Many organisations measuring their carbon emissions are using manual processes to gather large amounts of data which, together with maintaining the relevant calculation methodologies, is time consuming and unsustainable in the context of a growing number of compliance based reporting demands.  Automating the measurement, management and reporting of carbon emissions with Acco2unt, allows organisations to achieve significant efficiencies and refocus their resources on carbon reduction initiatives across their business.  

As one of the first companies benefiting from the partnership, John Blain, CSR partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP commented, “The initial challenge for any organisation when establishing a comprehensive carbon management strategy is to accurately collate and measure its carbon footprint. Multi site organisations such as ours  face numerous complexities, for example the development of a consistent methodology, metric versus imperial data, leased versus owned office space, and ensuring reports are all in the same format. The Acco2unt solution has enabled us to analyse our office footprint data against specified metrics so we can work with The CarbonNeutral Company to focus on reaching our carbon reduction targets.”

Neil Braun, Chief Executive Officer, The CarbonNeutral Company said, “Effective and accurate measurement of CO2 emissions is the first step for an organisation to establish a comprehensive carbon management strategy. We work with established independent third party advisors who provide accurate data and user friendly reporting tools.  Using online reporting tools such as the Greenstone Acco2unt solution will help companies focus on implementing their offset-inclusive carbon reduction programmes that will reduce costs, build a strong environmental position and prepare them for future regulation.”

Matthew de Villiers, Chief Executive Officer at Greenstone Carbon Management comments, “This partnership provides The CarbonNeutral Company with the use of a best of class measurement, monitoring and reporting system which will ensure the integrity and objectivity of their assessments so that clients can concentrate on setting and reaching reduction targets year on year.”

The CarbonNeutral Company will offer its clients the opportunity to undertake their carbon emissions assessment through Greenstone’s Acco2unt solution.  Greenstone’s Carbon Consultants will provide all system configuration and training required to ensure The CarbonNeutral Company’s clients are able to upload their data and monitor performance on an ongoing basis. 

- ends -

Notes to Editor

* Greenstone’s unique Acco2unt software product suite provides organisations with robust carbon management and accounting solutions.  It enables organisations to measure, manage, plan, store and report emission data, track performance on their carbon footprint at multiple organisational levels and to accurately model carbon footprint reduction strategies. Acco2unt can significantly reduce the burden of auditing and reporting for compliance purposes, for stakeholders and customers. An extensive list of emission sources is included in the software’s calculation covering energy, travel and transport, IT, together with waste and water consumption. 

About Greenstone Carbon Management Limited

Greenstone Carbon Management Limited is a specialist carbon solutions company – based in London, United Kingdom. Formed in 2006, it works in partnership with major commercial and public sector organisations to help measure, manage and mitigate their carbon emissions to realise business and financial benefits.  Greenstone’s proposition comprises both consulting advice and access to a suite of Carbon Management software tools through a SaaS model. 

Typically, engagements with clients follow a three step process: (i) Carbon Readiness Assessment; (ii) Carbon Measurement and (iii) Carbon Reduction Strategies. During the engagement, Greenstone will provide tools to help measure and manage the organisation’s carbon emissions, help set up processes to gather data and to train personnel to manage their carbon footprint on an ongoing basis.

Greenstone has worked with a range of global businesses and respected brands such as the Virgin Group, Fujitsu and Ocado Limited. For further information please visit http://www.greenstonecarbon.com

The BDC, one of London’s oldest and most iconic venues, has partnered with The Carbon Neutral Company, the market leading carbon offset and climate consulting business. They have helped the venue measure the amount of C02 produced from travel, waste and energy and the means to offset its consumption.

For every tonne of C02 produced the BDC will pay for an equivalent amount of C02 to be reduced by an emission reduction project in various parts of the world. The three projects the venue has chosen are in Tanzania, Columbia, and India. These projects not only fulfil the carbon offsetting requirements but also offer great benefits to the local communities in which they are situated. (Please see further information at the end of this release)

Jones continues, “The BDC’s focus for 2010 will continue to be on energy efficiency and internal emission reductions. The addition of our new CarbonNeutral® status will not only benefit to the venue but also our tenants who work within the building and of course the many events that take place whose organisers will be able to communicate the new ‘green’ credentials to all their stakeholders. We are also confident that potential organisers will see this accreditation as a benefit when looking for a venue to place an event.”

