When a company implements an environmental sustainability plan, everyone wins. Both for the planet and for their own commercial success. A recent survey conducted by McKinsey Global found that 83% of C-suite leaders and investment professionals believe ESG programs will generate more shareholder value in five years than they do today. So, taking strides towards becoming a business with carbon offsets seems like a no-brainer.
But how do we get there? In this article, we will touch on the highlights and dive deep in our upcoming series on creating a sustainability plan.
Sustainable Business Strategies
Creating and executing a sustainable business strategy has many different facets. A sustainability strategy can include facility energy efficiency, transportation and fleet management, supply chain management, and emissions reductions. Many of these environmental benefits can help reduce business costs and boost revenue, such as limiting the use of energy, water and raw materials in your company.
What you include ultimately comes down to your company’s budget and the time available to implement and manage the sustainability plan.
Calculating Your Carbon Footprint
Let’s start at the beginning. If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it, so it’s crucial to get a picture of your carbon footprint. Visit https://www.guttmanenergy.com/renewables/emissions-calculator/ for a free carbon emissions analysis. When you know where your emissions are hiding, you can take the right actions to reduce them.
A Few Places To Start Your Business with Carbon Offsets
Once you have an idea of your emissions, take a look at what you can control and begin implementing efficiencies there.
Here are just a few questions to consider.
- Does your company use energy-efficient vehicles for its fleet or ensure that the vehicles used are maintained?
- How much energy does your company use? Can you integrate solar power?
- Does your company conserve water using innovative technology like motion sensor faucets?
- What kind of waste does your company produce? Can you recycle, reduce or reuse any of those materials?
- Are there opportunities to create a more sustainable workplace and improve energy use?
- Have you mapped out your supply chain?
Supply chains are a critical part of controlling emissions. According to an EPA study:
Supply chain emissions are, on average, 11.4 times higher than operational emissions, which equates to approximately 92% of an organization’s total GHG emissions (Source: CDP 2020 Global Supply Chain Report).
The key is to map out the whole supply chain, from where the raw materials come from, what factory makes the products, and how waste is disposed of.
Sustainable Business Strategies
Creating and executing a sustainable business strategy has many different facets. A sustainability strategy can include facility energy efficiency, transportation and fleet management, supply chain management, and emissions reductions. Many of these environmental benefits can help reduce business costs and boost revenue, such as limiting the use of energy, water and raw materials in your company.
What you include ultimately comes down to your company’s budget and the time available to implement and manage the sustainability plan.
How Carbon Offsets Can Help
Investing in carbon offsets is a great way to immediately begin reducing your company’s emissions by contributing to conservation and sustainability initiatives. While more comprehensive strategies may require longer implementation, early adoption of sustainability initiatives, such as carbon offsets, will demonstrate to decision-makers and customers your commitment to helping the environment.
Standing Out In The Crowd as a Business with Carbon Offsets
As mentioned at the start of this article, in the McKinsey Global survey, company leadership believes ESG programs are where decision-makers are headed.
Implementing a sustainability plan that involves carbon offsets is a great way to help the environment while bringing positive attention to your company. Bringing attention to your sustainability plan can show those decision-makers and customers that you are part of the solution.
How you share this information can come in many forms:
- Write a press release and submit it to newswires for maximum benefit
- Share it across all of your content platforms
- Add the carbon offset details to your website
- Provide details about your plan to employees so they can participate and share with family and friends
By sharing your sustainability efforts you are able to shed light on your proactive and positive environmental action.
Are You Ready To Begin A Carbon Offset Program?
Guttman Renewables offers solutions that will help your business reduce environmental impact. Don’t hesitate to contact us today.
