The calculation and management of the carbon footprint is essential in order to reduce the emissions of an activity or product
Respect for our environment, environmental regulations, corporate social responsibility, company image, customer and investor requirements… There are different reasons why it is convenient to know the origin and quantity of CO2 emissions associated with an activity or a product, that is, its carbon footprint. This is the first step to address its reduction, through the so-called climate change mitigation measures.
Carbon footprint concept
The carbon footprint is a parameter that represents the total emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHG), expressed in mass of CO2 equivalent, caused directly or indirectly by a product, organisation, service or event throughout its life cycle.
The organisational carbon footprint attempts to quantify the amount of GHG emissions caused directly or indirectly by the activity flows of an entity or group of interconnected entities, which may be its responsibility or on which it depends.
Calculating the carbon footprint makes it possible to identify an organisation’s major sources of GHG emissions and to have a picture of its impact on climate change. It is the necessary basis for addressing and giving continuity over time to actions to reduce GHGs and their impact on the environment. In order to calculate it, it is necessary to have a good understanding of the activities and processes carried out by the organisation in its business activity, in order to draw up an inventory of emission sources that covers the maximum possible amount of emissions for which the organisation is responsible.
The carbon footprint of an event, service or product relates the amount of GHG emissions that are generated directly or indirectly to organise and carry out that event, to perform that service or to manufacture that product.
Why know your carbon footprint?
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It does not require a great effort or many hours of work for the organisation, as it is not necessary to implement a new standard within the structure of the company. All that is needed is to provide the required information.
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Obtain a free and simple official seal awarded by the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, by registering in the Carbon Footprint Register. This seal recognises organisations committed to reducing greenhouse gases.
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Ahorro económico en los procesos de la organización, ya que el cálculo de la huella de carbono permite encontrar los puntos débiles y las oportunidades de mejora, que frecuentemente derivan en potenciales ahorros.
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Posibilidad de certificación del cálculo conforme a normas oficiales, lo que permite mostrar públicamente que se ha calculado la huella de carbono, sin necesidad de, por ejemplo, tener implantado un sistema de producción que siga la norma de producción ecológica.
How to reduce the carbon footprint?
The calculation of the organisation’s carbon footprint serves as a tool for continuous improvement: knowledge of the main sources of emissions enables the implementation of emission reduction measures, which will result in both energy and economic savings.
What reduction measures should be implemented?
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Those that are inexpensive and/or easy to implement
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Those that are necessary due to a major source of emissions.
How we can help you
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Definition of calculation limits (type of control, scopes, etc.) Depends on the purpose of the calculation and the type of activity/product/organisation.
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Analysis of processes, identification of emission sources and development of the emission inventory. Requires in-depth knowledge of the processes carried out in the organisation or of the product/service.
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Calculation of environmental impacts. For this purpose, emission factors and global warming potentials are used, based on specialised literature and professional LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) software.
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Preparation of the report of results, including interpretation of the calculation.
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Development of the Emission Reduction Plan for organisations and monitoring plan.
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Support during the process of registering the carbon footprint in inventories.
