First Carbon launches "world's first" carbon outsourcing service

Global outsourcing provider ADEC Solutions has this week launched a new carbon data management subsidiary, FirstCarbon, which it is touting as the first outsourcing firm to allow companies to hand over their carbon measurement and reporting activities to a third party.

The new company also promises to help UK firms comply with the imminent Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) legislation, which from next year will require around 5,000 firms to report on their carbon emissions.

Speaking to BusinessGreen.com, company director Ian McGowan said that while numerous green consultancies were offering firms advice on how to comply with carbon reporting requirements, none were able to undertake the complex and time-consuming work necessary to collect and report on energy use and carbon emissions.

"We don't pretend to have huge expertise in carbon offsets and strategy and so on, but we are able to look at the granular level and pull together the information firms need to work out their carbon footprint and report on it," he said, adding that the company's aim was to provide firms with reports that are fully compliant with the CRC.

FirstCarbon also expects to offer customers a more cost-effective means of reporting on emissions by emulating ADEC's offshore outsourcing model.

"ADEC's experience in business process outsourcing means we already understand how to handle much of the data that will be required, such as accounts payable information and fuel costs," explained McGowan. "And by using our facilities in the Philippines we would expect to offer cost savings of 35 to 40 per cent compared with doing the work in-house or using a UK-based consultancy. "

Company chief executive Jim Donovan said that he was expecting significant demand from firms struggling to comply with the CRC.

"It’s clear many UK companies are far behind schedule with their preparations to meet CRC regulations," he said. "This is no doubt because it is very labour intensive and administrative for companies to monitor and measure emissions-related information… Companies still need help with the repetitive task of gathering invoices, metering data, receipts, countless surveys and vehicle logs, while chasing their suppliers to do the same. This is the core capability of FirstCarbon."

McGowan said that the company already had a number of ADEC's US clients signed up to the service and was in talks with four potential clients in the UK.