Sustainability Resources

The amount of greenhouse gasses entering the atmosphere are equal to those being removed from the atmosphere. For an organisation to be ‘Net Zero’, they must reduce emissions in line with the latest climate science, and balance remaining residual emissions through eligible carbon offsets. (Must cover Scope 1, 2 and 3).

The amount of greenhouse gasses entering the atmosphere are balanced by Carbon Offsets. For an organisation to be ‘Carbon Neutral’, no level of ambition is necessary. (Must cover Scope 1 & 2).

Long term shifts in temperature and weather patterns. The United Nations say that it is now clear that 21st Century Climate Change is caused by humans, primarily through the burning of fossil fuels

Natural fuels that form in the geological past, made from decomposing plants and animals over millions of years (for example coal and gas).

The purchase of ‘rights’ or certificates linked to activities that lower the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. The idea that carbon emissions generated through an activity can be paid off through a scheme that removes carbon. Examples include tree planting and building renewable energy.

Scopes are a way of categorising the different emissions a company creates.
Scope 1: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources (Fuel for boilers, company vehicles).
Scope 2: Indirect emissions from the purchase of electricity (Purchased electricity, heat, and steam).
Scope 3: All other indirect emissions that are not produced from the company itself (energy used in our customers’ homes, business travel, supply chain emissions).

A measuring unit used to compare numerous Greenhouse Gasses based on their Global Warming Potential (GWP). This allows us to express a Carbon Baseline with multiple different Greenhouse Gasses as a single number.

Any gas that has the property of absorbing infrared radiation, the main ones are:
• Water vapor
• Carbon dioxide
• Methane
• Ozone
• Nitrous oxide
• Chlorofluorocarbons

A legally binding international treaty founded in 2015. Its goal is to keep emissions to well below 2 degrees, preferably to 1 degrees Celsius.

Conference Of the Parties. An annual global climate change summit attending by countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The variety of plant and animal life in the world or a particular place.

An all-encompassing view of life and business where everything has value, and nothing is wasted.

Form of disinformation spread by companies to make it look like their practices are more environmentally friendly than they actually are.

A carbon emissions target that is in line with the scale of reduction required to keep global temperature increase below 2 degrees above industrial levels (as decided within the Paris Agreement).

The emissions that remain after an organisation has done everything feasible to try and reduce them.