About
Climate Neutral Group is a Dutch organization and one of the leading European organizations for climate neutrality and carbon offsetting. Established in 2001 as “Business for Climate” by Triodos Bank, Doen Foundation (National Postcode Lottery), Face Foundation and other parties, Business for Climate merged with GreenSeat in January 2007 to form Climate Neutral Group. (“GreenSeat” remains the premier label for carbon offsetting of air travel).
Climate Neutral Group has many years experience calculating organizations' carbon footprints, providing advice on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, developing CO2 offset projects and advising on climate neutral services and products. It has already helped more than 500 organizations to do business in a completely or partly climate neutral-way. Worldwide, this volume makes Climate Neutral Group one of the frontrunners in this field.
Climate Neutral Group serves the community at large so it communicates its activities as transparently as possible. Detailed information about its projects can be found on its website, as well as information about quality criteria, supervision of carbon offsets and the calculations that it uses. Its annual report also provides full insight into its financial results, plus information about certification, projects and an overview of its customers. And, of course, the annual report also includes Climate Neutral Group’s own carbon footprint.
The aim of Climate Neutral Group is to contribute to the creation of a climate-neutral world in which individuals and organizations do all they can to prevent greenhouse gas emissions and, where GHG emissions are absolutely unavoidable, to offset them. Climate Neutral Group’s ambition is 100 per cent climate neutrality. Its mission is to help as many companies as possible to do business in a climate neutral way and to develop climate-neutral products and services for its (and its clients’) customers. Climate Neutral Group increasingly offers added value in aiding other organisations in becoming climate neutral, but also in integrating climate neutrality in their market propositions. It also measures their carbon footprints and advise on reduction, as well as on offsetting of unavoidable emissions. Some of these propositions include:
- Climate neutral airtravel
- Climate neutral car leasing
- Climate neutral waste disposal
- Climate neutral building
- Climate neutral catering
- Climate neutral events
- Climate neutral lamp posts, among others
This approach to carbon management enables companies to lower their operational costs while simultaneously contributing to a better environment.
Strategy
Climate Neutral Group’s carbon footprint
Climate Neutral Group’s carbon footprint was 23.41 tons of CO2 in 2008. This is a reduction of 9.1 per cent compared to 2007. Emissions for each employee (FTE) decreased from 3.68 to 2.02 tons of CO2, which is a 45 per cent reduction.
Climate Neutral Group was able to reduce its emissions to this extent by moving the GreenSeat and Climate Neutral group activities into shared premises in Utrecht city centre, resulting in a considerable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from heating and electricity. Use of public transport was also encouraged by choosing a location near the central railway station.
Emissions resulting from air travel increased in 2008 compared to 2007. This is because a number of flights were essential in order to start up a new sustainable energy project in Kenya. Besides reducing their carbon footprint, they offset the remainder of the emissions using Gold Standard carbon credits, making Climate Neutral Group a fully climate neutral organisation.
Climate Neutral Group’s carbon footprint is included in the standard overview sent to their clients since the beginning of 2008. This overview shows the source of the CO2 emissions and their development over time, which enables their clients to take targeted action to reduce emissions.
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