Rebecca Fay, Marketing Director, The CarbonNeutral Company, commented, “By achieving the first CarbonNeutral® venue accreditation in the UK the BDC are ideally positioned to meet event organisers’ requirements for a green and sustainable exhibition space in the UK.”

-ends-

Note to editors

Further details on the projects chosen:

Govindapuram Wind Power Project  - This project enables the installation of four wind turbine generators to produce clean electricity.

Located in the Tirunelveli and Erode districts of the state of Tamil Nadu in India, the electricity generated from the wind turbines is either sold to the state electricity grid or sent to the project partner’s spinning factories. This displaces energy which would otherwise have been drawn primarily from fossil fuel fired power stations, avoiding the associated CO2 emissions and environmental pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide, dust and solid waste problems.

The local community has benefited from employment opportunities during and after the construction of this project. The development of the project has also promoted road infrastructure improvements, facilitating further economic development of the region.

La Pradera Landfill Gas Project, Colombia, Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) - This project involves the capture, piping and flaring of landfill gas from two landfill sites in Colombia.

The first site is located in Curva de Rodas and was closed in 2003 after 19 years of operation in which approximately 8.5 million tonnes of municipal waste were received at the site. The second landfill site is La Pradera which became operational in 2003 and currently receives 2,100 tonnes of waste a day.

The La Pradera project was initiated by the University of Antioquia which is also based in the city of Medellin. A portion of the proceeds from the project will be used to promote research and provide assistance to students from some of the lowest income groups at the university. Further project proceeds will be allocated to Empresas Varias de Medellin (EEVVM) – the public utility company that owns and operates both landfi ll sites – which will be used to improve environmental management in Colombia. Both the University and EEVVM will provide funding for training opportunities in the communities affected by the landfills.

Uchindile-Mapanda Reforestation Project, Tanzania, Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) - This project involves the reforestation of degraded land in Tanzania to sequester carbon emissions from the atmosphere.

Based in the Southern highlands of Tanzania, this project establishes commercial forests across the Uchindile and Mapanda districts. Four varieties of trees will be planted covering 7,252 hectares at Uchindile and 3,562 hectares at Mapanda. In July 2009, this became the first ‘Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use’ (AFOLU) project to be validated under the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS). Ten per cent of the carbon revenues from the forests have been allocated to initiatives which will benefi t the local communities. The decision on how to spend this money is agreed with the local villages based on their list of priorities.

Speakers:

• Ruth Girardet, Corporate Responsibility Director, Tesco
• Lucy Yates, Principle Policy Advocate, Consumer Focus
• Jonathan Shopley, Managing Director, The CarbonNeutral Company
• Chair: Dr. Sally Uren, Deputy Chief Executive, Forum for the Future

More speakers to be announced shortly

Key topics for debate will include:

• How can we break the deadlock between manufacturers and retailers implementing low carbon initiatives and consumers adopting them?
• What is the role of carbon offsetting in a low carbon retail future, and what's the role for carbon neutral products & services?
• How can brands best engage consumers on climate change, and on sustainability more broadly?

“The fit between this type of project and NatureFlex™ is perfect as NatureFlex™ is suitable for disposal using emerging 'waste to energy' techniques such as AD, aiding the diversion of organic wastes from landfill,” said Andy Sweetman, Innovia Films’ Business Development & Sustainability Manager.

AD is the process where plant and animal material (biomass) is converted into useful products by micro-organisms in the absence of air.  Almost any biomass from manure to municipal waste (but not woody material) can be put inside a digester tank where naturally occurring organisms gradually break it down.

Dr John Williams, Polymers and Materials Manager from the NNFCC stated, “Filmic food packaging is notoriously difficult to segregate and recycle economically.  However, make that packaging from a biopolymer and it can go into a digester along with the food waste, simplifying waste disposal for consumers, diverting biodegradable waste from landfill and providing renewable low carbon energy.  The advent of enhanced sorting and identification systems for conventional polymers also means that biopolymers can be easily distinguished from their petrochemical counterparts during waste segregation.”

