PRECISE CONSULTANTS: A CARBON NEUTRAL CERTIFIED AGENCY

Here at Precise Consultants, we understand it has never been more important for businesses to take environmental action. We are proud to announce that we are now a certified carbon neutral business. We interviewed our Director Peter Thompson and Marketing Coordinator Anastasija Louskina to discuss the process of becoming carbon neutral and our motivations behind it.

 

What does becoming carbon neutral mean?

Anastasija: Carbon neutral status is given to companies who calculate their carbon footprint and then offset it through supporting projects that remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

Precise Consultants have actually achieved carbon negative status because we neutralised more emissions than we produced last year. It was important for us not to just do the bare minimum in terms of carbon offsetting, so we decided to go carbon negative. We wanted to go above and beyond to have the most positive environmental impact we could.

 

Why did Precise Consultants decide to become carbon neutral?

Peter: As offshore service providers, it’s important for us to feel as though we are part of the industry and are always looking for ways to add value to it. We thought that going carbon neutral/negative would be the perfect way to set an example as a company that is committed to supporting the wider environment and to having a real impact.

 

How does one become carbon neutral? How can the carbon footprint be measured? What’s the process like? Tell us!

Anastasija: The first step in the process of becoming carbon neutral/negative was to calculate the emissions our company produces. Using the ISO 14064 and GHG Emissions Protocol Standards, business emissions are identified using three scopes of emissions:

Scope 1: Direct emissions

Direct emissions are activities owned or controlled by our organisation that release emissions straight into the atmosphere. This scope covers the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions that a company makes directly — for office-based businesses; scope 1 emissions are usually very small, for example, just emissions produced by boilers and vehicles.

Scope 2: Energy indirect

Energy indirect emissions are associated with our consumption of purchased electricity, heat, steam, and cooling. These are indirect emissions that result from our organisation’s activities – but occur at sources we do not own or control.

For example, these emissions would be the energy usage of people working in the office or from home.

Scope 3: Other indirect

Other indirect emissions are a consequence of our actions, which occur at sources that we do not own or control and which are not classed as scope 2 emissions.

Scope 3 emissions can be quite broad, including areas such as waste management, business travel, staff commuting, events, and the emissions produced from delivery to and from our organisation (including third party delivery services).

All the emissions are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO²e), a set unit to ensure carbon offsetting is accurate and will reverse the organisation’s environmental impact to achieve carbon neutral status.

We hope that by collecting this information, we will be able to track our progress in achieving emission reductions across the business over time. By using the collected information, we are looking into putting measures in place for 2022 where we can cut emissions at source by adopting environmentally friendly practices (such as recycling more, buying from more sustainable office suppliers etc.)

 

How are Precise Consultants offsetting their carbon footprint?

Anastasija: Through the Carbon Neutral Britain Climate Fund™, Precise Consultants has neutralised 45.11 tonnes of CO²e emissions by supporting these internationally certified carbon offsetting projects: (1) the Burgos Wind Farm in the Philippines; (2) Hydroelectric Power in the Amazon, Brazil and the (3) Rice Husk Power Project in Cambodia.

Certified via the Verra – Verified Carbon Standards (VCS), the Gold Standard – Voluntary Emission Reductions (VER) or the United Nations – Certified Emission Reductions (CER) programmes, the projects have also been selected based on their direct and indirect impact on the world. They have a variety of other positive impacts on the local wildlife and ecology. They also help with supporting education, employment, and clean water.

 

Why should all businesses reduce their carbon footprint?

Peter: Tackling environmental issues is a global problem that takes everyone’s individual involvement, not just the involvement of companies and businesses, to produce a meaningful difference. However, it is especially important for businesses to reduce their carbon footprint since they are responsible for 85% of total emissions in the UK. If we want to start seeing a significant positive environmental impact, corporate action is paramount. We are incredibly proud to lead the way in our industry by becoming a carbon neutral certified personnel agency.

 

What do your peers and employees within your company think about the businesses’ approach to Net Zero?

Peter: Across the industry, I feel it’s been met with acceptance as people understand that the reduction of emissions is an important step that everyone needs to take.

Within the company, I feel it is another badge of honour that our employees can be proud of, knowing that Precise will not just say things to sound good but that we will act upon our values.

 

How can each of us individually reduce our own carbon footprint?

Anastasija: Not only businesses can offset their carbon footprint, but there are also a lot of resources that can help people calculate and offset their own emissions.

However, each of us can also reduce the amount of CO2 that we produce by educating ourselves on the topic and taking small actions, such as switching to a green energy provider, choosing a more sustainable way of commuting where possible and buying seasonal and local goods.

 

What more do you think your business and industry could be doing to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly?

Peter: The most important thing we can do is share information across the industry so everyone understands the actions they can take to become more environmentally friendly. The initial idea to become carbon neutral/negative actually came from one of our clients, showing that we don’t just have transactional relationships as part of the offshore world but that we are all working together as part of a solution.

 

Read more on our website about the projects we have supported by offsetting our carbon emissions!