A new report, “Best Practices Carbon Management”, by research company Verdantix has indicated that businesses could see material risks by 2012 if they do not address, from the top, their carbon management. The report concludes that if businesses want to take their carbon reductions seriously, the responsibility and management of emissions has to be undertaken by the company CEO.
Verdantix claim that failure to reduce CO2 emissions substantially arises when the ownership of carbon management is ‘passed off’ as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) issue. Sufficient authority is required for any carbon management official to establish and execute strong and effective plans.
A further conclusion in the report suggests that the opportunity of carbon management and transformation would best be handled with a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) operating at board level with the associated authority and budget to be effective.
Verdantix director, David Metcalfe, commented; “Absolute reductions in CO2 emissions require transformational change across governance, strategic thinking and process redesign. Time is running out for CEOs to act before the jaws of greenhouse gas compliance regimes and competitive pressures on sustainability close around them."
Visit Verdantix website and view report.