In terms of what AD could mean for waste management in the future, Dr Williams added: “The UK produces over 100 million tonnes of organic material suitable for treatment by AD.  If this material managed to find its way into digesters we could produce 10-20 TWh of heat and power per year by 2020.  The UK now has a Renewable Energy Strategy for the delivery of 15% renewable energy by 2020, and with government backing the technology, AD promises to contribute significantly to our renewable energy demands.”

The NatureFlex™ range of films comprises a transparent cellulose base manufactured from sustainable wood pulp.  By adding specially formulated biodegradable and compostable surface layers Innovia Films is able to control the moisture permeability of these films to produce material suitable across a whole range of applications from high moisture content fresh produce to more hygroscopic bakery products.

This reduction process involved an independent third party assessment that calculated the CO2 emission levels associated with the amount of energy used at Lintel’s premises, company owned vehicles, business travel, wastage and employee commuting. Lintel chose to reduce its CO2 emissions of 178 tonnes through purchasing carbon credits in the Sangli Wind Power project in India, a renewable energy project verified to the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS).

Abdul Majid, Managing Director, Lintel Investments and Management Services Pvt said, “Lintel is fully aware of its corporate social responsibility and understands the threats and challenges we face due to climate change. Lintel is proud to inform its stakeholders that we have taken the first step towards a cleaner, safer and carbon free environment.”

Rani Virdee, Managing Director, Asia Pacific of The CarbonNeutral Company said “We would like to congratulate Lintel in adopting this leadership position as the first company in the Maldives to become an accredited CarbonNeutral® company”.

Lintel’s next environmental milestone will be further reducing its carbon emission by 50% over the next two years.

About Lintel
Lintel Investments and Management Services Pvt. Ltd. is a wholly Maldivian owned company registered and operated in the Maldive Islands as one of the country’s leading distributors of luxury perfumes, skincare, cosmetics and jewelry.

Established in 1989 and with its first store opened in November 1990 under the name of “Le Cute”; Lintel has expanded rapidly in the past 20 years while providing its customers with a “Quality Most Compare” products and services.

Lintel currently operates seven outlets nationwide, including the duty free perfumes and cosmetics concession at Male’ international airport.

In an initiative underwritten by leading carton packaging manufacturer Tetra Pak, and supported by Tetra Pak's customer and natural beverage supplier O.N.E.™ Natural Experience, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will be using a combination of emission reduction activities and carbon offsets to ensure its emissions are reduced to net zero. The carbon offsets will be purchased from a long-term forestry management project at The Big River/Salmon Creeks Forests in Mendocino, CA, as well as sustainable sourcing of local natural gas at two dairy farms in Idaho.

Tetra Pak, O.N.E., IMG Fashion (the company producing Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week) and The CarbonNeutral Company announced the initiative at a press conference in New York.  The CarbonNeutral Company performed the assessment and data measurements, and granted permission to display the CarbonNeutral® mark – signifying that Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week's carbon reduction program has been implemented in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol.

"Tetra Pak is committed to business practices that protect resources for future generations and the future of our business," said Carla Fantoni, vice president of communication and environment for Tetra Pak Inc., U.S. and Canada. "We bring that commitment to everything we do, including our partnership and involvement with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. We believe that climate change is a global responsibility and we hope that by making such an iconic and influential event carbon neutral, others will follow suit and help protect our resources for the future."

Joining Tetra Pak in celebrating the initiative, Rodrigo Veloso, founder & CEO of O.N.E. said, "We are thrilled to be back at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week as the official beverage sponsor. As a company deeply committed to the environment, we commend Tetra Pak for championing this important carbon initiative and fully support their efforts at this trend-setting event." 

As a result of the initiative, nearly 1,000 tons of carbon emissions will be offset, helping Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week take responsibility for its carbon footprint by supporting the adoption of low carbon technology elsewhere which will help the world reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Fern Mallis, senior vice president of IMG Fashion, noted that the initiative is a historic first for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. "We are delighted and proud to work with Tetra Pak and O.N.E. on environmentally responsible initiatives that help set an example in the fashion industry and beyond." 
 
