Code of Practice helps businesses monitor their own carbon neutrality

Calculating carbon neutrality or the CO₂ footprint is an excellent tool for industry when formulating CO₂ reduction targets. Calculating a business’s CO₂ footprint annually is an excellent way of monitoring progress in CO₂ reduction. Furthermore, it can be used in a (CSR) annual report in order to show stakeholders the organisation’s sustainability status. KWR has developed a Code of Practice for water companies for determining carbon neutrality and sustainability.

CO2 footprint

Almost all drinking water companies have ambitions and targets for achieving a carbon-neutral water chain. However, research undertaken by KWR for the drinking water companies shows that they do indeed use the Green House Gas Protocol as a basis but that there are still differences in the calculation methods. During the project, a Code of Practice (CoP) was therefore prepared, which is based on a clear core consisting of three scopes from the GHG Protocol. In addition, a number of add-ons have been defined which can be used depending on an individual business’s ambition and information level. Finally, the so-called avoided emissions and compensation measures can be included in the report. By using the CoP, drinking water companies are able to calculate their CO2 footprint more efficiently and better compare their results with each other.