No Longer Just A Corporate Social Responsibility Concern;minimise The Carbon Impact On Your Business

By Author: Christopher Kerr
Total Articles: 1
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Monitoring and managing the carbon footprint of an organisation was once just a concern of corporations seeking to act as a responsible corporate citizen. The balancing of a company’s commercial aspirations with their impacts on society, including acting sustainably towards the environment and positively in the community was the domain of those wishing to be seen to take responsibility for corporate actions. To this end, there are cases of Green Washing, when a company over exaggerates its environmental credentials in order to present a good corporate image or sell products.

But no longer is a company’s carbon footprint simply a Corporate Social Responsibility concern. There are very real financial pull/push drivers in the business landscape that mean companies need to adapt to the changing conditions, become more efficient and streamline their operations. The Australian Federal Government has already put in train legislation that requires Carbon Accounting from Australian companies.
National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (NGER) is legislation that requires Australian corporations and facilities ...
... to account for greenhouse gas emissions, abatement actions and energy consumption. Implemented in phases, starting with the largest organisations and emitters, it will be expanded over time with its data used to manage the carbon tax and emissions trading programs. (For more information, visit www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/C2007A00175.)
The ‘smart money’ is moving now to minimise the impact of carbon emissions on their businesses. In order to get ready for the changing business and regulatory environment it’s imperative for companies to benchmark their current carbon footprint, identifying areas for cutting costs, mitigating risk, maximising commercial opportunities and establishing robust environment management strategies.

Undertaking an Energy Audit is a tangible place to start. This is an analytical assessment of business energy usage, to focus on possible areas of reduction, improving energy efficiency and lowering costs. Impact EMS can help your company stay ahead of the game. Impact EMS has a real world tested software and service methodology – Scope, Measure, Assess and Act – to ensure your company capitalises on business intelligence gathered for a best-fit environment management solution.
Impact EMS also offers Business Sustainability Assessments and Workshops to kick start companies’ adaptation to the new carbon management landscape. Sustainability assessments evaluate the current business position, develop targets tracked with Impact EMS, all tailored to individual business needs. Including;
An assessment of resource use including energy, water and handling of waste;
Recommendations on ways to reduce environmental impact and costs of resource use;
A scorecard on how your business is performing environmentally and a pathway for improvement;
A carbon footprint report;
A workshop with your employees or key decision makers;
Behaviour change programs for employees to ensure sustainable practices are adopted;
Strategies for engaging employees to participate in sustainability solutions.

A comprehensive environment management system goes beyond carbon emissions. Leverage Impact EMS’s deep industry knowledge, strategic partnerships, business sustainability assessments and workshops to adopt enterprise-wide solutions.