Welcome to Decarbonising The Brand

CO2 Jargon Buster – how to tell your emissions from your elbow

The issue of carbon emissions and sustainability are gaining momentum every day. But for those new to the subject, there can be a steep learning curve.

With this in mind, we have created a quick reference guide to the key terms you need to know. Bookmark this page on your laptop and you will never be confounded by terminology again.

Audit

An independent examination of how something works, for example, how a company produces CO2

Benchmark

To compare your company’s carbon emissions against similar other organisations to see how much work needs to be done.

Carbon footprint

The total volume of carbon emissions produced by a company, organisation or individual.

Carbon neutral

For a company, to have zero net carbon emissions (e.g. by using only renewable energy or through offsetting its emissions through the purchase of approved carbon credits).

Carbon Trust

Body created by the government to help businesses and organisations reduce their carbon emissions. It also funds the development of low carbon technology.

Carbon Trust Standard

Initiative that provides a robust and clear definition of good practice that can be used to judge a company’s commitment to carbon reduction.

Cause related marketing

To partner with a good cause as part of a marketing strategy, for example, donating a percentage of profits from products sold to a selected charity.

Climate change

A commonly used phrase to describe the theory that pollution caused by humans, including carbon emissions, is damaging the earth’s ecology.

Climate change levy (CCL)

A tax on energy usage introduced in 2001. It aims to provide an incentive to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

CO2

Carbon dioxide is one of the so-called ‘greenhouse gases’. Burning fossil fuels releases CO2 into the atmosphere, which is believed to be a major cause of climate change.

Copenhagen

Heads of state and environmental interest groups will gather at the UN Climate Conference, which will be held in the Danish capital from December 8-12.

CSR

Corporate Social Responsibility is a form of self-regulation used by companies to take responsibility for their impact on people and the environment. This often feeds into marketing strategy.

Deforestation

Chopping down trees to clear land for human use releases carbon dioxide. This is another key contributor to climate change.

Emissions

The release of energy into the atmosphere

ETS

Emission Trading System. Introduced by the EU in 2005 as a multi-country initiative to reduce emissions.

Fossil fuels

We use non-renewable energy sources such as coal and oil to heat our homes and power our vehicles. Burning such fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Global warming

The average temperature on Earth is increasing, due to fossil fuel burning and deforestation.

Greenhouse gases

Trace gases in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide and ozone help to regulate climate and support life on Earth. If we produce too much greenhouse gas, it will absorb more heat and warm the earth too much.

Greenwash

Any activity undertaken by brands which makes them appear greener than they actually; worse still are brands that are exposed as using the topic as a marketing tool without backing it up.

Jargon

In itself, corporate jargon is the biggest barrier to carbon reduction, as it complicates the key issues and acts as a barrier to effective communication.

Off-setting

Phrase used to describe how companies or individuals compensate for their carbon emissions, for example, donating money to a fund that plants trees.

Renewable energy

Sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar power.

Reputation

Takes a long time for a company to earn; takes seconds to lose with an ill-advised greenwash campaign.

The bluffer’s guide to carbon emissions

Sweeping your brand’s carbon footprint under the carpet is no longer an option. Climate change is now firmly lodged in the in-tray of the marketing department, and demands careful handling as an issue.

Consumer awareness of environmental issues has advanced to the point that many shoppers are now scrutinising product labels and origins. False promises, empty statements, and poorly thought out marketing campaigns can seriously damage brand value.

Research from The Carbon Trust earlier this year revealed that almost two-thirds of consumers are more likely to buy a product if they know action is being taken to reduce its carbon footprint.

It has just concluded another major piece of research with Future Laboratory* to establish how the British brands are behaving within the ‘low carbon economy’, and how consumers rate and read this commitment.
It found that people are not only interested in the environmental performance of products, but also the operations of the companies that make them. The wide availability of broadband means this information is open to scrutiny.
Consumers are also becoming increasingly carbon-literate. A quarter of consumers consider ‘being green’ an ‘essential’ subject.

However, almost half of consumers do not favour brands that align themselves to green causes, with 26% suggesting brands are focused on this area because it is a fad; 22% went as far as to suggest some businesses were guilty of greenwashing.

The bottom line is that they want brands to be green simply because it is the right thing to do, rather than because it is perceived to be the right thing to do.
When marketers and business representatives were asked how long their business had to build great carbon credentials, 15% said immediately, and 13% said this year. But the biggest portion (28%) felt they had until 2015 to demonstrate their carbon commitment.

According to The Carbon Trust, this sluggishness is worrying considering the urgent requirements that environmental legislation is already placing on companies to measure and report on carbon.

With this in mind, it has unveiled a series of top tips for marketers looking to improve and communicate their brand’s carbon footprint.

• The bigger the claim, the more likely it is to be challenged.
• Ensure your claim is backed by robust data, and where possible independently certified
• The message must be consistent in all communications from reports to adverts, websites to product packaging.
• Green claims also need to be kept up to date: what might be considered green today might be unacceptable tomorrow.
• This is not the time for meaningless hyperbole, all communication must be transparent and truthful
• Avoid tired and over used terms that are poorly defined e.g. ‘green’

Ultimately, it says it pays for marketers to take a long view, and appreciate that there might not even be a market in 20 years time if businesses fail to reduce their carbon emissions.

Harry Morrison, head of The Carbon Trust Standard, says: ‘The scale of the climate change challenge means that businesses need strategies to reduce their impact spanning many years or decades. Consumers will reward organisations that both recognise the long term challenge and make substantive improvements today – without hyping the short term impact.’
With consumers calling for environmental sustainability and strict regulations in place, this is an issue that marketers and organisations would be ill advised to ignore.

* Methodology: Alongside desk research two online surveys were conducted: one of 1,000 Britons across all ages (18 to 65) to quantify what, why, where and how they perceive and value ‘corporate carbon commitment’; and one of marketing directors/managers within 250 British businesses (100 medium and 150 large sized), spanning a variety of sectors. This survey quantified what, why, where and how they perceive ‘carbon commitment’ and the perceived marketing value, costs and benefits of being committed.