By undertaking a ‘carbon footprint’; your organisation will be able to confirm the total greenhouse gas emissions that your organisation is responsible for. This process can be incorporated within your environmental management system and form the basis for setting some of your improvement objectives.
A carbon footprint evaluates emissions from the Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases: these being; carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6).
An accurate carbon footprint is an important step to manage and reduce the impact of your organization on climate change.
The first step is to decide on the scope of your carbon footprint; ensuring that it provides sufficient detail to be credible.
When the carbon footprint has been calculated and confirmed; you can begin implementing the improvement plans needed to reduce carbon emissions across your organisation, and begin realising cost savings.
An independent verification of your carbon footprint can be considered – this will provide external independent endorsement of your organisation’s positive approach to climate change.