STAGE 2

Baselining

Conducting a full carbon footprint audit within the boundaries of your operations to establish your baseline carbon emission.

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STAGE 2.1 Defining and mapping your business

We establish the operational and organisational structures and boundaries that your baseline emissions and energy consumption throughout your value chain and subsequent net zero strategies will be set in.

We use a common seven-point framework to create baselines for both your energy consumption and carbon emissions. Baselines are crucial components of energy and carbon reporting and provide the necessary context to any subsequent net zero target setting and monitoring scopes 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions.

01 Define organisational boundaries

We first understand your organisational structure to determine which approach to adopt: the control approach of the equity approach.

02 Define operations boundaries

We then delineate your operational boundary. This is done to determine the types of GHG emissions and consumptions connected to the company’s activities that should be included in the baseline.

03 Establish a base year

We select a base year to which to compare data collected throughout your net zero journey. It is important to select a recent, typical base year that reflects the company's typical energy consumption and carbon emissions.

04 Identify the emission and consumption sources

We identify which activities within the defined boundaries to collect energy consumption and GHG emissions data. We categorise emissions into groups: scope 1, 2, or 3. The correct grouping at this stage is fundamental for future carbon and energy reporting and meeting net zero targets in line with respective domestic and international regulations.

05 Determine a quantification approach

We identify the emissions factor associated with each business activity. From this, we calculate the GHG emissions for each scope of emissions and from all relevant activities.

06 Collect all activity data and emissions factors

We collate all data from sources such as such as procurement records, electricity bills, etc. and will likely require involvement of many operational staff in a company.

07 Establish baseline emissions and energy consumption

The final step is to gather and collate all relevant data together to calculate a baseline for GHG emissions and energy consumption.

carbon emissions and energy consumption data
STAGE 2.2 Perform Scope 1 and 2 Carbon Audits

A complete assessment of your organisation’s (internal) scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions is performed by our net zero consultants. This SECR-compliant carbon audit report allows you to have meaningful reference points against which to plan and assess the progress your company makes towards its net zero targets.

The first step in a net zero journey is to discover which activities within your business are responsible for emitting carbon. We audit your company’s scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions across all sites to determine the extent of the detrimental impact that your operations have on the climate.

A scope 1 and 2 carbon audit covers emissions from fossil fuel consumption in company fleet vehicles, natural gas-fuelled heating systems, as well as emissions resulting from energy usage. The data we gather can be used to fulfil your streamlined energy and carbon reporting requirements (SECR) and build targeted carbon reduction strategies.

We use the latest national emissions factors and follow industry best practice standards in order to understand and quantify your company’s carbon footprint.

audit scope 1 2 ghg emissions
audit scope 3 ghg emissions
STAGE 2.3 Perform Scope 3 Carbon Audit

We evaluate all upstream and downstream indirect carbon emissions generated by your business activities. External scope 3 emissions accounting is crucial for measuring the true environmental impact of your operations.

Recording scope 3 carbon emissions data can be a challenging exercise for businesses wanting to totally remove harmful emissions from their activities. We undertake this task for you. A credible net zero commitment is anchored in fully understanding your carbon footprint, especially your scope 3 GHG emissions.

We assess all aspects of your business’ upstream and downstream carbon emissions This category accounts for all indirect carbon emissions generated by your business. Within the current taxonomy this amounts to 15 distinct categories, including:

  • Purchased goods and services
  • Capital goods
  • Fuel and energy consumption not covered by scopes 1 and 2
  • Upstream and downstream transportation and distribution, waste generated in operations
  • Business travel
  • Employee commuting
  • Processing, use of and end of life of solid products
  • Upstream and downstream leased assets
  • Franchises and investments

To fully account for the scopes 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions created by your operations, you must monitor emissions in all 15 categories across your business locations. Gathering complete scope 3 emissions data enables your business to build a total carbon reduction strategy.

STAGE 2.4 Perform Energy Audit

A full business energy audit that uncovers how your business uses power and gas across all sites and operations typically will identify energy-saving opportunities. It will help you understand your energy consumption data and ways to use energy better. An energy audit can also identify safety concerns with electrical systems, wiring, and ventilation.

A full energy audit, conforming to BS EN 16247 and ISO 50001 standards, reports on the current level of energy usage and energy efficiency across the different sites where your business operates. Our lead assessors conduct an all-site energy audit to evaluate sources of production-related energy, baseload energy consumption, as well as your levels of gas and water usage. Our company, through the audit, will reveal areas of waste and excessive consumption in these areas.

business energy audit
climate risk lead assessors
STAGE 2.5 Perform Climate Risk and Opportunities Assessment

There is an urgent need to assess and quantify the extent of the rising physical risk caused by climate change in so far as how much it has already changed, what will happen in the future, and how such risks are being priced.

Through application of a tested, rigorous climate risk assessment process, we can assist key decision-makers in your company in identifying new risks and opportunities. We perform short, medium and long-term climate projections for the geographic locations where your business operates to better understand any vulnerabilities in your activities. To this end, our assessment identifies relevant climate-related physical, transition, reputational, and legal risks.

We will benchmark your risk assessment against published examples from your peers. In parallel, we will highlight new business opportunities, including government green funding schemes that can be incorporated into your business strategy.

STAGE 3 Strategy Development

Creating a robust strategy that focuses on carbon reduction, energy efficiency, and risk mitigation.

net zero strategy consultants

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