There is value in embracing a sustainable strategy, and it starts with the thorough understanding of your enterprise’s carbon footprint.

The benefits of implementing environmentally-friendly initiatives at an enterprise level include increased efficiencies, profitability and market share, and reduced costs and business risks.

Being aware of the carbon footprint levels of your business operations is the starting point to identify areas of the business where harmful emissions, and costs associated, can be reduced.

You cannot manage properly what you cannot measure. On the same principle, your organisation needs to be able to measure its carbon footprint level before enforcing the management regulations concerning sustainability.

Measurement also allows your organisation to understand its risk associated with pending legislation and carbon taxation.

The following steps are necessary to address the sustainability and carbon footprint of the enterprise’s operations:

• Identify opportunities to reduce energy and carbon emissions costs
• Disclose current carbon emissions levels and proposed environmental initiatives to stakeholders, employees, and clients
• Train staff on the importance of best environmental policies and skills
• Subscribe to international green standards, e.g. ISO 14001: 2015 framework
• Demonstrate environmental stewardship in the marketplace by voluntary adopting green practices

Notwithstanding cost reduction and financial benefits, your organisation should make a conscious effort to manage its carbon emission and the overall environmental impact in the interest of a safer and healthier workplace.

Implementing an integrated management system can address the effective management of environmental impact from a strategy and policy level, at the heart of the organisation.

There are multiple benefits of making use of an integrated environmental sustainability system:

• Visibility and monitoring of carbon, water, and waste footprint
• Efficient monitoring air quality, energy, and noise levels
• Proactive management of environmental risks and opportunities
• Increased ability to meet improvement targets and efficiency initiatives
• Alignment of environmental policies to the organisation’s objectives
• Performance tracking and compliance with environmental laws and regulations

In conclusion, an integrated environmental sustainability system allows leadership to make informed decisions to minimise environmental risk, identify opportunities, and improve environmental performance – starting with the effective monitoring of carbon footprint.

ENVIRX, part of the XGRC product range, enables organisations to manage their risk-based material environmental impacts in an integrated manner. ENVIRX is built on GRI G4 standard management and the ISO 14001: 2015 standard framework.

ENVIRX uses the same dynamic framework to measure, trend and report on their impact area, i.e., materials, water, energy, biodiversity, effluents and emissions amongst others.

ENVIRX’s Energy Monitoring module allows for the monitoring and measurement of all energy items that are material in the determination of the enterprise’s carbon footprint.