If you were running a marathon, you would need plenty of time to prepare. The same applies in the Race to Net Zero. By embarking on this journey to achieve Net Zero Carbon for your organisation a fully planned race training programme is needed. Over the last few weeks Eight Associates and Natural Carbon Solutions have provided a 6-step guide to help you get ahead and achieve key climate targets. Explore the first five stages here.

Step 4: Climate Positive

Our last steps have explored how to reach Net Zero and the process involved to accurately meet emission-based goals. Congratulations, reaching this step of the process, and Net Zero itself, is a real achievement that you, those in your organisation and your customers will be proud of.

Throughout this journey there have been many examples of companies committing to measuring and reducing their carbon emissions, or even becoming Net Zero. However, very few companies have yet achieved or are set to reach the final stage Climate Positive. This is where you further increase commitments, to stand out from the crowd and build on the strong reputation made for your organisation.

To explain

In the simplest of terms, Climate Positive is achieved when you are contributing to removing additional carbon from the atmosphere. To reach this, the total amount that you have removed must be greater than that you have put in; you are reducing more greenhouse gas emissions than your business, office space and value chain emits in its entirety.

If after completing scopes 1, 2 and 3 it is found that you are emitting 10 tonnes of emissions and you offset these – you are Net Zero.

If after completing the above process, your company decides they want to do more to combat climate change and commit to offsetting 12 tonnes of emissions – you are Net Zero and Climate Positive.

The impact you have made on the environment has been offset, and you are now giving back and making a net positive influence. The benefits of making this voluntary contribution have potential to be monumental both now, and in the future.

The Benefits

From your experience of learning about the process to reach Net Zero you will be aware of the positive benefits on your business that are involved. As you get closer to the goal of Net Zero you will begin to see the effects of these, increased trust, repute, and even consumption of your organisation.

These benefits have been multi-faceted and effective on your business strategy. By becoming Climate Positive you can further these positive effects and create a better everyday life for many people. This final step makes a real statement to the market, your consumers, and your competitors. It will illustrate your business as forward-thinking, progressive and a contributor to solving the climate crisis.

Market trends, and consumer inclinations, show that this and other voluntary contributions, will continue to be a huge part of business ethics and corporate social responsibility within the future. And you can commit to becoming Climate Positive whilst still growing your business and meeting other key business targets.

Climate Positive in Practice

Whilst currently most companies are on track to reach or have committed to meeting Net Zero, there are few that are Climate Positive. You can become Climate Positive through any of these examples of offsetting:

• Reforestation through planting trees appropriate to the scale of your business operation,

• Promoting circular business such as recycling, reusing, and upcycling goods, 

• Removing and storing carbon in land, plants, and products,

• Farming crops and trees, as this absorbs and stores carbon as they grow (both in the plant itself and through using the soil to grow),

• And Carbon capture schemes.

Organisations, small and large, have committed to reducing even more carbon than they emit. Those that have achieved Climate Positive have become great examples of how effective this can be. This accreditation can be a great source of growth on many levels and throughout a business. Here are just a few examples of organisations and their increasingly positive methods of offsetting:

• Etsy, this handmade craft e-commerce website currently offsets all shipments that have been made on their platform; an effort which removes twice the amount of carbon emissions than those created.

• Brewdog, previously carbon negative but now uses tree planting to neutralize the carbon produced by the transport and storage of its beer.

• Wild deodorant, every product is fully reusable and recyclable. On top of this they state their main priority to be offsetting, by planting trees to reach their Climate Positive status.

Certify Your Steps

With multiple industry standards to adhere to, you’ll want to verify and certify each of your steps outlined in this Race to Net Zero series. Working with a certification body who integrate global and national standards for carbon footprinting and offsetting means you can confidently acknowledge and share each of the critical milestones you have accomplished. A credible certification for each step helps you demonstrate the positive environmental impacts you are having throughout your journey and that you are on the right path to reaching Net Zero Carbon and beyond.

Call to Action

Climate Positive can be a very effective strategy. It shows your organisations willingness to respond to the need to solve the climate crisis, by not only meeting your own commitments but also helping others to combat rising temperatures globally. It therefore represents an opportunity, and a great way of showcasing the mentality and personality of an organisation. Furthermore, it can be a great source of growth for you on multiple levels.

To find out how your organisation can achieve Climate Positive – reach out to our experts here.