Carbon emissions play a big part in climate change, which the world hopes to mitigate to preserve the environment. Many businesses are working on reducing pollution outputs while still meeting customers’ needs.
For years, businesses went without proper guidance to set and achieve net zero goals, but that’s changed with the recently released Net-Zero Standard. This standard promotes corporate social responsibility by laying out the steps for companies to meet their eco-friendly objectives.
Here’s how your business can set and achieve net-zero goals.
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Do an Emissions Inventory
The first step to achieving a net zero goal is knowing how much carbon emissions your company contributes to climate change. There are three scopes of emissions to evaluate:
- Scope 1: These are the direct emissions released through vehicles, boilers and furnaces.
- Scope 2: These emissions don’t come directly from your business but from the utilities you purchase.
- Scope 3: These are outside emissions used by your company, such as from airplane travel to a conference.
Evaluating the three scopes lets you determine the number of emissions your business contributes to or participates in. You can use those numbers to set net-zero goals.
Set Your Goals
When setting your net-zero goals, you’ll need two types: near and long term.
Near-term goals are emissions objectives for the next five to 10 years, which should eliminate them by half.
Long-term goals should be met by 2050, eliminating 90% of company emissions.
Reduce Emissions
Once you’ve set your goals, you’ll need to start reducing your emissions to meet them. You can do this in several ways:
- Switch to renewable energy: Switching to a renewable energy source, like solar, reduces carbon emissions from electric and gas use. It can also save your company money in the long run.
- Eliminate single-use plastics: Ridding yourself of plastic packaging helps prevent pollution and the emissions from plastic creation.
- Evaluate your supply chain: Areas within your supply chain may not be as efficient as they could be, and asking for transparency from your suppliers can help you understand and eliminate unnecessary emissions.
- Offer work-from-home days: Consider allowing employees with computer-based jobs days to work from home. This reduces the emissions from their commute and could create happier and more productive
- Reduce water usage: You may not realize how much your faucets contribute to emissions. The water itself doesn’t contribute to greenhouse gases, but the wastewater treatment plants it is processed through do.
- Travel less: Limiting your company travel will reduce your contribution to carbon emissions.
Taking different measures to reduce your carbon footprint will make a big difference.
Utilize Carbon Offsets
Once you’ve reached your goal of 90% fewer carbon emissions, you’ll need to offset the rest of your carbon footprint to achieve net zero.
These offsets are how you give back to the environment for the emissions you use. You could contribute to reforestation, fund clean energy sources or waste energy conversion, or aid your community in eco-friendly projects.
By offsetting your carbon footprint, you can achieve net zero by reducing the number of emissions equal to what your business causes.
💡Read more: Why Businesses Should Embrace Forest Carbon Credits
Becoming Net Zero
Businesses serving their community, nation or world are responsible for operating in a way that preserves them. Setting clear goals and working toward achieving them lets your company thrive while contributing to a better future for everyone.
