LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — (Marketwire) — 06/08/12 — Major retailer M&S and global strategic consultant Bain & Company have both announced the achievement of carbon neutrality this week, after reducing their footprints to net zero through a combination of internal reductions and the contribution of carbon finance to enable renewable energy and resource conservation projects.
Having reduced its footprint by 22%, M&S appointed The Carbon Neutral Company to source projects that use carbon finance to fund renewable energy technologies and forestry activities. The projects align with the company–s sustainability commitments made under its successful Plan A programme. In addition to the carbon emission reductions, M&S has selected projects which provide direct benefits to the communities in which they operate; from encouraging reforestation by providing communities with new income streams and fuel sources in Kenya, to supporting biomass technology that gives Chinese farmers valuable extra income for their waste.
Bain & Company–s Carbon Neutral® status was achieved through a firm-wide drive for sustainability. Bain tallied its emissions, including all client travel, made reductions where possible, and then offset the remaining footprint. In addition to its commitment to its own sustainable business practices, driven by a comprehensive, company-wide programme to reduce its footprint and a global network of “Green Teams” across its global offices; Bain has achieved its goal of net zero carbon emissions by investing in a portfolio of six carbon financing projects provided by The CarbonNeutral Company. These projects include wind power, biomass, forestry, geothermal and methane capture, and are spread across the world, including in the United States, Brazil, Turkey, India and China.
Both companies– carbon neutral status are underpinned by The Carbon Neutral Protocol, the global standard for carbon neutrality which was established in 2002 and is updated annually to reflect the latest scientific and industry best practice in offset-inclusive carbon management.
Stephen Killeen, CEO of The Carbon Neutral Company, said: “We are pleased and proud to work closely with these two industry leaders in meeting their sustainability goals. M&S and Bain & Company – along with over 400 of our world-wide clients – have proven that a positive environmental impact can be achieved today.”
“Their decision to use carbon finance to enable resource conservation and renewable energy projects around the world shows how major organisations are leading the way in environmental action whilst delivering financial benefits to their stakeholders.”
M&S– carbon neutral commitment is discussed in detail on its Plan A website .
Some of the projects their carbon finance will benefit are:
About The CarbonNeutral Company
The CarbonNeutral Company () is a world-leading provider of solutions. It works with more than 400 companies in 40 countries to develop offset-inclusive carbon reduction programmes and since 1997 it has purchased from 246 projects in 30 countries.
Through its offices in London and New York, The CarbonNeutral Company–s global team combines experience working in international B2B corporations, carbon markets and trading, carbon project development, engineering, marketing communications, consulting and sustainable energy management with the United Nations. Executives currently chair the International Carbon Reduction Offset Alliance (ICROA), are on the board of the Climate Markets Investors Association, and the company is a consultancy partner of the Carbon Disclosure Project.
CarbonNeutral® is the registered trademark of The CarbonNeutral Company and is the global standard to certify that businesses have measured and reduced their CO2 emissions to net zero for their company, products, operations or services.
Contacts:
The CarbonNeutral Company
Rebecca Fay
Marketing Director
+44 207 833 6028