How the Carbon Footprint Is Calculated and What Your Company Can Do to Change This Scenario

The carbon footprint is the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere. Along with greenhouse gasses, it is the main cause of climate change.

It is not new that the eyes of people, companies and countries are focused on sustainability. In this context, the carbon footprint is becoming an increasingly important issue when we put climate change and all the impact it causes in perspective.

Check out this article to learn how to become a net zero company.

What Is the Carbon Footprint?

Carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere. It can be calculated by person, activity, event, company, organization or government.

The carbon footprint calculation considers the total emissions of greenhouse gasses, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), associated with human activities on the planet.

If the socio-environmental issue is important to you and if you care about your organization’s environmental impact on the planet, you are probably wondering how to calculate the carbon footprint in practice.

How to Calculate?

There are several online calculators which can help with this calculation for free.

Through some information about your business and based on the most common sources of emissions, it is possible to estimate how much your company emits and learn how to improve your carbon footprint.

Some information that helps to calculate the carbon footprint:

• Sector;
• Occupation area;
• Number of employees;
• Average fuel costs;
• Average expenditure on electricity.

It is important to remember that online calculators will give you an estimate.

If your objective is to evolve the management of your company’s sustainability indicators, it will be necessary to take a step further: a complete assessment of the organizational footprint.

Why Is it Important to Know the Footprint?

If you have come this far, we imagine that you have already understood how fundamental knowing your carbon footprint is, that is, knowing your carbon equivalent emissions.

Knowing your carbon footprint is important for you and your business. Therefore, we divide this section into two fronts.

On an individual scale, for you:

1. Seek measures to reduce it in practice;
2. Slow down global warming and all the consequences it brings to the sustainability of our planet;
3. Improve the quality of life and health of its employees.

On a macro scale, for your business:

1. Comply with the sustainability and ESG standards of companies around the world;
2. Open new fronts to make the company sustainable – or even more sustainable;
3. Satisfy and win more customers – showing themselves to be truly connected with causes they believe in;
4. Meet investor demand – this has been a growing trend in the market and can be a game changer for a corporation.

Top 3 Strategies to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

1. Customized Solutions

Some companies and platforms that calculate the carbon footprint also offer solutions to help reduce and neutralize.

Tip: This makes it a lot easier for corporations that are still taking their first steps in sustainability initiatives.

2. Sustainable Projects

By identifying that your corporation is responsible for unavoidable emissions, these can be offset by investing in certified environmental projects.

In this way, the same amount of CO2 emitted is offset by encouraging and using clean technologies.

Tip: You can count on a consultancy to help you identify these projects or bring them into your corporation, as well as create a Sustainability Plan.

3. Environmental Projects

Another way to offset carbon emissions is to make environmental projects financially viable.

Tip: The Carbon Footprint calculator, which we have already mentioned, in addition to calculating the estimate of its carbon footprint, also allows you to support carbon offset projects that fight climate change and support underserved communities around the world.

Another option is Greenly.earth, which offers a carbon calculation and naturalization service for corporations (of all segments and sizes).