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an interesting exchange between business material on new legislation – and dealing with Chelsea Football Club’s head of CSR,
leader and policymaker. Mackenzie: “It does carbon isn’t at the top of every business Simon Taylor, was similarly concerned about
not sound to me that Serco is legally part of owner’s agenda. It will be interesting to see what the league table might say about a
TfL?” Woolston: “No, they are not. It is a how the Environment Agency deals with company. “The nature of our business is
legal kind of franchise.” “Do you pay all the those that are caught out.” about league tables,” he said. “We are likely to
electricity bills that they run up?” “No, they For EDF Energy though, more and more of look good in the first year, but as the long-
pay them.” “Then if they pay them it is a mat- its customers are aware of the scheme. “Most term strategy comes down in the league table,
ter of whether they qualify in their own right know it will happen,” said Mineau. “But not so might our position – and that has a direct
in terms of usage.” all are fully aligned to cope very efficiently effect on our business. Another football club
TfL’s mapping exercise to determine what is with it.” The company has been proactive could just copy what we have been doing for
and isn’t covered by the CRC is an interesting these past 18 months, devising an extensive the last five to ten years and shoot to the head
issue. But it is an exercise that needs to start customer education programme. It has also of the table.”
right away, according to EDF Energy’s head developed an online tool called Energy Zone, BAA’s head of climate change, Dr Graham
of energy services, Laurent Mineau. “April where customers can log on and order a CRC Earl, was more interested in where his busi-
2010 will come around very soon,” he said. report for their 2008 energy consumption. ness will be positioned in the table on day one.
“They have to start now, both collecting the Of course, there are companies that fear the “It is a very important question, because it
data and starting to implement an energy effi- introduction of the CRC will undermine and will be an important reputational piece for us.
ciency strategy.” fail to recognise the energy efficiency work It is a risk and at the moment I am struggling
According to Mackenzie, it’s a common they have carried out in years gone by. Ricoh to define a way of managing that risk.”
problem. “In one shopping centre, there could But Mineau argued that the league table
be two or three different retail outlets which debate is “never-ending”. “Companies should
are exactly the same size, where half of them focus more on their own energy, rather than
will be in the CRC and half of them will not,”
CARBON ISN’T AT THE
comparing themselves to other companies,”
he said. It is one of the things Mackenzie
TOP OF EVERY BUSINESS
he said. Ceeney said she had sympathy for the
promises will be looked at before the cap likes of Ricoh – and the Government. “The
phase of the scheme begins. OWNER’S AGENDA. IT Government clearly has to deal with those that
For Southend Borough Council’s head of
WILL BE INTERESTING
have done nothing. But it is hard on those that
sustainability, Roger Parker, it is the aware- have already done a lot.” However, she added
ness of the CRC that is of most concern. TO SEE HOW THOSE that those that have done energy-saving work
“Seventy per cent of top management are not
THAT ARE CAUGHT OUT
before “should set it out in their CSR report”.
aware of the CRC, and 87% of employees are To appease the likes of Wagland, Taylor and
unaware,” he argued. Mackenzie agreed: “The ARE DEALT WITH Earl, Mackenzie said DECC might include a
feedback we are consistently receiving is that
energy managers and sustainability managers
LYNNE CEENEY
“free-flowing text box” as part of the
published league table so that participants can
are very focused on this, but the board is not.
PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF
explain their final league table position. For
“The idea of the CRC is to bring energy to example, ‘our figures have changed because...’,
the board’s attention, so hopefully when you ‘we have had a lot of acquisitions’, etc.
pitch to your finance director and say ‘I want Europe is one such company and the firm’s Thames Water’s climate change strategy
this bit of kit which will have this impact on manager of environmental management, Tom manager, Dr Keith Colquhoun, voiced his
our energy consumption,’ you will get a Wagland was keen to explain to his counter- concerns about the league table being based
straight ‘yes’.” parts his frustration. “The whole Ricoh on a percentage change. “For large organisa-
The CRC is something the finance director Group globally has been operating a carbon tions that can go the extra mile, the percentage
or company secretary will have to be on top accounting system since 2002, and in our change for large amounts of emissions may be
of. As Parsons Brinckerhoff’s head of sustain- Telford factory we have made significant lost in the noise,” he said. Instead, Colquhoun
ability, Lynne Ceeney, said: “Some businesses reductions – 40% energy reduction, 70% proposed a combination metric of percentage
we have spoken to do not realise they have to carbon reduction – and it is now run on 100% and an absolute to capture the amount of
prove they are not in the CRC. They assume renewable energy. reduction being created by organisations.
it is simply a ‘yes/no’ question, and there is a “But we feel we will be disadvantaged by “The league table is the area where there is
lot of work to be done on that aspect, helping this scheme because a lot of the investment the biggest concern, and that is quite under-
people to sit down and do the calculations.” that has been made at the site to implement standable,” was Mackenzie’s response. It is
Ceeney feels the pain of medium-sized energy savings strategies, will now be diverted something DECC will continue to look at.
businesses. “They are hit every day with into paying for carbon credits.” Along with the free-flowing text box,
Sustainable Business 1❘ November/December 2009 2
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