About

Climate Friendly is a carbon management company based in Sydney, Australia but working with companies and organisations globally to measure and manage carbon emissions. Since 2003, they have worked with individuals and companies globally to measure, reduce and offset their carbon footprints and assist with the communication of their actions to stakeholders.

They work to the highest standards available in the industry and, accordingly, are a founding member of the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), a body established to encourage best practice in the voluntary carbon sector. They also have a strong link to the NGO sector, with partners and clients including WWF and The Climate Institute.

Climate Friendly carbon footprinting services are consistent with standards such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. In addition, because they believe in keeping carbon in the ground where it belongs, all of their offsets are from renewable energy projects verified under either the Voluntary Carbon Standard or Gold Standard. Not only do the projects in which they invest meet these standards, they must also meet their own internal project procurement principles including:

• Address the root cause of climate change by funding renewable energy and energy efficiency.
• Permanently reduce greenhouse gas emissions by keeping carbon in the ground.
• Are additional to business as usual.
• Are not used to comply with national emissions reduction legislation.
• Contribute to sustainable development.
• Are independently verified against a high quality international standard.
• Have a 'real time' impact by closely matching the timing of emissions reduction to our client's emissions.

As an innovative environmental organisation, Climate Friendly also focuses on developing new climate change solutions. For example, they have developed GoldPower™, an international renewable energy product created to address concerns about the quality of green energy schemes across the world and provide organisations with a consolidated supply of renewable energy from the highest quality projects. For more information, click here

They have also created the FlightPortal™, an end-to-end, zero admin, flight emissions reporting and offsetting solution which enables organisations to capture and track scope 3 flight emissions automatically and offset on a regular basis with the highest quality offsets. For more information, click here

This focus is in recognition that the industry is dynamic and organisations will need a suite of solutions to measure and manage their emissions now and in the future.

Strategy

Climate Friendly core focus is to assist companies and individuals to measure their carbon footprints and then take action by reducing emissions and offsetting unavoidable emissions by purchasing credits from renewable energy projects of the highest quality.

In order to walk the talk, Climate Friendly has its own sustainability policy designed to help them reduce emissions and measures its carbon footprint annually. They then offset any residual emissions.

Climate Friendly sustainability policy:

One of Climate Friendly’s fundamental responsibilities to its stakeholders is to maintain exemplary sustainability standards and transparency. Being a founding member of the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), and as the only representative in Australia (and indeed the Asia-Pacific region), it is a primary objective of the company to exemplify and support the high standards that exist in the global voluntary offset market.

Climate Friendly engages its staff and gains their commitment by promoting positive behavioural change through training and education; and by providing real and simple opportunities that result in immediate benefits to the environment – while having fun along the way.
 
 
Scope and Limitation
 
This policy covers the office-based operations of Climate Friendly in Sydney with consideration to one full-time staff operating in offsite base (Brisbane QLD). This policy has been formulated following staff-based consultation and is the result of aggregate input from a committee of seven volunteer staff.
 
Sustainability audits are conducted annually. The FY09 Sustainability Audit is in progress by staff members. The system boundaries for the audit are defined as:
 
Scope 1: Not applicable
Scope 2: Electricity consumption; including those from company off-site events.
Scope 3: Staff car reimbursement, Car rental, Taxis, Couriers, Freight transport, Air Travel, Paper use, and Waste disposal; including emissions relating to company off-site events.
 
The results will be reviewed periodically and its interpretations subject to the company’s stringent principles. The company’s carbon footprint is calculated using Climate Friendly’s calculation methodology and assumptions, which are consistent with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, DEFRA (Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs, UK) and the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change. In addition, conservative Radiative Forcing Index factors are used when calculating emissions from the staff’s air travel. This takes into account the effects of fuel burnt at altitude.
 
The Climate Friendly 2008 Sustainability Policy serves as its benchmark policy, and is subject to annual review and improvement. 
 
Objective
 
Reflecting its leadership in the conservation and sustainable management of the environment, Climate Friendly is committed to minimise its own ecological footprint through its philosophy of committing to ‘measure, offset, reduce, renew, and assess’. Climate Friendly aims to pursue environmental best practice by increasing operational efficiency while minimising the impact of its office activities, as well as helping staff offset their personal emissions.
 
