Calculating corporate carbon footprint – how to get started and what are the benefits?

Calculating the carbon footprint of a business is the first step towards reducing emissions. The operations of almost every business burden the environment, no matter the size of the organization. To start reducing the negative impact in a meaningful way, data must first be collected to have something to base the emission reduction goals on. Generally, greenhouse gas emissions belong to an emission category that represents the emissions of business operations. It is fairly easy for a business to find out its own carbon footprint using a specific calculation. In the carbon footprint calculation, the business gets to know the CO2e emissions (carbon dioxide equivalent) of each of its departments and can therefore target its emission reduction measures cost-effectively.

What does corporate carbon footprint calculation mean in practice?

Carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the business’s operations. The scope of the calculation may vary depending on whether the business deems it necessary to calculate only the emissions resulting from its operations, or whether the calculation is extended to cover the entire value chain. In the latter case, the calculations would include, for example, procurement-related emissions. The business always determines, based on its needs, the scope of the calculations and how thorough they should be. Possible expectations of stakeholders or any changes in the operating environment are examples that can affect this. To have a comparable set of results in the business carbon footprint calculation, the emissions are expressed in the form of CO2e, where the warming potential of different greenhouse gas emissions is proportional to the global warming caused by carbon dioxide. The formation of a carbon footprint varies a lot between industries and companies. For example, the carbon footprint of a service company working in an office may largely consist of emissions caused by heating and electricity. On the other hand, the emissions of a business focused on production may be generated mostly by the processes related to the procurement of raw materials.

What does corporate carbon footprint calculation mean in practice?

Carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the business’s operations. The scope of the calculation may vary depending on whether the business deems it necessary to calculate only the emissions resulting from its operations, or whether the calculation is extended to cover the entire value chain. In the latter case, the calculations would include, for example, procurement-related emissions. The business always determines, based on its needs, the scope of the calculations and how thorough they should be. Possible expectations of stakeholders or any changes in the operating environment are examples that can affect this. To have a comparable set of results in the business carbon footprint calculation, the emissions are expressed in the form of CO2e, where the warming potential of different greenhouse gas emissions is proportional to the global warming caused by carbon dioxide. The formation of a carbon footprint varies a lot between industries and companies. For example, the carbon footprint of a service company working in an office may largely consist of emissions caused by heating and electricity. On the other hand, the emissions of a business focused on production may be generated mostly by the processes related to the procurement of raw materials.

What are the benefits of calculating corporate carbon footprint?

The business receives tangible data on the emissions caused by its departments by calculating its carbon footprint. This significantly simplifies the planning and implementation of any emission reduction measures. In the future, calculations are required in various contexts, such as in procurement processes. The longer a business has monitored the evolution of its carbon footprint, the better starting point it has to act in an ever more responsible operating environment. An essential part of carbon footprint calculations is to meet the expectations of stakeholders regarding the responsibility of the business. More and more consumers and business partners pay attention to corporate responsibility. In addition, companies that develop their responsibility are more attractive to investors than companies that ignore it. This has largely to do with risk management as environmental laws and regulations change. Moreover, properly targeted emission reduction measures may increase the company’s cost efficiency and generate social benefits.

How is corporate carbon footprint calculated?

We here at Istutapuita.fi calculate the carbon footprint of your business per the GHG Protocol , which is worldwide the most widely used standard for calculating carbon footprints. The process starts with defining limits for carrying out the calculation. The carbon footprint can be calculated, for example, for the entire organization, or focus on a specific subsidiary.
It should be determined whether we calculate only the direct emissions caused by your business and any energy emissions purchased, or whether to include the indirect emissions as well, in which case the calculation becomes more comprehensive, but also more challenging. The calculation should be carried out based on verified data sources received from your business. However, the calculation can also be done based on emission estimates from secondary data. We will use various calculation tools, into which your business data is entered. Upon the completion of the calculations, you can start planning your emission reduction measures, potential compensations, and how to communicate the results to stakeholders.
A graphical summary can be made of the carbon footprint report. Download an example of a summary here.

Here’s how to get started

We’ve made a road map depicting the calculation, emission reduction and compensation process. View it on our website: https://istutapuita.fi/kompensointipalvelut/ Here at istutapuita.fi we always first find out the needs of our customers and then offer expert services for every step of the process. Contact one of our experts to arrange a mapping meeting, where we will find out your exact needs and discuss the potential benefits of carbon footprint calculation.

Contact Us!

Do you want to find out how your company can offset its carbon dioxide emissions and participate in our carbon sink project? Send us a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible or call Timo on +358 40 485 6607.

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