This article first appeared on The Economist website.
Amazon says it will be carbon-neutral by 2040. Apple says it will get there by 2030. Microsoft even says it will be carbon-negative by 2030 - in other words, the company will start removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and it plans to have removed all its historical carbon emissions by 2050.
It is good news for the planet that grand pledges from big companies have become increasingly commonplace. But where do companies that are not globe-spanning multinationals fit in?
"Smaller companies can pursue carbon-neutrality just like any other firm," says Nick Aster of South Pole, a sustainability consultancy. The process is the same regardless of the size of the organisation: understand your carbon footprint by measuring your emissions; set an ambition, such as being net-zero or carbon negative; and take action by reducing and offsetting those emissions.
As well as being the right thing to do for the planet as a whole, it can deliver immediate advantages. Take energy procurement. A close look at where a........
Read the whole article on The Economist website.
