Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Using the data from the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management, Freshfields has learnt that air travel and electricity are where it needs to make the most significant carbon reduction. It has now set a target of 10% reduction by May 2008.
We have taken a firm wide approach to what we recognise to be a global issue and are committed to minimising our impact on the environment by 10 per cent by MAY 2008.
We recognise that reducing our environmental impact involves accurately measuring our greenhouse gas emissions and reducing them where we can.
We used the following process to measure our carbon footprint:
• Decided the scope of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to be measured using World Resource Institute (WRI) formula.
• Identified a point of contact in each office and provide them a deadline for reporting their emissions
• Sent a questionnaire to each contact to assist in data gathering
• Contracted Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management (ECCM) to receive and process questionnaire results and produce a report with a tailored action plan for each office
• Use of telephone / video conference with each representative and other key personnel in each office to discuss results
• Ongoing support for reps using intranet, telephone and email support, blog etc.
To establish the tonnes of CO2 equivalent emitted, the ECCM used a full set of geographically relevant and up to date emission factors, including:
• The Greenhouse Gas Protocol published by The World Business council for Sustainable Development (2004)
• Environmental Reporting: Guidelines for Company Reporting on Greenhouse Gas Emissions published by the UK Government (Department for Environment, farming and Rural Affairs, 2005 and 2007)
• Guidelines by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2006 and 1996)
We took the following emissions into consideration and calculated where possible:
• Square footage occupancy (GIFA)
• Headcount
• Energy: electricity, gas, fuel oil, district heating (in KWh)
• Travel: flights - domestic, short haul, long haul, train travel, hire cars, taxis, own car (number of journeys or km)
• Hotel stays (no. of nights)
• Freight: couriers/parcels/furniture and equipment - deliveries not despatches (in kg per km)
• Waste: recycled waste, waste-to-incineration and waste-to-landfill (in m3, number of bags, or kg)
• Direct emissions: refrigerants, fixed and portable extinguishing systems (in m3 or kg)
Constraints & Challenges
• Obtaining co-operation from busy colleagues in many offices for whom emissions measurement is a novelty and not a core part of their role
• Agreeing a scope for our calculations that fairly reflected out global warming contribution
• Challenging perceptions that offsetting and renewable energy purchases are less worthy ways to meet your obligations
• Ensuring that we remain focussed on our targets and open to all suggestions and ideas
Using the advice from The Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management we have learnt the that air travel and electricity are where we need to make the most significant reductions, as they contribute 33 per cent and 31 per cent, respectively.
Using the footprint and the data collected from this activity we now have a basis to:
• Measure reductions in our emissions to meet our target of a 10 per cent reduction in CO2e by April 2008
• Better understand how we use resources around our network of offices
• Encourage reductions in waste and improvements in energy efficiency
• Drive innovation in business travel