At Gaia we systematically measure, minimize and compensate our CO2 emissions. We are a climate positive company since 2012. We compensate all remaining CO2 emissions generated from our everyday work by 200%. In 2016 our activities totaled to 73 tons of CO2 emissions, which is 23% less than the previous year. Therefore, we offset 146 tons of CO2 emission (double of what we generated) through a Gold Standard climate mitigation project in Ethiopia.
Let’s have a look at how we calculate our CO2 emissions – and how we reduce them.
1. Identify and keep record of CO2 emission sources
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard (GHG Protocol Corporate Standard) is the world’s most widely used standard for greenhouse gas accounting . This is also the framework that Gaia and many of our clients use for CO2 emission calculation and reporting. According to the standard, the CO2 emissions are calculated in three categories: Scope 1 (direct process emissions), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from the consumption of electricity, heat, cooling and steam) and Scope 3 emissions (all remaining emission sources).
2. Calculate
Calculation reveals that 0 % of our carbon footprint is generated by Scope 1 emissions, 14 % by Scope 2 emissions and the remaining 86 % by Scope 3 emissions. The Scope 2 emissions are mainly from heating, as our purchased electricity is generated with renewable sources. Our Scope 3 emissions are mainly generated from business travel flights. In 2016, we managed to reduce our Scope 3 emissions by 30 % compared to the previous year – mainly thanks to less air travel, but also because of more sustainable commuting patterns of our employees. The total amount of Gaia’s CO2 emissions in 2016 was 73 tons.
3. Report and offset
Gaia publishes its carbon footprint annually. This encourages us to look for new ways to reduce our carbon emissions. In addition, we compensate our CO2 emissions through climate change mitigation projects. This year we offset 146 tons of CO2 emission (double of what we generated) through a Gold Standard climate mitigation project in Ethiopia. The project supplies villages in Ethiopia with solar home systems and trains local people to install and maintain the systems.
More information
• Gaia’s carbon offset project in Ethiopia
• Pasi Rinne, Chairman of the Board & Elina Heikinheimo, Consultant, Gaia Consulting Oy, firstname.lastname@gaia.fi
