Helping businesses to go carbon neutral

The eight-step plan includes a series of measures and targets to help drive efficiencies such as how to use less energy, making a company car fleet greener, how to store excess energy to use later and training staff to save power.

EA Technology has committed itself to becoming one of the first carbon neutral businesses in the North West by a series of initiatives.

These include installing solar panels to reduce electricity usage, diverting excess electricity it produces to on-site battery storage, encouraging staff to use electric vehicles, installing LED lights throughout its premises and installing a carbon minimising way of heating its head office.

Robert Davis, CE of EA Technology, which has offices in seven locations including China, the Middle East, Singapore, Australia and the United States, says: “As a company, we care about the planet and we want to do everything possible to lead the way in going green – and to help other companies to do the same.

“Our Carbon Action plan will give us a modern, integrated, low carbon footprint and we expect to see emissions reduce year-on-year with immediate effect as well as delivering the company financial savings.

“The Carbon Neutral booklet is free to download and provides tips and advice on how businesses can help themselves to take more environmental responsibility.”

Steps for going carbon neutral include:

• Calculate your carbon footprint. Making a thorough estimate of your carbon footprint is vital because it allows a business to prioritise where change is needed, will help you to measure progress and prepare you for future legislation.
• Plan. The biggest task in becoming a carbon neutral business will typically be changing your infrastructure. Consider everything from insulating the roof to installing electric charging points for electric vehicles.
• Use less energy. Up to 40% of a building’s electricity is accounted for by lighting. A good start is to replace traditional strip lighting with long-lasting, energy-efficient LED light bulbs.
• Train your staff. Make sure they understand why your business is becoming carbon neutral and how they can help achieve it.
• Make your own energy. You may be able to get government funding towards the cost of renewable energy.
• Store excess energy to use later.
• Make your company car fleet greener. One in three new UK company cars are predicted to run on either plug-in hybrid power of electric batteries within five years.
• Get certified. The Carbon Trust Standard is a global standard for sustainability