The aim of Climate Friendly’s 2008 Sustainability Policy is to measure and manage its environmental performance after the recent increase in staff numbers – in line with its core principles in order to:
 
1.  Utilise 100 per cent GreenPower as its electricity source for FY09.
2.  Offset 100 per cent of Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions associated with the business operations in FY09.
3.  Reduce its power consumption while investing in renewable energy.
4.  Minimise waste-to-landfill and other carbon emissions.
5.  Employ sustainable purchasing practices.
6.  Provide a benchmark for the company’s sustainable future.
7.  Actively promote and encourage the adoption of ecologically sustainable work practices within the company’s internal and external stakeholders.
8.  Provide a fun and simple model for other organisations to follow.
 
Sustainability Policy
 
The company is taking a proactive, structured, yet simple approach to managing the impacts of its daily business operations with concern to its membership within a strata community. The key driver of this policy is to identify and address the elements of its business operations that will result in immediate positive change.
 
These elements are:
 
Equipment
 
1.    Set all computers’ desktop background to black for low-energy monitor consumption.
2.    Set all computers’ screen saver to blank and to be activated after 1 minute.
3.    Set ‘Blackle’ (powered by Google) as default search engine.
4.    Ensure all computers are default set to double-sided printing.
5.    Shut down computers and turn off monitors before leaving the office at close of business.
6.    Turn off all other IT equipment at the power outlet, at close of business.
 
Waste management
 
1.    Practice office waste segregation.
2.    Recycle paper and waste.
3.    Minimise waste.
4.    Use of own cups for take away coffee.
5.    Use of own water bottles for individual staff use.
6.    Practice Climate Friendly’s Top Tips for Working Sustainably.
 
Staff Travel
 
1.  Encourage tele/video conferencing in place of travel.
2.  Encourage SkypeTM calls for international calls or whenever applicable.
3.  Encourage staff to walk, cycle or take public transport to work and meetings where appropriate.
4.  If travel cannot be avoided, offset all of the travel’s direct and associated emissions.
5.  Use GoGet car sharing scheme for unavoidable car travel.
6.  Offset all emissions from staff accommodation and food consumption on business trips.
7.  Offset all emissions from the company’s offsite events, including staff travel, food consumption, accommodation, and waste.
 
Workplace
 
1.  Use of natural ventilation and lighting (e.g. open windows to minimise air conditioning load).
2.  Replace and/or recycle faulty light fixtures with those of higher energy rating.
3.  Be aware of reminders and signs to switch off lights and equipment when not in use.
4.  Use of plants to improve the quality of the air in the office and increase productivity.
 
Procurement
 
In choosing to develop a procurement policy, Climate Friendly acknowledges the important role consumers can play in demanding that businesses take action to minimise their environmental impact. In keeping with our position as an environmental leader, Climate Friendly’s procurement principles are that where possible:
 
1. Climate Friendly reduce consumption – this means thinking twice about whether we really need a particular item and being conscientious consumers.
2. Buy recycled – In order to fulfil the ‘reduce, re-use, recycle’ process it is important that where possible we buy recycled, second hand and pre-loved goods.
3. Buy local – Not only are we supporting local business, but we are also helping reduce emissions associated with transport.
4. If buying new products, ask the following questions:
 

• Is the business/product a Climate Friendly client?
• Is it third party environmentally certified?
• Is it made from recycled materials?
• Does it contain certified organic products?
• Is it produced locally (low carbon miles)?
• Is it made in a way that is ethical?
• What other types of products does this company make?
• Does the company have an environmental management system?
• How serious does the company take Corporate Social Responsibility?

 
Not all of these questions are easily answered, however asking them will both help you to make a decision about the most sustainable service or product to procure as well as indicate to providers that these types of questions matter. 
 
Employment
 
1.  Encourage staff to reduce personal emissions by training and education.
2.  Encourage staff use of public transport and bicycles for work commute.
3.  Encourage staff to wear office attire appropriate to the current climate, consistent with Climate Friendly’s Dress Standards Policy.
4.  Practice Climate Friendly’s Top Tips for Living Sustainably.
 
Review of Policies
 
A review audit will be undertaken by the committee after each 12 months to ensure the objectives of the current policy is achieved, and to refine the company’s operational procedures. The review will be aimed at identifying developmental areas and at introducing more sustainable systems where applicable.
 
Next Steps
 
Further possible actions have been identified to be included in the next policy review:
1.  Review all office equipment (laptops, LCD monitors, refrigerator, printers, and multifunction devices) and ensure they meet higher energy-savings standards.
2.  Conduct staff footprinting, with the view of benchmarking staff’s personal emissions (including staff work commute), to include offsetting personal emissions as part of Climate Friendly’s employment benefits; pending management approval.

Photo Gallery