So you've registered, are set to achieve the Carbon Trust standard or equivalent, and installed Automatic Meter Reading. Does that mean you're done?

We think not, now is the time to get ahead.

Plan to succeed

Thanks to the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC), carbon is being discussed seriously by senior business leaders. Every business affected will have to view carbon as a resource. One that can't be wasted, must be paid for and has to be reported upon.

This means that businesses should include carbon measurement and reduction in business plans, targets and overarching strategy. If this hasn’t yet happened at your workplace, start to plan how you can include it, what targets would be suitable, and develop a realistic plan to meet them.

Make sure that this plan is as innovative as possible. Where possible link it to your broader business objectives and aims, and cascade into individual employee’s objectives too. Reducing carbon emissions does more than save money; it demonstrates your business efficiency, shows forward planning, engages employees and differentiates your brand with customers.

Get people talking

To effectively reduce your carbon emissions, you need to engage employees in every department. It will affect them all - from how they behave in the office - to how they do their job.

For example, employees in product development should consider the potential carbon caused throughout a new product or service’s lifecycle. Not all the carbon caused will be captured for or relevant to the CRC. But considering this from the outset will lead to a more robust and sustainable business model and help to differentiate your approach from that of your competitors.

Engaging employees isn’t always easy. Particularly when they have existing targets to meet. Make visible any changes you want them to achieve. Appeal to their hearts as well as their minds by making carbon emissions tangible, and remember to include any tenants in your buildings too. Read more about employee engagement here.

To efficiency and beyond

The current CRC only takes into account the energy use of your buildings in the UK. It doesn’t include your supply chain, emissions abroad, or travel. But that isn’t to say you shouldn’t include them in your plan. Failure to do so could damage your reputation. It may also cause more work for you later on if they need to be brought in line. 

Now is the time to get the backing and budget to fully embed sustainable behaviours, so make your messages consistent by including all environmental impacts, at home and abroad. For example, we're currently working on an employee engagement programme with energy company E.ON involving their international workforce.

Share and share alike

One of the slightly contentious points about the CRC is that those who do badly under the scheme, may be impelled to give financially to those who do better. This could see public sector money (from the tax payer’s pocket) go pretty much straight into the hands of large businesses.

Avoid a public outcry by helping local communities where you operate to do their bit. You could help a local hospital, or school in the local area.

Learn more about helping community organisations.

Get in touch if you want our help

We've been helping people to reduce carbon emissions for over 16 years. This has given us a long track record of helping large organisations achieve significant energy and financial savings, in the workplace and outside of it. Read about our charity partnership with Sky.

We can tackle large consuming areas such as IT, and give employees a different and more approachable angle through interactive and memorable communications.

In fact, over £65,000 of annual energy costs were saved at Allianz sites thanks to work they did with us.

Does your business need to comply with the CRC?

Read more on the Carbon Reduction Commitment: how does it affect you?.

And read more about how we work with businesses.

Contact us

Contact us today to find out more.

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