Know your numbers - GHG Accounting
One of the key pillars of jumping into Third Era Sustainability Consulting’s Sustainable Business Accelerator is getting nice and cosy with your numbers.
UGH! NUMBERS!
Numbers are not something I’ve been overly excited about in the past - just ask my tax accountant Dad who has been party to several arguments (and tears) over maths homework across the years! But recently I’ve become more intimate and acquainted with my numbers. Starting in business has meant understanding my financials, budgeting better and building my relationship with Xero…
(Thanks CoCollaborate, Dad and Bree!).
Alongside traditional financial numbers, it is now expected that businesses need to get acquainted with a whole lot of other numbers. These include deep diving into Greenhouse Gas (GHG) accounting, water footprints, waste to landfill or understanding what you are spending with diverse suppliers in your supply chain. And although this may start off being scary, it’s a SUPER important aspect of getting into the Sustainable Business game.
Knowing your sustainability numbers brings clarity to where you have the most impact, helps track your progress over time and is vital information to share with your investors, customers and staff for transparency and authenticity.
Although I could cover a whole piece on this, a great person to take the reigns at this point is one of NZ’s top comedians Brett McKenzie and everyone’s favourite wool sneakers All Birds - give it a watch below.
So - as a part of the Wao Summit 2021, with the help of Environmental Accounting Services here in Wānaka, I got acquainted with my GHG Footprint. Now usually a Footprint would be developed over your last complete year of data, but at the time of writing I have only been in business for six months. … wait, hang on, six months in business????
Taking a moment to celebrate our win’s over here at Third Era!
Anyway back to it! My footprint is based on my first six months in business and I have used this to baseline the next six months to get a full 12 month picture. Let’s take a look..
WOW. Beautiful numbers!
What does this actually mean? Well it means that over the last 6 months and over the next 6 months I expect (through the Third Era Business) to emit 1.33TC02e into the atmosphere. Which looks a bit like this… (plus a third more)
So even as a sustainability professional I’m still emitting. But now knowing my numbers I can start taking action to reduce my emissions.
There are a few options I can take here but here is what I’ve decided:
1. Reduce my flights. As for a lot of businesses this the most impactful solution for me. Through COVID it should be reasonably easy, however the challenge will be when things open up again.
2. Investigate switching my working from home electricity to Ecotricity or other carbon neutral providers.
3. STOP driving to work. Even with awareness and consciousness I’ve fallen into bad habits since moving to Wānaka where I am driving to work at least once a week - this is mainly due to comfort and convenience and the ease of parking in town. My goal between now and the end of the year is to build my habit of biking or walking to work EVERY DAY. Goodbye car!
So! Do you know your numbers? If not, book in a call with Third Era to start building your relationship with your data, get clarity and building your authentic and genuine sustainability practice.
