Why your association should take an interest in carbon footprinting: a guide to reducing your carbon footprint

Organizations large and small also generate greenhouse gas emissions. On a smaller scale than industries or multinationals, they consume resources and energy, and organize events.

 

Every use of energy for office purposes, every trip by volunteers or staff members, as well as the purchase of goods and services, all contribute to emissions.

 

Let's take the example of a charity that organizes events on a regular basis. Each of these events requires the use of premises, sometimes heated or air-conditioned, travel for participants and staff, and the purchase of equipment. All this has a measurable impact. Although some activities are less important than others, it is still necessary to measure the environmental impact of each activity so as to be able to adapt and develop in the best possible way.

 

Efforts to reduce this carbon footprint not only help to preserve the environment but also reinforce the association's positive image with its stakeholders. It shows a concrete commitment to the fight against climate change.

 

One concrete example is the investment made by Secours Catholiquein this plan to combat climate change. They support the most impacted communities while integrating initiatives to reduce their carbon contribution through various local and international offers and initiatives.

The concept of carbon neutrality involves achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gases emitted and the amount offset or eliminated. This may seem an ambitious goal for any organization, but it is perfectly achievable with the right climate strategy. Carbon neutrality does not mean reducing emissions to zero, but ensuring that for every tonne of CO2 emitted, an equivalent amount is offset or reduced. The first step in the fight against GHG emissions is to reduce them. Before considering offsetting solutions,it is crucial to identify and minimize all avoidable sources of emissions. Once all possible reduction measures have been implemented, and only incompressible emissions remain, it then makes sense to turn to offsetting mechanisms. It is possible to achieve this balance by adopting solutions such as investing in carbon offset projects (e.g. reforestation, renewable energies), and taking part in a local action that promotes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions while creating green jobs. In addition, some foundations, such as Action Contre la Faimhave committed to offsetting their carbon contribution by investing in community projects in the countries they support, in line with the recommendations of the APCC (Association des Professionnels en Conseil Climat Énergie & Environnement). In France, the United Nations'Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs ), as well as the Paris Agreementare pushing all structures to aim for carbon neutrality by 2050. This gives organizations a clear roadmap to align their initiatives with international standards and participate in this collective effort. To take things a step further, the GCI platform offers solutions for integrating emissions management directly into the day-to-day running of organizations. By opting for a solution like GCI, a collective can not only measure and reduce its environmental impact but also select compensation projects tailored to its ecological objectives. This approach enables them to enhance their reputation as a key player in the ecological transition, while actively contributing to climate neutrality.

Carrying out a greenhouse gas assessment requires a methodical and rigorous approach based on recognized standards. For organizations, this starts with the identification of all sources of GHG emissions, including energy consumed on the premises, travel by members or staff, and the purchase of goods or services.

 

This assessment may seem complex, but there are several solutions and platforms, such as Global Climate Initiatives (GCI), that facilitate analysis by providing automated dashboards and reports.

 

The most widely used methodology is that proposed by theAdemewhich is based on a scopes approach. This approach makes it possible to classify results by emissions category, thus facilitating analysis of the most emitting items. This paves the way for the development of specific strategies to reduce these significant items.

 

By opting for a platform like GCI, a foundation can follow a simplified path, with dedicated modules for each sector of activity and recommendations on the efforts to be made. The tool enables an annual assessment to be carried out according to needs and available resources, enabling a long-term strategy to be created and emissions to be tracked over time.

GHG emissions are classified into three scopes, which make it easier to understand and prioritize the various sources of emissions:

 

• Scope 1️⃣: These are direct emissions resulting from the company's own activities, such as the use of vehicles, heating of offices or company premises.

 

• Scope 2️⃣: These are indirect emissions linked to energy consumption, such as electricity or heat used in the structure's premises.

 

• Scope 3️⃣: This scope includes all other indirect emissions, notably those generated by purchases (supplies, equipment), travel by volunteers or staff members, and waste management.

 

Organizations with large numbers of volunteers and/or which regularly organize public events may have a high scope 3, requiring specific initiatives to reduce this climate impact.

 

For example, a sports association that organizes international events has to take into account the air travel of its participants, which is often very costly when it comes to an environmental report.

 

By identifying the breakdown of emissions from scopes 1, 2 and 3, a local authority can easily prioritize the initiatives to be implemented and gradually reduce its impact, thereby strengthening its image in the community.

 

To find out more about how to calculate these emissions, visit the Global Climate Initiatives online tool, which offers modules tailored to each type of local authority.

Carrying out a carbon audit can be a costly undertaking for any organization. Fortunately, there is funding available to support these initiatives, enabling structures to contribute to the ecological transition without adding too much to their budget.

 

ADEME offers subsidies and support for organizations committed to reducing their emissions. These financial aids can cover part of the cost of assessing and implementing carbon reduction strategies. Some local authorities and regions also offer financial support for initiatives that promote carbon mitigation, whether in the form of assessment measures or concrete actions.

 

For more ambitious projects, European funding such as the European Social Fund (ESF) and the LIFE program support environmental and climate initiatives. These subsidies can be used for projects that include a carbon audit.

 

This financial support enables structures to embark on a new ecological transition initiative without undue budgetary pressure, and to align themselves with current environmental objectives.

Once your community has completed its carbon footprint, it's essential to put in place a concrete method for reducing its carbon footprint. Strategies may vary according to size and type of activity, but here are some common initiatives:

 

• Improve the energy efficiency of premises: use LED light bulbs, install solar panels or replace heating systems with more sustainable solutions such as heat pumps can reduce emissions by 60% to 70% compared to gas or oil heating. In France, several structures have opted for solutions of this type, notably for their offices.

 

• Reduce travel by opting for videoconferencing: Many charitable foundations now hold their meetings remotely, to reduce the need to travel. A simple solution, but one that can considerably reduce transport-related emissions.

For example, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) uses videoconferencing to coordinate its projects worldwide. By organizing meetings remotely, the organization has been able to reduce the need for travel, particularly for international projects. They are committed to reducing their emissions by at least 50% from 2019 levels by 2030.

 

• Opt for greener modes of transport: If your volunteers or employees need to travel, encourage them to opt for low-emission means of transport, such as the train, carpooling or electric vehicles.

Some organizations also offer incentives for the use of shared vehicles, or discounted public transport passes for their members. Not only does this help reduce travel-related emissions, it also strengthens ties between foundation members.

 

• Optimizing the purchase and management of supplies: The scope 3 impact of local authority purchasing can also be significant. By choosing local suppliers or eco-responsible items, you can reduce this impact.
  For example, some organizations now buy their communication materials (brochures, flyers) on recycled paper and from suppliers who are FSCcertified suppliers, which guarantees responsible forest management. This not only helps reduce CO2 emissions, but also helps preserve biodiversity.

 

To take this a step further, the GCI platform offers the Decarbo'Supply® service, which helps local authorities and charitable foundations select suppliers and products according to their carbon contribution. This tool centralizes purchasing data, tracks the associated carbon footprint, and generates a precise accounting of emissions linked to supplies. 

 

By using Decarbo'Supply®, charitable foundations can also set carbon reduction targets in their purchasing strategies. The tool provides a comparative analysis that enables them to prioritize options with a smaller environmental footprint and align purchasing choices with low-carbon transition commitments.

 

In this way, Decarbo'Supply® provides invaluable support for every purchasing decision, helping to optimize choices towards a lower environmental impact and in line with responsible development objectives.

A relevant example is that of WWF, which favors the use of biodegradable materials for its events, and engages local partners to reduce the greenhouse gases generated by transport.