How businesses can meet the Net-zero challenge
In this vlog, Yemi explains a structured solution to achieving carbon neutrality in a simple and credible way. If you are a business owner/manager; senior manager or management system specialist, you want to listen to this simple and existing solution to the carbon-neutral question for small and large businesses.
Full Transcript of the video below
I am Yemi, from Charis The Training Company.
Net-zero, reducing carbon emissions, and calculating your carbon footprint are the new buzzwords in government and business. The government has said it’s a net-zero challenge for the country by 2050 in the United Kingdom. Many consider this as not ambitious enough, but we have begun to see government policy actions towards achieving this goal. Perhaps other World events have contributed to the shifting away from fossil fuels to more sustainable options. Government policy will encourage businesses and individuals over the next few years to follow the choices that ensure reduction in carbon emissions, all towards achieving that zero-carbon economy.
Many businesses can see this coming, some with absolute dread and without a clear understanding, structured approach or ability and know-how, at least in their eyes, to work towards any reduction in the first place.
Part of the challenges for businesses it’s not so much a lack of embracing of carbon reduction technologies and practices but the need to measure their carbon emissions and any reductions in a credible way.
This is a significant and valid concern!
However, it is essential to note that sometimes things might not always be as complicated as we envisage.
Let’s remember that the issue of reduction of carbon emissions is relatively new; to most businesses, and they desperately need to adapt. There have always been developments to which organisations have had to adapt; some have included the need for implementation and management of occupational health and safety controls as laws were introduced. Also, the initial introduction of environmental practices in organisations or the approach to Implementing quality controls and assurance systems within organisations have a unique history of their own.
In each of these seeming historical shifts in the business environment, it is essential to note that the most straightforward way organisations, small and large, have been and can adapt these new practices has been through the implementation of internationally established and recognised standards. Standards provide a set of requirements that, if implemented and met within the context of any organisation, that organisation will meet the minimum best practice for the existing business pull. For example, in the earlier cases, ISO 45001 (previously OHSAS 18001), ISO 14001, and ISO 9001, respectively, helped organisations meet the challenges of Occupational Health and Safety, Environment and Quality!
And here is the news: an international standard has been established for helping organisations determine their carbon footprint and identify and implement the opportunities for carbon reduction arrangements to achieve carbon neutrality as a minimum; that standard is called PAS 2060!
This publicly available specification details how to achieve carbon neutrality for organisations of all sizes and types of manufacturing or service; in their particular context.
Without complicating matters, the PAS 2060 guides you in precisely the industry recommended approach for calculating and presenting data and information on carbon neutrality. You will end up with your calculations identifying the most significant points where you emit carbon. Still, more importantly, you will come out with a carbon reduction plan. The standard guides you in knowing precisely the acceptable way to present this information and deal with reductions and offsets.
If you have ever worked with any international standard, say the ISO standards, you will understand that while it gives a guide, it might not necessarily answer all the questions for the untrained eye. Still, as a minimum, an organisation can understand what is required. Organisations can seek to pursue additional training for the appropriate personnel to implement PAS 2060 in-house or take advantage of a range of experts and external resources available that can be of help.
Very importantly, you choose to self-certify or gain certification with an accredited verification body. As always, you will note the value of independent verification because it assures that your calculations are correct and that your actions are reasonable and within the guidelines of what is globally expected as baseline best practice.
I have seen how small and medium-sized businesses that do not have the in-house know-how have stayed away from the topic, dreading doomsday, which is still quite far away. But, on the flip side, I have seen bold and strong leadership from organisations small and large that have gone ahead to implement PAS 2060 and have achieved outstanding results; Calculating their exact carbon footprint, achieving a reduction in the greenhouse gases emitted by their organisation into the atmosphere and offsetting via programmes that are local to the area or in line with the organisation’s values, among other activities. Yours can be that company too.
As part of our responsibility as an ISO expert training company, we believe we need to democratise the knowledge of PAS 2060 for businesses in the northwest UK. So we are putting up a webinar with a couple of experts and stakeholders. So, if you think you would benefit from attending such a webinar, and hey, it’s free, just put yes in the comment section so that I know that people are watching and interested. And you will be updated on the webinar arrangements as it is completed.
Thank you for watching.
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