[To carbon neutrality] Step 2 – Carbon footprint quantification – Feedback from ARaymond

[Part 2] How can TERAO help you assess your carbon footprint? After our first article about Data Collection, and insights from ARaymond employees involved in this process, here is the introduction and the client feedback on the 2^nd step of the carbon footprint assessment: carbon footprint quantification

As a reminder, here are the main steps of the carbon footprint calculation and carbon reduction action plan establishment:

1. Step 1: Set up boundaries – what to include in the carbon footprint calculation? – and Data collection – which data to collect? which data is available?
2. Step 2: Quantification – calculation of the footprint
3. Step 3: Carbon emissions reduction Roadmap – how to reduce the carbon emissions?

Phase II – Quantification – feedback from the client

A key stage of the carbon footprint calculation is to define the baseline year of the carbon footprint calculation, and which Scopes and Categories to include or not, as defined in our “Carbon footprint methodology” previous article you would like more information.

Setting up boundaries and data collection are the basis of carbon footprint calculation. If you are interested in this step, you can read our previous article ”Carbon footprint calculation Boundaries and Data Collection”.

Here is the feedback from our client, ARaymond China, especially, Ms. Zhao Fang, the HSE manager and coordinator of this carbon footprint assessment.

1- What was a crucial point during this quantification process?

Ms. Zhao Fang: After getting the data through the data collection, TERAO uses the data to calculate the carbon footprint, using emission factors (g CO2 equivalent/unit of specific data). The scope that we have defined at the beginning of the carbon footprint assessment is crucial in the calculation.  

2- What surprised you about your company’s Carbon footprint calculation?

Ms. Zhao Fang: What surprised me most is that the part of the emissions related to our electricity consumption takes more than 98% of Scopes 1 & 2. Although I knew it was very common to have big electricity consumption emissions in Scope 1 & 2, I did not expect it to take such a large part.

3- Did you expect this ratio between scopes 1, 2, and 3?

Ms. Zhao Fang: Before the carbon footprint calculation, I did not have any expectations. Indeed, I did not know the method of Carbon Footprint calculation, and what were the different categories. I did not understand the way to calculate it and what different scopes it included. This is a huge project which includes many factors to consider. But with TERAO’s method and help, we finally completed the work successfully. TERAO provided us with various elements. After we got the results, we had a clarification meeting with TERAO to understand well the ratio of our total carbon footprint between Scopes 1, 2, and 3. It is very insightful to understand which categories of emission sources we should focus our efforts on to reduce our carbon footprint.

4- Did the Carbon footprint calculation process make you rethink the way your company operated?

Ms. Zhao Fang: Yes, this process, made me rethink how to engage our employees. Indeed, we need them to be aware of what carbon footprint is and how to change our mindset and our behavior to reduce as much as possible GHG emissions both from the company operations and daily behaviors. 

Therefore, we planned various sustainability-related topics training for different function employees, including awareness & mindset change, skill development, etc. for the coming years. This is a starting point. From now on, we are contributing by putting the concept of sustainability into our daily lives, and it will be translated into our work lives.

Big thanks to Ms. ZHAO Fang for her time and feedback on her experience through Step 2 of a carbon footprint calculation. Stay tuned for the next Step interview about Carbon Footprint calculation!

If you need a carbon footprint assessment of your asset, you can contact our BD manager Gaspard at glemoinescelles@teraoasia.com. We would be glad to accompany you to assess your asset’s carbon footprint to make the right decisions on how to reduce it and implement an action plan.