Reducing Carbon

Reducing Carbon - A Good Business Opportunity.
The consequences of climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions are critical business issues that present real opportunities as well as challenges.

In the years ahead, companies will have to deal with changing energy prices, more rigorous legislation, loss of business and increased insurance premiums due to extreme weather patterns.

However, they will also have opportunities to make cost savings, operational improvements and adopt a renewed focus on changing consumer preferences. Farsighted organisations recognise that early action to reduce their carbon footprint is an opportunity to secure long-term brand advantage as well as saving money.
Carbon management needs to be part of companies' day-to-day "business as usual" activities with measures in place to reduce their carbon footprint to realise opportunities and prepare for the future.

However, to benefit from the full range of opportunities it also needs to be structured in an integrated plan of short, medium and longer-term measures. It’s crucial that this stretches from the shop floor to the boardroom to take account of all the risks, avoid claims of hype or so-called "green washing".

Energy Saving Solutions

The benefits of energy management should not be overlooked. Implementing just low and no cost measures can help most organisations save up to 20 per cent on energy bills. Such savings can be re-invested in cost-effective measures requiring higher levels of investment, such as the installation of energy-efficient heating solutions or more efficient lighting systems.

The Importance of Carbon Footprints & Carbon Offsets.
A truly holistic approach to carbon reduction also needs to look at emissions across companies' supply chains. Research last year revealed nearly two thirds of UK consumers wanted to know the carbon footprint of the products and services they bought and were more likely to buy from a business that was taking action to tackle climate change.

Finally, offsetting can be considered, allowing organisations to indirectly reduce their carbon footprint by purchasing carbon credits associated with emission reduction projects elsewhere. However, businesses need to ensure that such projects deliver genuine reductions and are independently audited. Otherwise they may not have a useful environmental impact and may put companies' brands at risk.
Businesses are increasingly adopting integrated approaches and realising the benefits in terms of company competitiveness, responsibility to the environment and, leading from that, reputation in the business world.