What is a carbon footprint and how at BTSA we help reduce it
The consequences of climate change, together with the commitment that companies and society have acquired with the environment, have made “carbon footprint” a fundamental term in the field of sustainability.
Like people, corporations also carry out activities that produce gases that increase the greenhouse effect, such as energy consumption or the manufacture and transport of their products. In this sense, companies have the option of reducing or offsetting their carbon footprint, regardless of whether their emissions are direct or indirect.
Among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) we find many synergies with the production processes that we develop, which is why BTSA’s Corporate Social Responsibility policy actively contributes to each and every one of the factors included in these objectives.
What is a carbon footprint and why is reducing it vital to curb climate change?
A carbon footprint is an environmental metric that represents the total volume of greenhouse gases (GHG) generated by a person, a group, an organization, a company or even a product or service. This indicator measures both direct and indirect emissions of compounds that are directly related to the increase in the Earth’s temperature.
The main greenhouse gases are methane (CH4), nitrogen oxide (N2O), ozone (O3) and, above all, carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the most abundant and the one that contributes the most to the global warming, accounting for approximately two-thirds of all types of GHG.
The data that reflects the carbon footprint is expressed in tons of CO2 emitted, and it is important to know it because the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere causes the planet to overheat, which accelerates climate change. Calculating the carbon footprint emitted by both people and companies should serve to implement initiatives that reduce emissions to the maximum.
Personal carbon footprint vs. Corporate carbon footprint
A person’s carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by their daily activity, which can be affected by people’s lifestyle and behavior habits (transportation, use of energy resources, food, etc. ).
However, the corporate carbon footprint is the amount of GHG produced during all business activity. Organizations or companies can calculate and reduce their carbon footprint throughout the product life cycle, measuring GHG emissions throughout the production chain, as well as during consumption or final disposal. But it is also important to improve energy efficiency and consume 100% renewable energy.
Reducing or eliminating greenhouse gases generated from the consumption habits of people and the products or processes of an organization is one of the solutions that society in general can adopt to curb the consequences of climate change and comply with the objectives established in the sustainability strategies.
To do this, reducing consumption in general is the most efficient way to save emissions on the planet. The 3Rs rule (reduce, recycle and reuse) is the guide to follow to reduce your carbon footprint.
Beyond the production processes: Awareness and Training
In addition to taking care of production processes to reduce the impact of their activity, companies must contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals with internal policies that promote the contribution and personal awareness of employees, customers and partners.
In this sense, BTSA has launched training programs for the correct use and saving of water, one of the most scarce and necessary natural assets. Raising awareness about the problem and knowing solutions for saving and responsible management of resources is essential for personal contribution to these objectives.
In addition, the use of renewable energy sources also contributes a significant reduction in the carbon footprint: the use of solar panels in our facilities for energy production and for sanitary hot water, the use of hybrid or electric vehicles for business use or prioritize the train over other transport methods for our sales team, represent a significant saving in energy consumption and help to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
Innovation is part of our DNA, and research and development resources are also contributing to improvements in the formulation of more sustainable products and technology at the service of efficiency in production processes. The reduction in the consumption of energy and raw materials is key in this process optimization.
