Carbon Footprinting Certification Scheme

What is a Business Carbon Footprint?

A business carbon footprint is the measure of the impact that business activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide.

The footprint analogy is used to note something that is left behind for future generations and implies that the larger and heavier the footprint the longer its implications will last.

In order to determine the carbon footprint of a business it is necessary to collect reliable data that reflect business activities.

The Scheme

With carbon emissions now generally accepted as the chief cause of climate change, the action a company takes to reduce its carbon footprint has become a key measure of its social responsibility and ability to move with the times.

Reducing your company's carbon footprint can bring very real commercial advantages. It helps you to stay ahead of the competition, and ahead of the legislation that will inevitably be enforced to curb emissions.

Most importantly, it helps you to meet your customers' expectations - and increasingly, their insistence - that the companies they deal with will behave responsibly and sustainably.

The BRE Global Carbon Footprinting Certification Scheme (CFCS) has been designed to allow small and medium enterprises (SME's) to report their annual carbon footprint by providing ongoing independent, third party assessment of the enterprise's environmental performance (Carbon Footprint).

The scheme operates within two distinct areas:

• Training and licensing of Carbon Footprint Assessors (CFA)
• Assessment and certification of Business Carbon Footprints by licensed assessors

Carbon Footprint Assessors

For the operation of the scheme, carbon footprint assessments must be carried out by licensed assessors, who have completed the approved training course and successfully passed the end of training examination.  

• To view full licenced assessor listings, please click here: Visit our Listing Pages.
• For full details on becoming an assessor, please visit our training pages at www.bre.co.uk/cfcs.  

Assessment and Certification

• Carbon Footprinting Certification Scheme Document - SD180
• Application Form - BF 964
• Terms & Conditions - PN101
• Complaints and Appeals - PN100-5
• Use of the Certification Mark - PN 103

 

To apply for your business' carbon footprint to be assessed as part of the CFCS, please complete and return the application form to: Carbon Footprinting Certification Scheme, John Holden, BRE Global, Bucknalls Lane, Garston, Watford, WD25 9XX.

Upon receipt, your application will be reviewed for eligibility and an assessor will be chosen from the approved list.  The assessor will arrange a date to visit your premises. 

All applications and contracts are subject to the Standard Terms and Conditions as detailed in PN101 available for download above.  

Once the application and data have been reviewed and verified by BRE Global a certificate will be issued containing the following information:

• Name and address of the enterprise
• Details of the assessed business including size of premises, number of floors and additional buildings
• A carbon footprint for the enterprise
• Details of how the certificate can be used
• Date of expiry of the certificate - the certificate is valid for 12months from the date of issue
• A disclaimer to state that the assessment is based on information verified on the assessment date and that no liability can be accepted for changes to the business activities after the visit.

One of the main aims of the scheme is to encourage businesses to reduce their carbon footprint, hence at the certificate stage generic information on carbon reduction will be made available, together with signposting to further sources of information.

For further information, please click to download CFCS Frequently Asked Questions

Latest News

For latest CFCS news, please visit our newspages: Green Book Live News Page