About
BalanceCarbon was formed in 2006 by a group of environmental specialist concerned about the challenges business faces in the carbon constrained future. BalanceCarbon believes the key to successful environmental improvement in business is through measurement, management and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, amongst other aspects. BalanceCarbon was the first carbon management company formed in Australia by specialist environmental professionals, all with a track record in improving business and environmental performance. BalanceCarbon has been carbon neutral since its inception.
BalanceCarbon’s core business is the provision of specialist services and advice about how to make a difference and prosper in the carbon constrained future. BalanceCarbon achieves this by helping your business, event or organization understand your impact on the atmosphere and environment. By knowing what are the sources and sizes of your organisation’s greenhouse gas emissions, you are able to take action on by both improving business efficiency and improving environmental outcomes. Some of the services we offer include:
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Services
- Specialist Greenhouse Gas Emission Advisory Service;
- Greenhouse Gas Emission profiling at both the
corporate and product lifecycle level;
- Provision of Certified Emission (“carbon”) Offsets;
- Certification indicating Greenhouse Emission
Status for business, products, events and organizations;
- Energy Efficiency Advice;
- Education: 'Carbon Literacy' tailored to your
audience;
- Scientific research and development; and Integrated Environmental Management Strategies
Planning.
Our team of qualified professionals have the background and technical expertise in specialized fields that make BalanceCarbon your choice for total carbon emission management for businesses, individuals and government. BalanceCarbon’s high quality, client driven service puts our clients at the forefront of delivering cost-effective, environmentally responsible products and services which positively contribute to a healthy planet now, and into the future. BalanceCarbon’s clients range from publicly listed companies in the agriculture sector through state and local government, as well as small to medium sized businesses in the waste, retail, food, wine and professional services sectors.
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Strategy
As a carbon management business, BalanceCarbon has helped organisations reduce their emissions that, all told, are collectively hundreds of times larger than BalanceCarbon’s own emission footprint. We do this by working with organisations to measure, manage and mitigate their impact through the development of skills and emission management strategies with buy-in from internal stakeholders in our client’s businesses, from the operations staff to the CEO.
And as we have developed strategies and emission management action plans for our clients, we walk the talk.
Balance Carbon Pty Ltd is an environmental service company that recognises the importance and value of the environment to contemporary society and future generations. Through our Objectives, Actions & Responsibilities, Balance Carbon will continually strive to achieve ecologically sustainable development to fulfil environmental and social needs at the same time as achieving profitable business operations.
GHG emissions reduction goal
The BalanceCarbon emission reduction goal is to reduce absolute emissions at a rate of 5% per year, using 2007-2008 audit as a baseline. As the business is going through a rapid growth phase in terms of staff numbers, and there are likely to be changes to accommodation and the number of offices operated, a relative target may need to be set (e.g. emission intensity per $ revenue or a similar intensity metric).
Ongoing emissions measurement
All BalanceCarbon staff have an understanding of the data types and sources required for ongoing emissions management. As the business is experiencing rapid growth in its operations, it will be important to continually ensure that the emissions inventory is maintained and updated. Major changes to the inventory may occur as a result of merger and acquisition activity that may increase or reduce the number and type of assets that cause GHG emissions. Sufficient records for both the inventory structure and activity data are maintained to ensure that BalanceCarbon is able to report at least annually on its emission profile.
As a carbon management business, BalanceCarbon has helped organisations reduce their emissions that, all told, are collectively hundreds of times larger than BalanceCarbon’s own emission footprint. We do this by working with organisations to measure, manage and mitigate their impact through the development of skills and emission management strategies with buy-in from internal stakeholders in our client’s businesses, from the operations staff to the CEO.
And as we have developed strategies and emission management action plans for our clients, we walk the talk.
The current vehicles used by BalanceCarbon for staff travel to meetings are staff owned vehicles. This is likely to change in the future, as the business expands and begins to gather more corporate assets. Consideration is being given to the relative value of the use of bicycles, scooters, hybrid petrol electric and micro-cars as alternatives for staff business transport, as opposed to the current situation of staff travel in non-company owned vehicles.
It is important to match the real power demand for any choice of vehicle against the activity for which the vehicle was purchased. This idea of demand matching is important when looking at future vehicle purchases. An option that is cheaper than new vehicle purchase is the transition of existing petrol powered fleet vehicles to LPG, which creates fewer emissions than petrol.
One of the best ways to avoid emissions (and reduce business cost) is to use less electricity. Some simple steps in day-to-day operations to reduce power demand could include:
· All electrical equipment turned off at the power point at night, rather than using standby
· De-lamping: halved the number of fluorescent tubes used for lighting
· Use of natural lighting rather than artificial lighting
· Appropriate dress code for the temperature: shorts are acceptable business attire in summer
· Use of laptops instead of desktops
The ultimate goal in waste minimisation is to maximise waste avoidance, waste reduction, re-use and recycling in order to reduce the amount of waste disposed to landfill. An easy start to considering a waste management approach is to apply the waste hierarchy, as shown below.
The Waste Hierarchy
At BalanceCarbon, we have implemented the following actions to reduce our emissions from waste
- Recycling bins for all non putrescible wastes
- Use ceramic or reusable cups for coffee rather than disposables
- Used 100% post consumer recycled paper for all printing
- Use of electronic file storage where possible rather than printing
- Recycle electronic equipment; e-waste is all recycled
- Limit amount of paper material used in promotions and information dissemination to clients through the use of electronic means of communication
- Double sided printing
When it comes to business travel, often it is necessary to have face to face meetings. The problem is that flying is one of the most greenhouse intensive modes of transport available to use today. The need to travel for business should always be carefully considered. Alternatives such as phone and video conferencing can be an option in some circumstances.
The approach to reducing emissions from flights implemented by BalanceCarbon is to ensure that if flights to other cities are necessary, that multiple meetings are arranged to maximise the amount of work performed at distant locations per trip undertaken.
BalanceCarbon Managing Director Tim Moore is a participant in the World Resources Institute Product Lifecycle Assessment Technical Working Group. To participate at long distance with an international panel of stakeholders, the WRI has implemented teleconference and webinar facilities to ensure that the team can communicate effectively, without the need for extensive flying time.
There are many opportunities where Balance Carbon may be able to influence the environmental performance of the supply chain, or move to use product and service providers with better environmental achievements or credentials. As part of its core business activity, Balance Carbon helps consumers reduce their environmental impact through measurement, management and mitigation. BalanceCarbon actively searches out and uses the services of organisations that can demonstrate improved environmental performance relative to other comparable product and service providers.
By identifying and preferentially choosing greener suppliers, you can stand to exert influence. If you are able to green your supply chain, you are moving towards changing the world in a truly significant way.
BalanceCarbon is constantly examining the supply chain, and provides goods and service providers with supplier questionnaires, with questions such as “Do you know your greenhouse emissions for the last year, and have you moved to reduce them or offset them in any way?” This assists us to identify those with better environmental achievements. This may also help to identify organisations that are better prepared for the carbon constrained future, and are less likely to be surprised by changes in the cost of inputs to their business that may come from increased fuel and power costs.
We only use and provide for our clients certified carbon credits that have met third party standards, such as from the Australian Government Greenhouse Friendly Scheme, the New South Wales Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme, the Gold Standard Voluntary Offset scheme, or the Voluntary Carbon Standard. This way, we are able to match client demand for high quality credits with offset projects that are demonstrably able to reduce emissions. This also means our clients are able to publicize their achievement by being a ZeroC® certified business, organisation, product or event
ZeroC® is a registered trademark of Balance Carbon Pty Ltd.
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