True to its values, Gaia continues to measure and compensate its greenhouse gas emissions. In 2012, we invested in better video conferencing tools to reduce the need of business travel.
Despite increases in the team of professionals and occupied office space in 2012, emissions from electricity and heating stayed roughly the same due to increased efficiency. Compared with 2011, our carbon emissions per man-year decreased decoupling our business growth from our environmental impacts.
We offset our remaining greenhouse gas emissions by 200% through a credible offset provider in climate mitigation and adaptation projects that promote sustainable development and clean energy. Therefore we are not only compensating our emissions to become carbon neutral – we are now climate positive!
Our emissions in 2012 were offset through a Gold Standard project in Kenya in which nearly one million LifeStraw water filters are distributed across the Western Province serving over four million people. The project also addresses deforestation and health issues.
Our carbon footprint calculation covers energy use in our offices, emissions from business travel and commuting, water use, paper consumption, waste generation – and now life cycle emissions of mobile phones and laptops. It is based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard developed by the World Resource Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
See a summary of our calculation.
More information:
- Pasi Rinne, Chairman of the Board, Gaia Consulting Oy, tel. +41 79 472 6909, email: firstname.lastname@gaia.fi
