At FRM, we believe in leading by example. As we face anthropogenic climate change, arguably one of the biggest challenges that we face as a species today, the simple fact is: we must decrease our carbon impacts on the environment and within a challenging timeframe transition to a net-zero society.

Whilst we help our clients understand and decrease the carbon impacts of their activities and services, we at FRM have been conscious of the impact that we as a company have on our environment.

As such, in light of the above, we measure and understand our carbon footprint in the first instance, and then pledge to become at least a carbon neutral business and at best a carbon negative business. Our approach and performance is set out below.

Methodology

To estimate our carbon impacts, we take into account our scope 1,2 and 3 emissions. We excluded scope 3 emissions associated with stationery and office supply orders and the carbon impacts associated with their supply chain. The factors that we used were a combination of DEFRA and Zero Waste Scotland factors, the latter provide more detail around waste management.

• Our long-standing office energy supplier (Ecotricity) is carbon neutral (gas and electric), as such the emissions associated with power supply were transmission and distribution losses.
• For our water usage, we accounted for usage and treatment, as well as transmission and distribution associated losses for the heat and steam used in the office.
• We calculated the above based on our bills.
• Further, we estimated how much travel to the office (including hotel stays) and other client-related travel we, as a company, carry out in a year.
• Similarly, we estimated the carbon impacts of our employees working from home (laptop, light, heating etc.), this is the prime form of FRM working since March 2020, and remains so.
• Lastly, we estimated the amount of waste produced in the office and the end destinations of the various waste streams to calculate the associated carbon impacts of waste produced at HQ.
• The estimates for the calendar year of 2021 and the projected estimates for the current calendar year of 2022, are included below.

Results

As shown above, our 2021 estimate rests at 1.8 tons of CO2e. The majority of emissions (47%) for 2021 were associated with us working from home due to lockdown and COVID impacts on return to office. This was followed by periodic travel to the office (37%).

For 2022, the projected estimate rests at 3.4 tons of CO2e. Whilst still modest this is significantly higher than the previous year. A few reasons exist for this. Our FRM team has grown since 2021, and more frequent travel to the office through hybrid working and to physically meet with clients is expected to be undertaken.

We will be reviewing our 2022 estimate over the course of the rest of the year and refining it as and when the data are generated and recorded.

Towards Net-Zero

The above exercise allows us to have a better idea of our carbon impacts. As such, we wished to offset these carbon impacts with aspirations to become a carbon neutral and (ultimately) carbon negative business.

We opted for an offsetting scheme offered by Carbon Neutral Britain. Here we are offsetting 20 tons CO2e every year by planting 360 trees in sustainable projects around the world. We opted for this scheme for a few reasons, 1) it offsets a considerably higher amount than our estimated emissions, 2) provides a socially and globally responsible offsetting initiative by creating employment in underdeveloped regions with reforestation and land management projects , 3) contributes to a little more than just a carbon offset, by restoring essential ecosystems for wildlife that had otherwise been adversely impacted by anthropogenic activities.

Further, all our staff are extremely passionate about climate change and going forwards, together as a team, we wish to minimise our environmental impacts as best we can.

We routinely deliver carbon assessments for our clients (from foot-printing facilities and/or organisations, to understanding carbon impacts of various waste management services and operations). For advice on carbon assessment and impacts contact muaaz@frithrm.com or call 01746 552423.