Tetra Pak and IMG Fashion partnered with leading provider of carbon reduction solutions, The CarbonNeutral Company, to measure and certify the project. The awarded certification signifies that CO2 emissions produced by Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week have been measured and reduced to net zero. The reductions can be both 'internal' (e.g. a change to a process that will cut emissions) and 'external' (commonly known as 'carbon offsets). 

Neil Braun, CEO of The CarbonNeutral Company, congratulated Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and Tetra Pak on the initiative, saying, "Tetra Pak and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week are demonstrating their leadership by taking responsibility for the carbon emissions at the New York event. It is a strong signal to all involved that carbon reduction is not only an increasingly important business objective but is also very much in fashion."

"I want to commend the decision by the organizers of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week to go carbon-neutral," said Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, in support of this initiative. "Twice a year, the entire world looks to the Tents in Bryant Park to set the trends for the coming season. What could be more trend-setting than having the City's fashion community reduce its carbon footprint through the purchase of carbon offset credits?"

The carbon neutral initiative marks the second season that both Tetra Pak and O.N.E., the official beverage sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, have helped create a more environmentally responsible footprint. In 2009, Tetra Pak facilitated on-site recycling at the event and will fulfill a similar recycling commitment in 2010. This is also the second season that O.N.E. will offer water in Tetra Pak cartons –  mainly made from paper, a renewable resource –  to all guests attending shows, backstage and inside the tents throughout the week. 

About Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak is the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working closely with our customers and suppliers, we provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people around world. With over 20,000 employees and operations in more than 150 countries, we believe responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business. Our motto, "PROTECTS WHAT'S GOOD,"™ reflects our vision to make food safe and available, everywhere. More information about Tetra Pak is available at www.tetrapakusa.com.

About O.N.E. – ONE Natural Experience
One Natural Experience (O.N.E.™) is the premier, all-natural beverage company established in 2005 by Rodrigo Veloso—a visionary instrumental in creating a whole new category of beverage in the U.S.  O.N.E.™ ready-to-drink products are alternatives to artificial sports/ energy drinks, sodas and enhanced waters, fortifying adults and children alike with unparallel effectiveness. Their award winning and #1 selling coconut water is fast-becoming recognized as America's healthiest drink for providing enhanced hydration, essential nutrition and all five essential electrolytes (calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and sodium). O.N.E.™ drinks are packaged in environmentally friendly Tetra Pak cartons underscoring the company's deep commitment to the Earth and sustainability of the Amazon Rainforest.  O.N.E.™ supports several nonprofit organizations—most importantly healthy Child Healthy World (www.healthychild.org) and BrazilFoundation (www.brazilfoundation.org).O.N.E.™ is available in over 14,000 retail outlets including Whole Foods, Publix, Kroger Stores, Cost Plus World Markets and on Amazon.com.

About The CarbonNeutral Company
The CarbonNeutral Company (www.carbonneutral.com) is a world leading provider of carbon reduction solutions.  It works with over 300 major businesses and thousands of small and medium sized companies in 32 countries to develop offset inclusive carbon reduction programmes. Since 1997, it has purchased carbon credits from over 200 projects across six continents. CarbonNeutral® is the registered trademark of The CarbonNeutral Company and is a global standard to certify that businesses have measured and reduced their CO2 emissions to net zero for their company, products, operations or services.  Permission to display the CarbonNeutral® mark is only given to clients whose carbon reduction program is implemented in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol. The Protocol assures quality of offset projects, carbon footprint assessments and communication and is regularly reviewed by an Independent Advisory Group.  The company's 'audit trail' includes an annual independent verification of CarbonNeutral programs – from contracts with carbon offset partners through to contracts with clients and everything in between.

The solution combines CarbonView, a web based carbon management tool software, developed by international supply chain consultancy Viewlocity, with the carbon reductions expertise of The CarbonNeutral Company. Due to the global capability of the software, this initiative will facilitate the use of internationally approved methodologies, to be used by all industry sectors, to produce a robust and uniform baseline measurement of greenhouse gas emissions in Singapore.

