Carry out the GHG inventory® of your company

First of all, carrying out a greenhouse gas assessment, also known as a carbon footprint, enables a company to accurately assess its carbon footprint and understand the main source of each of its greenhouse gas emissions. 

The main difference between the Bilan Carbone and the Bilan GES lies in the definition of the emissions accounting perimeter.

In the Ademe methodology, the GHG inventory® calculation takes into account the entire life cycle of a company's products or services. This enables a global assessment of the company's GHG emissions, and the identification of any sources of savings.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are assessed on the basis of consumption, using conversion factors specific to each energy source. This makes it possible to standardize measurements and obtain a quantity of emissions expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).

In other words, it's a simple matter of multiplying your activity data (in kWh, units, liters, €) by an emission factor (average quantity of greenhouse gas emissions for 1 unit of your activity data).

To calculate your GHG footprint, all you need to do is make an inventory of all your activities that directly and indirectly emit greenhouse gases, and convert them using an emission factor.

Apart from regulatory obligations (especially since the decree n°2022-982), carrying out a carbon inventory is an essential step for a company because it makes it possible to identify and list the greenhouse gas emission headings directly or indirectly linked to its activity.

Carrying out your first carbon inventory will enable initial measurement and detection of the main emission headings. This will make it easier to identify potential reduction opportunities and define a low-carbon strategy for your company.

Carrying out regular Carbon Inventories over time will be an opportunity to adjust your action plan and to ensure that your objectives for reducing the environmental impact of your business are met.

For an accurate measurement of greenhouse gas emissions, it is necessary to identify all of the emission headings of the company. This means it is necessary to carry out an inventory of its activity data:

• Energy consumption (gas, oil, diesel, petrol, electricity, etc. .....)
• Depreciating assets (real estate, fleet of vehicles, computer equipment, furniture, etc.)
• Purchases of goods (raw materials, materials, food, etc.)
• Purchases of services (internet contract, maintenance and installation of equipment, supplies of services, fees, etc....)
• Movement of people: employee commuting, business travel, visitors and customers, etc. .....
• Haulage
• Disposal
• Use and end of life of products sold.

Although it is recommended to be as exhaustive as possible in identifying emission headings, it is possible to start with financial data and to refine the accuracy of the data over time. We recommend that you carry out your inventory in stages, starting with your largest expenditure items first.

Reducing the carbon footprint of your company is a multi-step process:

• Carry out an initial assessment of your carbon footprint.
• Identify the most important emission headings, and find ways to reduce them by improving the accuracy of the data used for measurement.
• Involve your suppliers by asking them to calculate the carbon footprint of the goods and services they supply. The measurement will be all the more accurate and you will then be able to implement a responsible purchasing strategy.
• Set up an action plan and a measurement strategy over time to ensure that it is implemented and effective.