Three quarters of large companies reducing emissions

Nearly three quarters of large companies are undertaking strategies to reduce their carbon emissions, according to a survey, undermining claims by some businesses that a credit crunch is incompatible with environmental strategies.

The survey by EcoSecurities and ClimateBiz – which sampled responses from 65 leading large and multinational corporations from different verticals – also found that 88 per cent of organisations were undertaking carbon offsetting activities or would consider doing so.

“What is extremely encouraging about this research is seeing how seriously corporations are taking the issue of climate change, and how proactive many of them are being in developing long-term strategies to minimise their carbon impact,” said Lisa Ashford, head of commercialisation at Ecosecurities.

The survey highlighted the importance of transparency in the carbon offsetting industry, which has come in for much criticism in the past for outsourcing environmental concerns without addressing them.

Experience and brand reputation of the carbon credit supplier are ranked as most important when making a purchasing decision, at nearly 88 per cent and 86 per cent respectively.

The most desirable project location for the purchase of carbon offsets was north America, closely followed by south America.

"The survey shows that the voluntary carbon market is becoming much more transparent in terms of pricing, preferred project types and locations of offset projects," said Ashford.

The survey found that businesses were motivated by a number of factors, including saving money, demand from customers, compliance with regulation and brand reputation.