SPECIAL REPORT
Collaborating
on carbon
Achieving carbon reduction targets could be made a lot
easier if buyers and suppliers worked together, but long
term, agreeing on a common standard will be critical
D
espite tough economic conditions, climate change remains high
on the agenda for most corporate boards. A social responsibility
to reduce carbon emissions is now widely woven into corporate
policy, with ambitious targets set to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The problem facing many major companies is how to achieve these
targets and, in particular, how to engage and involve suppliers.
A significant barrier to bringing suppliers in line with buyer corporate
policy has been a lack of clarity over the practical mechanisms by which
collaboration can be established. The processes involved have to be
properly audited, verified and appropriately certified so that both supplier
and buyer are assured that standards have been met and that due
CarbonReduction will help companies to
measure and manage their carbon footprint
process has been followed. For this purpose a professional independent
auditor should undertake a site audit.
The industry that is actively engaged in tackling these issues is the As part of carbonReduction the supplier has to put together three
Utilities sector. Taking a procurement perspective, leading Utilities in the specific documents, including an emissions inventory. Suppliers also have
UK – United Utilities, Scottish and Southern, National Grid, E-ON, Anglian to put together a management and reduction plan to say what sort of
Water, and Northumbrian Water – identified an opportunity to work actions they are going to engage in over the coming year to reduce their
together to achieve their carbon emission goals by being early adopters footprint. This action plan has to come with senior management support to
of an innovative and practical programme developed by international ensure that it really is embedded within the business.
services company, Achilles Group. The programme allows suppliers to manage their emissions, set targets
The carbonReduction initiative is a collaborative model developed for and develop a long-term strategy. Finally, Achilles undertakes the audit and
international use across all industries, although at the moment the Utility certification process and makes this available to buying organisations.
sector is leading the way with early adopters including Outward Bound,
Elster Metering, Mott MacDonald, May Gurney, Clancy Docwra, Radius Practical and economic concerns
Systems, Bi-Water, Black and Veatch, Laing O’Rourke, MWH, Balfour Beaty, At this stage not everyone within the water industry is completely sold on
McNicholas, Utilise Training Development Solutions and Flygt. the carbonReduction scheme, however. Paul Mullord UK director at British
Water said: “With the recent introduction of its carbon reduction programme
Managing emissions there is a danger that British Water members may begin to see another
CarbonReduction offers a practical facility for buyers and suppliers to work Achilles’ scheme as just another burden on their businesses and the supply
together to meet their greenhouse gas emission targets based on CEMARS chain. At this early stage the views of water companies are mixed. At one
(Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme), an established end of the spectrum Anglian, which has signed up to the scheme, is very
international program that has just gained compliance with world wide keen. However, one water company I spoke to expressed the view that it
greenhouse gas standards ISO 14064. The CEMARS standard itself is built didn’t want to impose any more cost than it had to on the supply chain,
around the carboNZero certification programme run by New Zealand based particularly in the present economic climate. With OFWAT, Defra and
Landcare Research, developed over ten years of research into greenhouse Achilles all operating a plethora of different schemes being considered to
gas emissions and carbon monitoring. CarbonReduction helps suppliers quantify businesses carbon footprints, it is clear that what the industry really
understand how to consistently measure, manage and reduce their carbon needs is a common standard.
footprint and also provides buyers with the verified information they need “A key question is how far down the supply chain should any system of
to make informed purchasing decisions. carbon calculation go? Also, once scores are obtained how will they be used
Suppliers can start getting involved in the carbonReduction initiative by and weighted from company to company? As a result of questions like these,
registering with Achilles. A starter pack takes them right through the and the differing views of water companies, we are not actively encouraging
process from the very first steps and offers guidance on issues such as: people to sign up to the Achilles or any other scheme at present.”
Who in my organisation needs to be looking at this? What kind of things An accurate, cost effective, and fair method of auditing and certificating
do we need to be looking at – electricity bills, transport etc? Following carbon reduction measures remains crucial to the water industry’s future.
guidance from Achilles on setting the boundaries, E-Manage – an online In the pursuit of this, goal schemes such as carbonReduction will benefit
tool for recording and managing emissions data – is then used to set key both suppliers and buyers alike. However, with debate continuing over the
performance indicators, produce a baseline carbon footprint measurement exact nature of such schemes, we are still some way from agreeing on the
and create emissions inventory reports. correct approach to auditing the carbon footprint of our supply chain. ■■■
November 2009 Water & Wastewater Treatment 13
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56