The leading organisations that will participate in the carbon management pilot are City Developments Limited, WongPartnership LLP, Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) Pte Ltd, Pan-United Concrete Pte Ltd, Drydocks World – Singapore Pte Ltd and The National University of Singapore. The CarbonNeutral Company will work closely with these organisations to help them measure their carbon footprints and then develop offset inclusive carbon reduction strategies.

Rani Virdee, Managing Director - Asia Pacific, The CarbonNeutral Company said, “Our experience shows us that organisations that implement carbon reduction programmes with stretching targets will benefit from reducing operational costs, winning more business and enhancing their corporate reputation. These six innovative organisations have the unique opportunity to lead Singapore businesses.”

Goh Chee Kiong, Director for Cleantech and Urban Solutions, Singapore Economic Development Board said, “As a small and highly urbanised city state, carbon management is a key capability that Singapore needs to develop to enhance its competitiveness in a carbon-constrained global economy. As rapid urbanisation takes place around the world, cities are starting to face challenges similar to those of Singapore; this innovative carbon management pilot not only has the potential to address Singapore’s emissions reduction needs but can also be scaled up for use in other cities and countries as a methodology to reducing emissions.”

In support of this announcement, Kavita Gandhi, Executive Director, SEAS (The Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore) said, “We welcome the launch of this web based, easy to use, carbon reduction management tool which will encourage Singapore organisations to include carbon management as part of their business strategy. This tool will enable small, medium and large organisations to become more competitive as they measure and reduce their carbon emissions.

ENDS
For more information contact:
Sharon Corrigan, PR Manager
T: +44 (0)20 7833 6016/M: +44 (0)7827 951631
E: sharon.corrigan@carbonneutral.com

Notes to editors:
Details about the organisations who are participating in the carbon management pilot:

City Developments Limited (www.cdl.com.sg)
Singapore's property pioneer since 1963, City Developments Limited (CDL) is a listed international property and hotel conglomerate involved in real estate development and investment, hotel ownership and management, facilities management, as well as the provision of hospitality solutions.

With an extensive network of more than 300 subsidiaries and associated companies under its wings, CDL also has five companies listed on notable stock exchanges in New Zealand, Hong Kong, London and Philippines. The Group currently owns and manages a strong portfolio of residential and investment properties, in addition to hotels across Asia, Europe, North America and New Zealand/Australia.

Over the past decade, CDL has been championing the cause for Green Building in Singapore. For taking the lead in shaping Singapore’s built environment, CDL was named the first Platinum Winner of the Built Environment Leadership (BEL) Awards by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA). This award is a testament to CDL’s success in designing, developing and managing buildings with environmental sustainability in mind.

On the announcement of the carbon management tool pilot:
Ms Esther An, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), City Developments Limited said, “CDL, as a property developer committed to environmental conservation, is glad to be amongst the first few companies to participate in this web-based carbon management tool pilot scheme.  As we work towards neutralising carbon emissions at our corporate office and offsetting carbon emissions annually at 11 Tampines Concourse – the first CarbonNeutral® development in Singapore and the Asia Pacific, this greenhouse gas accounting tool will enable us to effectively measure, reduce and responsibly account for our carbon footprint.”

WongPartnership LLP (www.wongpartnership.com)
WongPartnership LLP is a premier law firm in Singapore with over 240 lawyers offering a full range of legal services. The Firm has an office in China, two offices in the Middle East and a growing practice in Asia. Recognised as a market leader, the Firm is consistently ranked at the highest levels by international commentators in all its major practices. It has been named "Law Firm of the Year" for Singapore at the International Financial Law Review's ("IFLR") Asia Awards 2009. This prestigious award is given to top performing law firms in their respective home countries and recognises the work law firms carried out last year across all of IFLR's core practice areas, including cross border capital markets, finance, mergers and acquisitions and restructuring.

On the announcement of the carbon management tool pilot:
Mr Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, Managing Partner, WongPartnership LLP said, “When the Firm was presented with the opportunity to work with The CarbonNeutral Company in this pilot scheme led by SEDB, we saw this as a splendid opportunity and had no hesitation in accepting the offer. We are honoured to be the first professional services firm, and in particular, law firm, to participate in this pilot scheme to earn our "green" credentials. As part of our existing corporate social responsibility programme, WongPartnership LLP encourages its lawyers and staff to cultivate work habits and adopt work practices that are green and eco-friendly, and ultimately, we hope to share our experience with our clients and inspire them to promote their own green movement too.
 
