Why should my business reduce its carbon footprint?

Higher and volatile energy costs mean businesses should stop energy waste to help them thrive. Companies that manage their carbon emissions responsibly could also enhance their brand value, helping to make themselves more attractive to potential customers and investors.

Some customers are judging businesses on their environmental credentials. They expect you to save energy and reduce CO2 emissions across your business, from your head office down to your shop floor. Companies who clearly waste energy and disregard environmental issues are in danger of having their products and services overlooked or even boycotted by a growing number of consumers.

Making a start

Calculating your carbon footprint is the first step towards energy efficiency. It also means you can report the figure or gain independent certification for marketing or corporate responsibility purposes.

Communicating your carbon footprint to employees can help to engage them in the process of carbon reduction and energy management. If you are going to ask your staff to try and save energy, it's important to show them the difference they are making to the company's emissions – which means they need to know the starting point and, ideally, the progress they are making. The data they collect may also help identify efficiencies in existing processes and practices.

Plus, of course, if you do manage to save energy, you'll see a reduction in costs – and a better bottom line.

The government has produced a user guide to help small businesses measure and report their carbon footprint, which might be a good place to start.

Guide for businesses on carbon footprinting

Calculating your carbon footprint

To get an idea of your company's carbon footprint, why not use the footprint measurement service available from the Carbon Trust. This easy-to-use tool can give you a quick, top line view of your carbon emissions You can then use this information to work with colleagues on reducing your footprint and saving energy.

Calculate your carbon footprint

Reducing your carbon footprint

For more information on measuring your carbon footprint and advice on how to reduce it, please call our energy saving advisers on:

0800 975 9805* (free from most landlines)
0330 100 9992* (included in any 'inclusive minutes' from mobiles)

If you have a query that is more bespoke to your energy saving needs – submit your question