Climate action is no longer optional. Learn how Net Zero targets, emissions scopes, and practical measurement apply to SMEs — and how to take action.
At the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, national governments promised the UN that they would achieve certain greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets. In turn, governments shared that responsibility across businesses globally and devised a way to measure and manage the outcomes of the efforts to date. From this data they have been able to reasonably predict, by sector, how they are doing against the big milestones which have been set for 2030 and 2040 with ultimate Net Zero to be achieved by 2050.
Every sector has a Net Zero plan, and within each sector every constituent company is expected to have a plan. Having a plan implies having an emissions objective and having an objective necessitates having a way to measure it. Old style management by objectives, where the O’s are S.M.A.R.T. The climate action objective is set out in terms of scopes.
Emissions are broken down into three categories by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol in order to better understand the source.
Scope 1 - Direct Emissions
All Direct Emissions from the activities of an organisation or under their control. Including fuel combustion on site such as gas boilers, fleet vehicles and air-conditioning leaks.
Scope 2 - Purchased Energy
Indirect Emissions from electricity purchased and used by the organisation. Emissions are created during the production of the energy and eventually used by the organisation.
Scope 3 - Indirect Value Chain Emissions
All Other Indirect Emissions from activities of the organisation, occurring from sources that they do not own or control. These are usually the greatest share of the carbon footprint, covering emissions associated with business travel, procurement, waste and water.
No matter the size of your organisation, you own part of the global warming solution and should have an objective that at least aligns with the timeline of the Paris Agreement. The planet actually does not care, but mankind, and many of the other species on it, will appreciate anything you can do to get to net Zero ahead of the timeline or get beyond net zero if possible.
The Net Zero objective is not your primary one. If you go out of business, your net zero objective will be achieved as a consequence. So, set your objective informed by your capability and available resources. Having a credible emissions objective is a requirement of an increasing number of organisations who will choose not do business with yours unless you have an emissions reduction action plan.
What is more, recent research shows that investors, consumers, and prospective employees are making key decisions based on an organisation’s climate action, or lack thereof. Growth in stakeholder demand for transparency around an organisation’s carbon reduction programme means that climate action disclosures are rapidly becoming an essential part of doing business.
Regulatory reporting requirements aside, whether your objective is to safeguard your place in the value chain of climate-conscious organisations, to attract investment, or to boost your chances of attracting and retaining key talent, your organisation should not only have a credible climate action plan in place but be able to provide evidence of progress against it.
Having worked closely with hundreds of small to medium enterprises, across various sectors, we understand the strain that rolling out new initiatives can put on an already stretched resources, unless managed effectively. What is needed is a structured, reliable, systematic process and we provide a solution that delivers exactly that.
GreenFeet is a modern carbon accounting and sustainability platform that helps organisations measure, monitor and manage their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with confidence. It brings visibility and structure to climate action by making carbon measurement simple, accurate and actionable across Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions.
Rather than treating emissions reporting as a complex compliance exercise, GreenFeet turns it into a repeatable, business aligned process. Companies can quickly calculate their carbon footprint, upload data from multiple sources, and securely store that information in a cloud-based carbon ledger designed to grow with their needs.
With GreenFeet you will quickly progress from baseline emissions calculations, through the acquisition of carbon offsets, to generating detailed stakeholder reports. Not only will you have access to our complete carbon accounting solution, but also to our team of expert in-house advisors who will be on hand to guide you along your sustainability journey.
All you need to complete that journey is one disciplined and willing person, no more than a few hours each month, the support of the most cost-effective and comprehensive sustainability solution for SMEs on the market, and it all begins here.
Schedule a 30-minute platform walk-through with our expert team.