We already have a Green Force comprising lawyers and staff who have been brainstorming on creative ways to reduce our carbon footprint and impact on the environment: for example a number of our practice groups and support teams have gone entirely paperless (that’s right, no more physical filing of documents nor huge consumption of paper) and we avoid using plastics and rubber bands, as these choke up landfills and release toxic pollutants into the atmosphere when they break down.  Since 2008, we stopped using styrofoam and plastic cups in our pantry and we make a conscious effort to recycle.
 
We are delighted to partner with The CarbonNeutral Company in this endeavour as it provides the right tools for data collation and review which will guide us in working towards earning a Green Badge and at the same time indirectly train us to become carbon experts at the office and in our homes. In our professional work, we are grateful to have had the opportunities to help our clients in "green" projects and initiatives. We have acted for Keppel Corporation, as the Singapore consortium leader, in forming a joint venture with a Chinese consortium to jointly develop the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City.  It is very fulfilling working with like-minded organisations that walk the green talk."

Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) Pte Ltd (www.jjsea.com)
Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) is a highly diversified entity engaged in eight core businesses: Cable Technology, Chemicals, Communications, Life Sciences, Marketing, Material Handling, Packaging and Technology. With a focus on South East Asia, it has established a firm foothold in the region through more than 50 subsidiaries and associate companies in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, employing approximately 3,000 people.

On the announcement of the carbon management tool pilot:
"Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) is proud to be invited as one of Singapore's first companies to join the greenhouse gas accounting tool pilot scheme. We will soon be able to calculate our Carbon Footprint according to world-class accuracy standards and advance in our efforts to achieve environmental excellence in all our business dealings. Over the past four years, we have been calculating our Carbon Footprint in-house. The launch of the GHG accounting tool allows us to verify our results and enter international comparison. Our Corporate Carbon Neutrality Programme continuously seeks opportunities to reduce CO2 emissions. Thanks to the accounting tool, we will have clear evidence of the effectiveness of our actions in the future." said Heinrich Jessen, Chairman Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) Pte Ltd

Pan-United Concrete Pte Ltd (www.panunited.com.sg)
Pan-United Concrete Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore public-listed Pan-United Corporation Ltd (PUC), is the leading supplier of ready-mixed concrete (RMC) in Singapore. Its ability is enhanced and well supported by the vertical integration of PUC’s group of companies that comprises three divisions namely, Basic Building Materials, Shipping and Port & Logistics.

Started in late 1999, Pan-United Concrete Pte Ltd has grown significantly over the years to become Singapore’s largest producer of RMC. It provides unparalleled service and quality by customizing a wide range of concrete mix designs to provide cost-efficient solutions to its clients in both public and private sectors.

Pan-United Concrete Pte Ltd started its green initiatives as far back as 1999 by using resource-savings materials in its concrete products and was one of the pioneers in recycling initiatives in RMC production processes. It has also successfully developed and supplied various green concrete products certified under Singapore Green Labeling Scheme, initiated by Singapore Environmental Council, and is the preferred “green” RMC supplier of leading builders, consultants and developers. For example, it was the sole supplier of Pan-United Green concrete for the construction of Tampines Concourse, which is the first CarbonNeutral development in Singapore and Asia Pacific.

In addition, Pan-United Concrete Pte Ltd is the first RMC supplier to be awarded certification under the new RMC production quality standards, SS EN:206:2009 defined by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore. This is supported by its in-house SAC-Singlas accredited laboratory.

On the announcement of the carbon management tool pilot:
May Ng, Executive Director, Pan-United Corporation Ltd said:  “Being the market leader, we are at the forefront of developing and promoting the use of more green RMC products in support of environmental sustainability. Carbon management is the key to getting it right.” 

