The Journey to Net Zero – Don’t set off on the wrong foot

How to calculate your Carbon Footprint the right way and avoid being accused of greenwashing

June 23rd 1988 marked the date on which climate change became an international issue when Dr. James Hansen, then director of NASA’s Institute for Space Studies, told the US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee: “Global warming has reached a level such that we can ascribe with a high degree of confidence a cause-and-effect relationship between the greenhouse effect and observed warming.”

To minimise the effects of climate change, we all need to significantly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and our greenhouse gas emissions, a large proportion of which come from commercial and industrial activities. Therefore, businesses must bear the responsibility for minimising emissions. For certain categories of UK organisations, carbon reporting, net zero planning and eventual net zero status are now mandated by law. 

Last year the government announced that public sector tenders worth more than £5M will no longer accept bids from companies who don’t include a credible carbon reduction plan. It is rumoured that this figure will reduce. From April 2022 all NHS procurements will include a minimum 10% net zero and social value weighting and from 2024 the NHS will require all suppliers to publish a carbon reduction plan. As the carbon emissions of one business contribute to the Carbon Footprint of their customers, it’s easy to see how need to fulfil these requirements will spread rapidly through the supply chain.

Since 1988 the environmental movement has developed at pace through a passion to save our planet, however until recently this passion was in a totally unregulated market. There are many providers of carbon footprint reports (CFRs), often with a convincing sales pitch and testimonials from satisfied customers. To the uninitiated, one carbon footprint report looks much like any other and it is tempting just to buy the cheapest. However, all CFRs are not created equally.

There are many organisations trying to do the right thing themselves, believing they have the internal knowledge and resources to calculate their emissions with the help of online tools and bespoke software packages. The market for these products is unregulated and their accuracy varies. If the calculation method is inaccurate a business might buy too many carbon offsets at great expense, or even too few offsets, defeating the original objective and leading to potential claims of greenwashing. In trying to do the right thing, organisations can leave themselves open to a PR disaster.

There are also professional services organisations promoting their beliefs on sustainable business practices. Many have been around for some time and in the absence of any recognised standards, have created their own, effectively marking their own homework. It has been acknowledged by certification bodies that this activity encourages a ‘wild west’ culture, which can again leave clients vulnerable to claims of greenwashing. Claims by companies that they are ‘carbon neutral’ are not always valid and may be met with scepticism. Companies such as Ryanair, Quorn and Shell have all recently been accused of un-verifiable sustainability claims.

Building on over 20 years of energy saving and supply chain experience, Auditel realised that a standard for demonstrating Carbon Neutrality was needed. Following extensive research, we adopted BSI PAS2060, the only internationally recognised standard for carbon neutrality.

PAS 2060 was developed by BSI (and other organisations such as BP Target Neutral and Forestry Commission) to specify the requirements an organisation needed to meet to demonstrate carbon neutrality. It could be argued that this was the game changer. Now an official standard has been set, it does leave spurious claims and practices open to criticism and debate. A benchmark has been established.

Auditel worked closely with British Standards Institute during the early part of 2021 to raise awareness of the benefits of using PAS2060 and became one of the first members of their Associate Consultants programme to be able to offer support to the standard. 

PAS 2060 presents four key stages to carbon neutrality — measurement, reduction, offsetting and documentation. At the end of the process, businesses can seek verification with an independent third party like BSI or NQA. 

PAS 2060 applies to organisations of all sizes and sectors. You can use it to demonstrate the carbon neutrality of your entire business or to any uniquely identified subject, such as specific activities, products, services, buildings, projects, or events. 

The benefits with PAS2060 are clarity, consistency and transparency, leaving no threat to claims of greenwashing. As knowledge about carbon-related legislation becomes more widespread, B2C and B2B customers (not to mention shareholders and investors) will increasingly scrutinise ‘green’ credentials. Moreover, ‘greenwashing’ is not only a PR disaster waiting to happen – as of September 2021 it became a criminal offence.

Ian Hopping
Carbon Solutions & Procurement Specialist
T 01825 791128
M 07976 244456
W auditel.co.uk