What is carbon neutral certification?
The Carbon Reduction Institute’s NoCO2 Certification is Australia’s most recognised environmental accreditation for businesses, and an invaluable marketing tool for a host of companies, from SMEs to multi-nationals.
As for all certifications under the NoCO2 Program it’s a comprehensive, ISO-approved global solution, renowned for its high standard of carbon accounting, that not only helps the environment but will also translate to a healthier bottom line for your brand.
For more on carbon neutral certification visit our Business Certification page.
Four Steps to becoming Carbon Neutral Certified
1. Get ready
Hire two to three external assessors and then get senior management approval. In order to secure approval from regulators, you need to set targets for the amount of carbon that you’ll emit. Find a way to get the project approved internally, but publicly, you may need to set targets.
2. Gather your data
In order to meet the Carbon Reduction Institute carbon neutral certification, you must meet all the requirements as per the Carbon Reduction Institute guidelines.
3. Achieve Carbon Neutral Building Certification
Organise access for your Assessor to conduct site visits to validate your certification. Once the rating has been submitted and checked, buy eligible offsets and achieve certification.
4. Re-new certification
You have 12 months to renew your certificate. Renew your certification annually so that it continues to maintain carbon neutrality.
What does Carbon Neutral Certification mean?
Carbon Neutral Certification is given to organisations when they effectively reach a state of “zero” emissions, meaning they are carbon neutral (their greenhouse emissions for their certification period have been balanced out through the purchase of offsets), and they have worked to reduce as much of their emissions as possible.
For example, if an organisation has a 10% emission reduction target for 2020 compared to 2005 levels, and it is able to offset the remaining 90% of its emissions by purchasing carbon credits, then it will have reached its goal of zero emissions. If they can offset 100% of their emissions, then they will be certified carbon neutral. A carbon offset project is considered to be “successful” when the total emissions produced in the project are reduced by at least as much as was used to purchase the offset credits.
An offset project must produce less than as much as was purchased to offset the greenhouse gas emissions of the project.
What does certified carbon credits mean?
A “carbon credit” is a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) that a company produces, in order to compensate for other companies’ GHGs. Businesses should buy these offsets so that they effectively cancel out their emissions. If you can get your emissions down to zero you’re at a state called carbon neutral.
What is the purpose of carbon credits?
Carbon credits were devised as a mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Companies get a set number of credits, which decline over time, and they can sell any excess to another company. Carbon credits create a monetary incentive for companies to reduce their carbon emissions.
What are carbon certificates?
You’ll be able to prove a claim that your brand is carbon neutral when you become carbon certified. Certification is for any business or organisation regardless of size or sector, seeking to take positive climate action.
Can you be carbon neutral without being certified?
You don’t need to be certified carbon neutral. The most important thing is to focus on reducing emissions, and that can be achieved regardless of certification.
Where can I use Certification logos?
We recommend the usage of your certification logos on:
- Websites
- Products and Labels
- Banners and Outdoor Displays
- Brochures, Flyers, Email Signatures
- Everyday Communication
We encourage you to use your new certification logos on your website, products, advertising and everyday business communication.
Your website will be the most obvious choice for making your environmental credentials public. For many businesses, the website is the first point of contact with prospective customers. That means you’ll want to make sure that your homepage highlights all your business’s amenities, including the actions you take to contribute to a better, healthier environment!
Many of our certified businesses display their certification logo on the homepage of their website. There are several ways to do this. For example, you could incorporate them into the page header or footer:
You might also want to include the logos together with a small description of the actions you have taken into the content or banner of your home page.
Another option for you, one which offers great credibility and transparency, is to dedicate a page on your website to your business’s environmental policy. This is especially useful if you want to disclose the actions you have taken properly, and if you are taking various steps worth mentioning to reduce your carbon footprint. Generally, providing as much detail about your environmental credentials as possible is a great way to add value to your business and attract customers.
Ready to get your carbon neutral certification?
Visit our Business Certification page for more information on how you can become part of the solution for climate change.
