Carbon calculator can cut business emissions

Government-funded climate company the Carbon Trust has launched a major new campaign to help business reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.


Central to the initiative is a tool designed to help calculate the carbon footprint of a business.

While everyone has heard the term, there is still some confusion over what exactly a carbon footprint is and the new package includes material to aid understanding of the issues and, most importantly, how to make real reductions.

Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust, said: “This new initiative is a timely reminder that acting on CO2 makes perfect business sense.

“We want all businesses to take advantage of our new free online carbon footprint calculator to help them measure and ultimately reduce their carbon emissions.

“Businesses that act will quickly reap the multiple benefits of improving their bottom line while increasing their overall competitiveness.”

Environment Minister Phil Woolas added: “The case for businesses to cut their carbon footprint is growing fast.

“Pressure from consumers, the cost of energy, and corporate social responsibility issues all mean that going green is no longer just an add on – it’s a core part of doing business.

“This calculator will provide real benefits to business by enabling them to calculate their emissions and identify where they can make the most effective carbon reductions and reduce their climate impact.”

According to the trust, potential savings of over 2.7 million tonnes CO2, equivalent to Liverpool’s total annual emissions, with related energy savings of almost £350m could be realised through cost free and low cost energy saving actions.

The calculator can be found on the trust’s website and introduces common footprinting concepts in line with widely accepted reporting approaches such as the Green House Gas (GHG) Protocol.

The tool uses a series of screening questions to assess likely corporate emissions.

Based on these questions the user can enter details of their energy usage and other potential emissions sources, including fuel usage, vehicle usage, electricity bill data and employee travel.

Michael Roberts, director of business environment at the CBI, said: “We welcome this initiative to help make it easier for firms to measure and manage their carbon footprint.

“Leading companies are already tackling their emissions and increasingly expect their business partners to do the same. But many firms also lack the knowledge, time or resources to take the first step: this package of support aims to help address that.”

Sam Bond

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