Drydocks World – Singapore Pte Ltd (www.drydocks-sea.com)
Drydocks World, a Dubai World company, is one of the most prominent names in the maritime industry. Over the past 25 years, Drydocks World has established itself as a leading, and fast growing international player in ship repair, shipbuilding, rig building, FPSO conversion, offshore fabrication and fleet operations with facilities in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Drydocks World - Southeast Asia (DDW-SEA), brings together established offshore rig construction, shipbuilding, conversion, and ship repair expertise located at the crossroads of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and close to major offshore oil & gas field developments. Marine activities are focused on 4 shipyards, namely, Drydocks World – Graha / Nanindah / Pertama / Singapore, which house 29 building berths, 8 floating docks, and a specialized rig building yard. Extension plans are in place to expand operations further on Batam Island with the construction of a new yard PT Batam Maritime Centre.

On the announcement of the carbon management tool pilot:
Denis Welch, CEO of DDW-SEA, said “Drydocks World - Singapore has agreed to join this scheme because we are a company that takes its civic responsibilities seriously. We know that operating facilities that are clean, green and environmentally friendly is a good business plan. Measuring and then attempting to reduce our carbon footprint is part of the group’s overall Corporate Social Responsibility commitment and we are pleased to be taking part in this scheme.”

The National University of Singapore (www.nus.edu.sg)
A leading global university centred in Asia, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore’s flagship university which offers a global approach to education and research, with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. NUS has 14 faculties and schools across three campuses. Over 30,000 students from 100 countries enrich the community with their diverse social and cultural perspectives.

NUS has three Research Centres of Excellence and 23 university-level research institutes and centres. It also shares a close affiliation with 16 national-level research institutes and centres. Research activities are strategic and robust, and NUS is well-known for its research strengths in engineering, life sciences and biomedicine, social sciences and natural sciences. It also strives to create a supportive and innovative environment to promote creative enterprise within its community.
 
On the announcement of the carbon management tool pilot:
Mr. Joe Mullinix, Deputy President (Administration), National University of Singapore, said, “NUS, as a global university, is committed to reducing its carbon footprint. We were very excited when The CarbonNeutral Company approached us with this great opportunity to participate in this pilot programme and we feel privileged to be the educational institution in Southeast Asia to be chosen for this endeavour. This partnership will help us manage our carbon emissions more effectively and enhance our on-going sustainability efforts on campus.”

The CarbonNeutral Company (www.carbonneutral.com) is a world leading provider of carbon reduction solutions.  It works with over 300 major businesses and thousands of small and medium sized companies in 32 countries to develop offset inclusive carbon reduction programmes. Since 1997, it has purchased carbon credits from over 200 projects across six continents.

CarbonNeutral® is the registered trademark of The CarbonNeutral Company and is a global standard to certify that businesses have measured and reduced their CO2 emissions to net zero for their company, products, operations or services.  Permission to display the CarbonNeutral® mark is only given to clients whose carbon reduction programme is implemented in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol. The Protocol assures quality of offset projects, carbon footprint assessments and communication and is regularly reviewed by an Independent Advisory Group.  The company’s ‘audit trail’ includes an annual independent verification of CarbonNeutral programs – from contracts with carbon offset partners through to contracts with clients and everything in between.

The CarbonNeutral Company has offices in New York, London and Singapore, with a network of associates in Japan and UAE.

The CarbonNeutral Company is a founding member of The International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), which provides leadership and a unified voice advocating for rigorous industry standards www.icroa.org.

To help dealers generate awareness of the initiative multipurpose papers new status, Integra has launched a promotional campaign for customers to win shopping vouchers worth £1500. Free of charge promotional collateral is available to members to support this campaign.
 
Sian Haskell, Integra's marketing manager commented "We felt it was important that we enabled our dealers to differentiate from competitors through offering a CarbonNeutral® solution. This will ensure that they don’t miss out on important contracts or tenders due to their consumer’s demands."

“Through purchasing CarbonNeutral® paper, members can help their clients reduce their CO2 emissions. Also members will be able to reduce their own company emissions through a programme that we are launching with The CarbonNeutral Company. This will give our dealers a distinct competitive advantage through enhanced environmental credentials and reduced energy costs.”

