What are “Carbon Neutral Companies”?
Procurri was certified as a Carbon Neutral and CO²e Reduced Organization by the Carbon Neutral Standard in 2022, and this demonstrates brilliantly the focus the company places on sustainability: through the extension of IT assets’ lifecycles, keeping ITAD ethical and the distribution of recycled and refurbished hardware in place of newly manufactured pieces.
Although Procurri is currently the only organization in our space to achieve a carbon neutral accreditation, there are a growing number of carbon neutral companies across a variety of industries worldwide. But what does this mean? Let us explain the basics…
What does being a Carbon Neutral Company actually mean?
Generally speaking, any company can claim to be carbon neutral if they balance the carbon dioxide their operations release into the atmosphere with the amount they absorb or remove. This is known as ‘net zero carbon emissions’, as it reduces the overall emission level to nothing; but where an organization emits no carbon at all, it can be called ‘net zero carbon’.
It is possible, albeit rare, for companies to focus on other Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, but carbon is the most common as it accounts for over 76% of the total harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
In most cases, carbon neutral companies offset the emissions they produce through natural removal methods and buying carbon credits to specifically invest in carbon neutral or even carbon positive initiatives and organizations.
How do Carbon Neutral Companies get accredited?
There’s no one set accreditation body for the certification of carbon neutrality, but generally speaking, the emissions data is public and so some research into an organization’s claims can ascertain their accuracy.
This said, the calculations behind carbon emissions can be extremely complex and so often require specialist knowledge to work on. This is why in order to ensure a company’s carbon neutrality, it’s always recommended to establish that a genuine certification body has granted their accreditation; such as the Carbon Footprint Standard. A proper accrediting body will have analyzed a company’s operations, reporting, and governance to determine their accuracy and to suggest areas for improvement and potential.
How does working with Carbon Neutral Companies impact a company’s Scope 3 reporting?
Whether or not an organization is looking to become certified ‘carbon neutral’, it should still implement sustainability best practices throughout its supply chain. This means working with as many carbon neutral, ethically- or sustainability-focused organizations as possible in everything they do. Collaborating and working with a carbon neutral company such as Procurri allows companies to take advantage of our sustainable IT solutions and provides the facility for their assets to be processed in entirely zero carbon emission facilities; giving their Scope 3 reporting a boost.
Learn more on how Procurri can help improve your ESG reporting: just get in touch to talk through your operations and requirements!
