Carbon footprinting
    Introductory guide
    The next step to reducing your emissions
         Contents
         Introduction to carbon footprinting                       2
         Organisational carbon footprints                          4
         Why calculate your organisational carbon footprint?       6
         The Carbon Trust footprinting services                    8
         The Carbon Trust Standard                                 9
         How to calculate an organisational  
         carbon footprint                           11
         Scope 2 reporting guidance                                13
         Setting a science-based carbon reduction target           14
         Communicating your organisational  
         carbon footprint                           15                               67%
         Product carbon footprint                                  16                    of consumers across the UK, 
         Why calculate your product carbon footprint?              18              France and Germany would like
         How to assess your product carbon footprint               19                     to see a recognisable carbon
         Communicating your product carbon footprint               21
                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                            footprint label on products.
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                About this guide
                This guide introduces two types of carbon                  Ultimately, carbon reporting will help your 
                footprinting that affect businesses – one that             business to understand its carbon emissions and 
                measures an organisation’s overall activities, and         identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve 
                one that looks at the life cycle of a particular           your reputation and manage long term business 
                product or service.                                        risks. In this guide we explain what is included in 
                Calculating either or both of these footprints is an       both types of footprint, how you can measure and 
                essential starting point for any wider work to             communicate them, and the benefits of doing so.
                reduce your organisation’s carbon emissions, and           We also set out the specific steps you need to take 
                will give you an initial benchmark against which to        to calculate your footprint(s), and some of the key 
                measure your progress.                                     things to consider if you do.
                For some organisations, reporting their carbon             Finally, we explain how the Carbon Trust can help 
                footprint is a mandatory requirement. This                 you calculate your carbon emissions, and work 
                includes quoted companies – those that are UK              with you to develop a full carbon management 
                incorporated and whose equity share capital is             strategy for your organisation.
                officially listed on the main market of the London 
                Stock Exchange; those which are officially listed in 
                a European Economic Area; and those dealing on 
                either the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ. 
                Many other companies choose to report their 
                carbon footprint as part of their Corporate Social 
                Responsibility strategy.
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               Introduction 
               As a first step towards managing and reducing your organisation’s greenhouse gas emissions, 
               you need to understand what emissions are caused by its activities or products.
               All businesses have the opportunity to reduce        • Companies increasingly receive requests for 
               their carbon emissions, and the business case          carbon emissions data from businesses, 
               for doing so is growing ever stronger.                 customers and investors 
               • Higher and more volatile energy costs are          • A baseline carbon footprint is a requirement 
                 increasing the value of energy savings               for setting a science-based target – a 
               • Companies report their carbon footprints to          greenhouse gas emission reduction target in 
                 meet the mandatory reporting requirements            line with latest climate science to limit global 
                 of climate change legislation such as the            warming to 2°C  
                 Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) or EU            A carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas 
                 Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)                  (GHG) emissions caused directly and indirectly            Carbon dioxide equivalent
               • Carbon footprint reporting is a key part of        by an individual, organisation, event or product,         Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO e) is  
                                                                    and is expressed as a carbon dioxide equivalent                                           2
                 many companies’ Corporate Social                   (CO e). A carbon footprint accounts for all six           the unit of measurement which allows 
                 Responsibility (CSR) programmes                        2                                                     different greenhouse gases to be 
                                                                    Kyoto GHG emissions:                                      compared on a like for like basis 
               • Companies that manage their carbon                 • carbon dioxide (CO )                                    relative to one unit of CO . CO e 
                 emissions responsibly can enhance their                                 2                                                              2     2
                 brand value, and make themselves more              • methane (CH )                                           emissions are calculated by multiplying 
                                                                                   4                                          the emissions of each of the six 
                 attractive to potential customers and              • nitrous oxide (N O)                                     greenhouse gases by its 100-year 
                 investors                                                            2
                                                                    • hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)                               global warming potential (GWP).
               • It enables companies to participate in carbon 
                 reporting initiatives such as the Carbon           • perfluorocarbons (PFCs) 
                 Disclosure Project (CDP)                           • sulphur hexafluoride (SF )
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