In a world increasingly concerned about climate change, it’s no surprise that the jargon surrounding environmental responsibility has become part of our daily vocabulary. Carbon auditing, carbon accounting, and carbon benchmarking are among these buzzwords that often leave business leaders scratching their heads. But fear not! In this article, we’ll break down these terms in a simple and informal way, so you can confidently navigate the realm of sustainability.

Carbon Auditing: The Environmental Check-Up

You’ve no doubt been to the GP’s for a check-up to ensure you’re in good health. A carbon audit is like a check-up for your company, but for its environmental health. Essentially, it’s an assessment of the carbon emissions produced your businesses processes and practices. An audit will identify sources of carbon emissions, quantify how much carbon is being released, and evaluate the environmental impact.

A carbon audit is akin to checking your businesses vital signs. It’s a thorough examination of an organization’s operations and processes to pinpoint where and how it can reduce its carbon footprint.

Carbon Accounting: Tracking the Environmental Spend

Carbon accounting is like managing your bank account, but instead of pounds and pence, it’s all about carbon emissions. It involves keeping a record of how much carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases your business emits. This process allows you to understand the flow of carbon in and out, just like tracking your income and expenses.

Carbon accounting can help you understand your environmental impact so that you can make informed decisions about how to reduce emissions. It’s like budgeting; when you track your spending, you can identify areas where you’re overspending and adjust accordingly. Similarly, carbon accounting would help you identify where your business can cut back on emissions to help you meet your environmental goals.

Carbon Benchmarking: Comparing Apples to Oranges

Carbon benchmarking is like comparing your test scores to your classmates’. It’s about measuring your carbon performance against others in your industry. By doing this, you can see how you stack up against competitors in carbon emission terms.

Benchmarking provides a point of reference and helps you set realistic goals for reducing carbon emissions.

Putting It All Together

Now that we’ve demystified these environmental buzzwords, let’s bring it all together. Here’s how your company can structure your business with the above in mind. First, undergo a carbon audit to understand your environmental health – where you’re emitting carbon and how much. Then, start carbon accounting to track your emissions over time. Finally, use carbon benchmarking to compare your performance with other businesses, setting achievable goals for reducing your carbon footprint.

These tools, carbon auditing, carbon accounting, and carbon benchmarking, can help you take control of your business’s environmental impact allowing you to work towards a greener and more sustainable future. Think of them as a roadmap towards better environmental health.

Hopefully, the next time someone mentions one of these terms in a presentation, pitch or business meeting, you’ll be in a better position to respond with your views on each.

At Go Low Carbon we have specialist carbon auditors who can advise and assist you with the above concepts. In a few short years it may be the case that businesses will need to report carbon impact just as they report their financial accounts, we can help you prepare ahead of time: info@golowcarbon.co.uk 01228 830850