5 sustainable certifications and goals to boost your company
What is the purpose of environmental certification?
Oggi la sostenibilità ambientale e l’attenzione per l’ambiente sono diventati elementi imprescindibili anche per le aziende: sono sempre di più i consumatori attenti all’ambiente, anche quando si tratta di fare acquisti. Allo stesso modo, anche gli investitori considerano la sostenibilità ambientale come elemento prioritario per capire verso quale azienda direzionare i propri capitali.
Tra claim etici, bollini verdi e autodichiarazioni, però, è difficile capire quali aziende siano realmente impegnate in un percorso concreto verso la sostenibilità ambientale. Qui entrano in gioco le certificazioni ambientali.
Una certificazione ambientale assicura il raggiungimento di obiettivi stabiliti tramite misure concrete e, per questo motivo, rappresenta il miglior modo per creare un rapporto di fiducia con clienti e investitori. Vediamo allora quali sono e come ottenerle.
Which environmental certifications are most in demand and help the company grow? Let's look at 2 of the most relevant
There are several environmental certifications that a company can obtain; 2 of the most internationally relevant are:
- certification B Corp;
- PAS 2060 certification.
B Corp Certification
This is the certification awarded by B Lab, which guarantees adherence to high standards in terms of social, environmental performance, transparency and accountability. The certification is internationally recognized and can be communicated by the company through the use of the B Corp. logo.
What benefits are obtained?
- Increase thepositive impact towards staff, environment and community, resulting in attracting talent to the company in line with the values made explicit by the certification.
- You become part of a community where the same business approach is shared and where you can exchange knowledge and best practices;
- Amplify your visibility with an internationally recognized and respected certification.
How is certification obtained?
- Integration of B Corp objectives into corporate governance.
- Completion of the BIA (impact assessment questionnaire) and Disclosure Questionnaire (transparency questionnaire).
- Improvement of one's BIA score, which is calculated during questionnaire completion.
- Evaluation by B Lab analysts on 'eligibility for certification.
- Verification of input data and a time for comparison between the company and B Lab analysts.
- Obtaining certification.
Certification must be renewed every three years by updating the questionnaire and subsequent steps.
How much does the certification cost?
B Corp certification has a cost to the company based on its turnover and is divided into two steps along the way:
- sending the BIA questionnaire: the fee can range from €250 to €900;
- Annual fee: from €2000 and up.
Do you want to become a B Corp company? Up2You walks you through the path to certification. Find out how to become a B Corp!
PAS 2060 certification
PAS 2060 is a certification awarded by British Standard Institution that certifies carbon neutrality, ensuring uniformity of carbon footprint calculation, reduction, offsetting and reporting techniques. The certification is internationally recognized and can be communicated through a customized logo.
What benefits are obtained?
- Competitive and reputational advantages in the market by positioning itself strongly on the issue of combating climate change through a transparent and verifiable pathway.
- Alignment with key European and international emission mitigation targets.
- Improved management of business activities, including by reducing operating costs.
How is certification obtained?
The carbon neutrality certification pathway according to PAS 2060, consists of 4 stages.
- Measurement: consists of the calculation of the organization's carbon footprint following the methodologies indicated by the main international standards, including the GHG Protocol. In particular, the following must be included in the calculation scope:
- 100 percent of emissions from sources directly controlled by the organization (Scope 1);
- 100 percent of emissions from energy consumption (Scope 2);
- indirect emissions (Scope 3), which contribute more than 1 percent of the total.
- Reduction: this is the development of a roadmap to reduce future emissions; it is a key part of compliance with the standard, as for each application period you are required to demonstrate continuous improvement in emission reduction.
- Offsetting: the carbon footprint remaining after reductions made must be offset through the purchase of carbon credits approved by major international credit schemes, such as Gold Standard and VCS (Verra).
- Validation and Communication: the achievement of the neutrality goal must be declared with publication of all documentation produced in the previous steps. The resulting document is valid annually and must be made public through the organization's official communication channels.
How much does the certification cost?
PAS 2060 certification involves an investment on the part of the company, which varies depending on the path one decides to take and the third-party entity chosen for compensation.
What other environmental goals can a company achieve?
These were 2 of the main environmental certifications, but there are many other milestones you can achieve in the sustainable sphere to improve your corporate image and boost your business while doing good for the environment.
The Up2You Insight team has put together an infographic with the top 5 sustainable milestones you can achieve, in which you will find the benefits of each, the costs, and the steps to achieve them.
Download it for free!
