Being a responsible business is really important to us at VOLOCO, so on this World Environment Day we are making a commitment to become a Net Zero carbon business. This will ensure our business is not only responsible, but accountable and transparent in the process.
So what is Net Zero? Put simply, ‘Net Zero’ means adding no more greenhouse gases to the Earth’s atmosphere than the amount you’re taking out. The bathtub analogy is useful to explain this concept – we’re pumping too much water (CO2) into the tub, this means water levels rise and the bath is overflowing (CO2 in the atmosphere = climate change). Net Zero means we limit the amount of emissions released into the atmosphere and increase our removal.
Carbon emissions produced through industry, transport and agriculture are driving climate change. Becoming ‘Net Zero’ is intended to help lessen the climate-changing effects and limit global warming to levels that allow our world to thrive. Recognising this, during 2019 the UK Government set a mandatory target to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050 (NetZero2050).
‘The built environment sector has a vital role to play in responding to the climate emergency. With buildings currently responsible for 39% of global carbon emissions, decarbonising the sector is one of the most cost effective ways to mitigate the worst effects of climate breakdown.’
World Green Building Council
It’s obvious that in order to limit the effects of climate change, both now and for our future generations, those who operate in the built environment have a critical role to play. The impacts of climate change and the built environment are regularly seen, from flooding and overheating, to supply chain issues. So, there’s a compelling argument for meaningful change – not to mention the business case benefits of doing so, for both our own business and that of our clients.
Over the next few months we will be taking steps to understand and measure how our own business activities drive carbon, creating an inventory of direct and indirect emissions. We will be following well established frameworks for doing this, such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (the global standard for measuring emissions), and the SBTi (Science Based Targets Initiative) for setting and monitoring our targets as an SME, and working with other industry partners.
As part of our commitment on World Environment Day, we will be sharing this journey via news releases and social media, so you can see our progress too. Watch this space!
