Climate change has been all over the news for a number of years now – it’s an important issue that needs addressing.
So, what can your company do to reduce your carbon footprint? And why should you even bother? Colin Hindmarsh, of green energy procurement specialists, Envantage, gives us his thoughts on the matter.
In today’s warming climate, being proactive in reducing your carbon footprint is fast becoming a necessity for any environmentally conscious company. In fact, with the UK government aiming for an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, it’s an issue that no company can afford to ignore.
But having a comprehensive carbon reduction plan doesn’t just help you sleep better at night. It has some positive effects on your business too, the main one being satisfying consumer demand.
According to the Carbon Trust, consumers have been demanding companies move towards being carbon neutral since 2011. And, an article published by Inderscience 2016, confirms this trend is not only continuing, but that consumers now want to know, in detail, what companies are doing to achieve carbon reduction.
How can your company be as carbon neutral as possible?
One of the easiest ways to start on the path to lowering your carbon output is to change your energy suppliers. And there are lots of great providers out there. Envantage are one such supplier, and their Director, Colin Hindmarsh, has some great advice on how your company can get its hand on green energy, and the other advantages that reducing your carbon footprint will bring.
Do your research
As with all things in business, it’s vital that you carry out some research before deciding on anything. Colin suggests that, ‘when trying to procure green energy, it’s essential that you know the provider you’re thinking of choosing does actually meet all the standards needed to call themselves a ‘green and clean’ supplier. Some companies will make the ‘green’ claim, but don’t actually meet the standards to do so. If they don’t, your company will be missing out on vital credit under the greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting rules.’
Sound advice considering companies who develop products in conformance with the protocols canuse the Built on GHC Protocol markon their website and company literature. And those who have achieved the mark ‘will benefit from the GHG Protocol’s reputation as the gold standard for GHG accounting’.This can elevate your brand, providing green kudos and giving you the edge over your competitors.
Promote it
Considering that being carbon efficient is something consumers want and need, it seems obvious that if you do something good, you should promote it. Colin suggests, ‘if you’ve managed to reduce your carbon footprint significantly, let your consumers know about it. It adds credibility to your firm, showing the public that you care about something more than just profit.’
If you’re not in a position to pay for an official review to gain the badge awarded by the GHGP, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t shout about your company’s carbon reducing achievements. Write a blog, put it in your news section or add it to your ‘About us’ page, so your customers can find the information on this important issue quickly and easily.
Get some help
If you don’t have a procurement team, or don’t have the time and resources to dig into this issue in the detail that’s needed to get the best deal, you’d be wise to use a company that can. Colin says, ‘it may seem as simple as just choosing the greenest supplier, but procuring green energy is not that easy.’ For example, recently the government changed its rules on how it measures a company’s energy savings, ‘it moved from only taking improvements in energy efficiency and direct carbon footprint plans in to account, to including the procurement of green energy too.’
And with the rapidly changing market of energy tariffs, it can be hard to keep up with the best deals for your company. ‘Envantage can help find the best fit deal for your company. We have green energy procurement specialists who constantly scan the tariffs on offer to make sure we know what’s what when companies come to us with their requirements. It’s our job to get it right.’
And once you’ve got the best tariff for you, you’ll soon be seeing the benefits to your business and doing your bit for the planet too.
