Are you new to this? Not sure where to start? Take a look at our first steps guide to reducing your organisation’s carbon emissions.
1. Calculate a carbon footprint
- You can’t manage what you don’t measure. By understanding which of your actions generate the most carbon emissions you can focus on the areas with the biggest potential impact. Use our Carbon Calculator to get started.
2. Develop a carbon reduction policy and an action plan to implement it
- A carbon reduction policy should outline your organisations’ key environmental impacts and commit to reducing them.
- Policies should be signed off by senior management then shared with your employees, customers and supply chain.
- Develop an action plan – a live document which can help you to monitor progress and implement objectives outlined in your carbon reduction policy.
- An action plan should include quantifiable targets, with assigned responsibilities and completion dates.
Policy and Action Plan Guidance
3. Get your staff onboard
- Your employees are key to achieving carbon reduction goals through their behaviour change.
- Consider establishing a ‘green team’ to develop ideas and implement action on the ground.
- Provide training to staff so they can understand the issues and help you meet your commitments
4. Make your buildings more efficient
- Heating and air conditioning is often the biggest sources of wasted energy in buildings. Insulation is usually cheap to install so comes with a short payback period. Check heating and cooling equipment is being used effectively – check temperature settings and timers.
- Lighting – switching to LEDs and installing sensors can save up to 70% in running costs.
5. Consider renewable energy
- Green tariffs – ensuring your electricity is from 100% certified renewable energy will bring down emissions associated with electricity use and support a journey to ‘net zero’.
- Or generate your own renewable energy by installing solar panels (photovoltaics) or wind turbines on site.
6. Transport often accounts for the majority of an organisation’s carbon emissions
- Some simple steps can reduce transport emissions from your fleet and commuters – consider vehicle tracking and route planning, driver training, car pools and public transport. Or use remote technology to avoid the need to travel.
- Switch your fleet to electric vehicles where possible and install electric vehicle charging on site.
7. Minimise waste through re-use and recycling
- Disposing of waste generates carbon emissions, as well as creating other environmental problems.
- Use the waste hierarchy to identify better disposal routes and implement effective recycling programmes.
- Speak to your waste contractor to establish where your waste currently ends up and understand what you can recycle.
- Staff awareness and effective communication will ensure that recyclable waste does not end up in the wrong bin – get signs and posters up!
8. Carbon Offsetting
- Carbon offsetting involves paying projects or providers to reduce or offset emissions, for example through tree planting or renewable energy projects.
- It should only be considered when you are not able to reduce your own carbon footprint any further, at which point it supports an organization to become carbon neutral.
The Carbon Charter team can help you with all these actions so please get in touch to find out how to join our network or if you are already a member to ask for free support.