How do I book my free carbon footprint?

To arrange a free Carbon Footprint, please fill in our enquiry form, contact us directly 0141 273 1416 or email us at info@sfd.org.uk.

Carbon Neutral

The BSI Public Available Standard (PAS) 2060 defines carbon neutrality as “condition in which there is no net increase in the global emission of GHGs in the atmosphere as a result of the GHG associated with the [business].”  To be able to claim carbon neutrality, the standard advises a three stage process:

  1. Calculate emissions– includes the setting of clear boundaries as to what is and isn’t included in the corporate carbon footprint.
  2. Reduce emissions– identify opportunities and take action to make efficiency savings.  This may be absolute or relative to industry good practice.
  3. Offset unavoidable– compensate for unavoidable emissions through purchasing of carbon credits from a recognised and verified carbon offsetting scheme.

Further details are available on the DECC website or PAS 2060 can be purchased on from the BSI website.

Carbon Offsetting

Carbon offsetting allows companies to compensate for unavoidable carbon emissions by financially supporting projects/programmes that reduce carbon emissions elsewhere and may involve:  

  • Installation of renewable energy systems such as solar water heating or hydro-power
  • Energy efficiency measures overseas.

Offsetting schemes may be part of the Kyoto Protocol such as those included in the Clean Development Mechanism, or non-Kyoto e.g. covered by Voluntary Emission Reductions.

To ensure the projects supported are the most effective, it is worth looking for a quality assurance mark, such as the UK Government DECC 'Quality Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsets' launched in February 2009.