As a first step to managing your carbon emissions we suggest contacting the Carbon Trust, a UK government funded organisation that provides free advice and publications to companies.

Here are some key steps any company could make to manage their carbon emissions.

1. Make a commitment to reduce your company’s impact on climate change; make sure this is championed from the top and is communicated widely to your employees.
2. Audit your emissions; decide which emissions should be included in your inventory, measure these and benchmark your performance.
3. Make a targeted plan; what are your annual carbon reductions targets and how will you meet these stepped improvements?
4. Integrate your plan; set up systems to measure and review your performance, and add the cost of carbon into your budgets.
5. Engage your employees; communicate and encourage energy-saving working practices, and reward your ‘carbon champions’.

Reducing emissions from the office

Here are some quick tips to reduce emissions and energy costs too, it may be easier than you think to reduce your business carbon footprint. You can also read our business reduction tips in our low carbon living section.

Air conditioning

This is one of the largest energy users in an air-conditioned office. Energy use depends on amount of air handled, hours run, and efficiency of unit. Is there scope for reducing your air-conditioning usage? Is your air-conditioning system regularly serviced?

Lighting

Can you introduce occupancy sensors, daylight sensors, local light switches?

Heating

Is there scope for turning down the thermostat? Can you increase the building’s insulation? Can you introduce localised heating controls?

Stand-by mode

Encourage staff to switch off computers, photocopiers, printers, faxes, vending machines etc. When not in use, could you introduce automated timers?

Energy supply

How carbon intensive is your energy? Could you supply some of your own renewable energy? Could you change to a green electricity supplier?

Paper

Can you move any communications, billing, expenses systems from paper-based to online? Could you remove desk waste-bins, to encourage recycling at a central point? Ensure printers and print-commands from computers are set up to print double-sided where possible. Have you calculated the carbon footprint of your publications, and can you reduce it?

Procurement

Does your procurement policy consider energy efficiency or the carbon emission credentials of your suppliers? Could you introduce a local sourcing policy, or a waste minimisation or recycled products sourcing policy? Do you ensure printer cartridges are recycled? Do you include catering energy costs in catering contracts?

Landlord service agreement

Does your current agreement incentivise your landlord to work with you to reduce building energy use?

For further business emission reduction advice see our reduction tips pages.