Dealers can now sign up to a CarbonNeutral® company Accreditation Programme. The programme consists of an independent assessment of members’ CO2 emissions and a carbon reduction strategy to reduce the carbon footprint to net zero. Once the programme is complete the dealer will be awarded CarbonNeutral® company status.

Rebecca Fay, Marketing Director for The CarbonNeutral Company added, “We are really pleased to work with Integra Office Solutions to help it make the initiative brand CarbonNeutral® and also to enable its dealers to reduce their carbon footprints. This two pronged approach to reducing CO2 emissions will help members become more competitive when pitching for new business and will help to lower their overheads by increasing operational efficiencies.”

To achieve net zero status XLN has been working with The CarbonNeutral Company, one of the world’s leading carbon offset and carbon management businesses with over ten years experience providing carbon reduction solutions to businesses of all sizes.

As part of its ongoing environmental initiative, XLN Telecom has formed an in-house Green Team that will push forward employee led action plans and progress the company’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  In addition, the company is encouraging its customers to join its green initiatives by opting for e-bills over paper bills.  To put this into context, generating paper bills for 125,000 customers would produce almost four tonnes of greenhouse gases every year compared to e-bills which are almost zero (source: The CarbonNeutral Company). 

Christian Nellemann, Group CEO of XLN Telecom, commented: “We all need to take responsibility for reducing carbon emissions, both at a company and an individual level.  We’re delighted to be amongst the first to achieve CarbonNeutral® company certification in our sector.  The response from our customers has likewise been fantastic – those opting for e-billing has risen tenfold in the last three months.”

Rebecca Fay, Marketing Director of The CarbonNeutral Company, said, “We would like to congratulate XLN Telecom in achieving CarbonNeutral® company certification.  Not only will this accreditation encourage staff members to try and reduce more CO2 emissions but it will help XLN differentiate itself from its competitors and increase its customer base.”

For more information and its environmental initiatives, please visit www.xlntelecom.co.uk.

--Ends--

About XLN
XLN is committed to providing the lowest cost telecom services and highest customer service levels to the UK’s small business community. Founded in 2002, XLN is now the UK’s largest independent provider of telecom services to small businesses in Britain having over 110,000 business customers across the country. In 2007, XLN was ranked as the highest placed telco company in the The Sunday Times Tech Track and was listed for a second consecutive year in 2008.  In 2009, the company was a finalist in the Customer Focus Award category of the National Business Awards.  XLN’s founders are Christian Nellemann and Anthony Karibian. In 2006 Christian Nellemann was a winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Technology and Communication.

To earn these certifications, Nimbus completed a program laid out by the CarbonNeutral Protocol, an industry leading proprietary standard developed by The CarbonNeutral Company, as an effective framework for organizations taking voluntary action on climate change. The process involved an independent third party performing a rigorous assessment of the CO2 emissions associated with Nimbus’ energy consumption, transport of raw materials, business travel, manufacturing waste disposal and employee commuting.  Following the measurement of the CO2 emissions, they were then reduced to net zero through a combination of internal reductions and external reductions, in the form of high quality, robust and permanent carbon offsets. The entire process was carried out by The CarbonNeutral Company (www.carbonneutral.com), a world leading carbon management and carbon offset business. 

Nimbus chose two U.S. projects for carbon offset investment: a conservation-based forest management project in the Big River/Salmon Creek Forests in Northern California, verified to Climate Action Reserve – Forestry Protocol; and a methane capture project at the McKinney Landfill near Dallas, Texas, verified by the Climate Action Reserve –Landfill Gas Protocol.

Mark LaCroix, Executive Vice President, Business Development said, “We would like to congratulate Nimbus on the commitment that it has taken in measuring and reducing CO2 emissions to net zero. By taking responsibility for company and product emissions Nimbus is demonstrating clear environmental leadership to its customers.”

Nimbus Water Systems has been manufacturing water treatment equipment for homes and businesses worldwide since 1968.  Nimbus is proud to offer a wide range of quality products from 10 gpd portable units to 50,000 gpd commercial systems. Anthony Capone has served as president of Nimbus Water Systems since 2003. Under his leadership, Nimbus has focused on innovative product development including eco-friendly residential and commercial systems under the Green by Design® label.