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Climate protection in companies begins with the calculation of the CO₂ footprint. But where to start and which data are actually necessary? We'll show you how we at Glacier proceeded and give you useful tips that will get you started right away.
A company's CO₂ footprint makes visible its impact on climate change. The CO₂ balance shows the consumption of energy, products and services in connection with the company's activities.
Large public interest companies with more than 500 employees have been required to calculate and report on their environmental impacts since 2014, and in Austria since 2017. The CO₂ footprint is part of this reporting. From 2023, the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will extend the reporting obligation to certain companies with more than 250 employees*. For SMEs, meanwhile, the CO₂ balance sheet remains voluntary. However, it will become mandatory under the new regulations in 2026. Companies that already address their emissions are therefore better equipped for the future.
And there are further advantages: Anyone who calculates their company's CO₂ footprint gets an overview of those areas with the greatest reduction potential. Companies that take steps to reduce their emissions demonstrate their commitment to climate protection. This also helps them attract new talent. Finally, 8 out of 10 Millenials consider the social and environmental commitment of companies when deciding on an employer.
Companies that calculate their own CO2₂ footprint and identify the main sources of their emissions are taking the first step toward climate protection. We hope that this article will help you understand the process involved and get started directly with your company's CO₂ balance.
You now know why you should definitely start calculating your emissions. Now we'd like to give you a summary of the steps we took to calculate Glacier's CO₂ footprint. We'll also give you tips on how to save time in each of these steps!
If you've acquired a taste for the subject and would like to delve deeper, you can find more information and details about the calculation method on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol website.
Let's start calculating your CO₂ balance!
If you want to calculate your company's CO₂ footprint, you should first define the scope of the calculation - that is, determine what should be included in the CO₂ footprint. There are three areas to consider:
Glacier's carbon footprint
At Glacier, we decided to consider all three scopes when calculating our carbon footprint in 2021. Last year, many employees worked from home due to the pandemic. Therefore, we also included the electricity and energy consumption that occurs in the home office in our calculation. In our case, the calculation of Scope 3 emissions includes emissions related to food consumption, employee commuting, office equipment and waste generation.
Once the scope of the calculation has been defined, the necessary data must be collected. This step is also known as the "carbon footprint inventory". It involves determining all the data required for calculating the carbon footprint. For example, to calculate Scope 2 emissions, one must know the company's electricity and energy consumption.
Glacier's carbon footprint
For us, this part was particularly time-consuming. Since our office is located in a co-working space, the required data is known to different people. We had to involve several departments and suppliers for the data collection.
All collected activities and data are then converted into greenhouse gas emissions using emission factors. This conversion is done automatically in CARMA and is based on the methodology of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
Glacier's carbon footprint
The largest contributor to Glacier's carbon footprint is the energy we use to heat our workplaces. The second major factor is office and IT. This includes all electronic equipment and the online servers that host our website.
You now have an idea of the steps involved in calculating your company's CO₂ footprint. To help you get started right away, we've put together a list of actions you can take today - regardless of your role or position in the company!
Want to calculate your CO₂ footprint but don't know where to start? At Glacier, we're here to help. Just get in touch with us here or contact us at hello@glacier.eco.