Carbon offsetting: a beginner’s guide for small-medium business in Australia

As part of a small or mid-sized Australian business, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to carbon reduction and carbon offsetting. And we get it – there are only so many hours in each day and you’ve got a lot on your plate. That’s why we’ve pulled together this guide. Keep reading to learn the environmental and financial benefits, a few challenges that may crop up, and how your business can get started.

You’ve definitely heard of carbon dioxide. It’s the most common greenhouse gas and it’s generated by burning fossil fuels to power our homes, vehicles and businesses. These processes create carbon emissions, which trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to global warming.

Your business produces emissions in lots of ways. Heating and cooling your premises, transporting your products, and powering your equipment all produce carbon and other greenhouse gases. Those emissions trap heat in our atmosphere and are affecting our climate.

For many businesses, carbon offsetting involved funding projects to remove greenhouse gas emissions. This is in order to compensate for the emissions your organisation produces – your carbon footprint. Funding reforestation projects, which sequester carbon from the atmosphere, is a great way for your organisation to offset carbon emissions, become more sustainable, and meet your environmental sustainability goals.

Apart from helping you meet your environmental sustainability goals, carbon reduction benefits small to medium businesses in lots of ways:

• Reduced energy costs: reducing your carbon footprint can boost energy efficiency, reducing costs over time
• Increase customer loyalty: prioritising carbon reduction can make your business more attractive to environmentally conscious customers
• Improve staff recruitment: attract higher quality, values-aligned team members by living and communicating your values.

Reducing our collective carbon emissions is essential for the health of the planet. We’re already seeing the devastating effects of climate change—rising sea levels, more frequent and intense heat waves, and more severe weather events.

But there’s good news. When your business supports projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, you become part of a global effort to combat climate change. Not only that, carbon reduction supports sustainable development projects, like clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and forest conservation. These projects not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also provide social and economic benefits to local communities.

Apart from helping you meet your environmental sustainability goals, carbon reduction benefits small to medium businesses in lots of ways¹:

• Reduced energy costs: reducing your carbon footprint can boost energy efficiency, reducing costs over time
• Increase customer loyalty: prioritising carbon reduction can make your business more attractive to environmentally conscious customers
• Improve staff recruitment: attract higher quality, values-aligned team members by living and communicating your values.
• Attract investment: sustainable business practices may be attractive for investors looking to partner with companies with a long-term sustainability strategy. 

1. “Reducing Emissions to Lessen Climate Change Would Yield …”. 30 Nov. 2021

We’ll be honest. Carbon offsetting does come with some challenges. This is mostly due to the lack of standardised methods for measuring carbon footprints. Not only that, it can be hard to tell which offsetting organisations are providing good projects. With nearly 800 different carbon offsetting projects across Australia.

That’s where Carbon Positive Australia comes in.

If you’re keen to do something tangible for the climate, partnering with Carbon Positive Australia is the way to do it. Start by calculating your business carbon footprint to measure your emissions. Choose from our quick business footprint calculator or take a deep dive into our comprehensive calculator for an accurate carbon footprint across all business activities.   

And if the idea of calculating your carbon footprint gives you the heebie-jeebies, contact Catherine and Lauren at Carbon Positive Australia on 08 9200 2983. They’ll be happy to discuss how your business can reduce its carbon emissions and support carbon offsetting projects across Australia.

 ”Offsetting your emissions: Greenwashing or a win for the environment?”. 31 Aug. 2020