First, it’s important to distinguish between an ecological footprint and a carbon footprint. An ecological footprint is usually expressed in acres and reflects how much of the earth’s surface a person or community needs for the production and disposal of all their basic needs. Although it also covers greenhouse gas emissions like the carbon footprint, an ecological footprint expresses the broader impact on our planet and not just the climate. According to the Global Footprint Network, we currently consumed around 2.8 global acres each in 2022, even though at a fair distribution, every citizen of the world is entitled to only 1.7 global acres. At this rate, we need at least 1.6 earths to sustain our way of life.
Since the corporate world is mainly concerned with greenhouse gas emissions, it makes more sense to consider the carbon footprint in this context: an estimate of the amount of fossil fuels emitted by all of a company’s activities. This not only includes direct emissions (e.g. the heating of your building or the emissions from your company vehicles), but also indirect emissions (for example, the products or services you buy as a company, the maintenance of your building, business travel, the waste you generate, and so on).
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"How can you calculate your ecological footprint?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Before you can reduce your company's ecological footprint, you obviously need to know exactly how big your current footprint is. On the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) website, you can easily calculate whether your lifestyle is sustainable or not.
Looking to calculate your company’s carbon footprint? Then you first need to collect all the necessary data on the purchases you make as a company, your company's energy consumption, the travels of your employees, and all your other activities. Next, you need to multiply these figures by the right emission factor, which in its turn represents the amount of greenhouse gas emissions an activity generates. An overview of all emission factors can be found here.
For example: in Belgium, the emission factor of electricity is 150 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour. Suppose your office consumes 80,000 kilowatt-hours annually, then this means that your electricity consumption alone emits 12,000 kilograms of CO2.
There are also some useful calculators available to calculate your company's carbon footprint, such as the one from Klimaatplein.
"}},{"componentType":"highlight","richBody":{"value":"In doubt between insulation and solar panels?
"},"textLinks":[{"url":"/en/business/financing/eco-renovation-loan","text":"Reduce your company's carbon footprint with the ING Eco Renovation Loan for business."}]},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"How can I reduce my company’s ecological footprint?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Fortunately, more and more companies are committing to reducing their carbon footprint. Fewer emissions will not only benefit our planet, by also your company itself. Once you are aware of your ecological footprint, it becomes much easier to draw up a concrete action plan for a more favourable energy performance. In doing so, your company will also be able to anticipate questions from investors and customers who are demanding increasing transparency when it comes to sustainability, as well as ever-stricter regulations.
But how can you reduce your ecological footprint as a company? These practical tips can be applied almost instantly:
Encourage employees to come to work by bike or public transport, or implement a hybrid telework policy to reduce commuting in general.
Turn down the heating in your office by one degree. Your employees will hardly feel it, but this minor difference in temperature will immediately have a great effect on your emissions.
Don't store data unnecessarily in the cloud. In fact, even a hundred gigabytes of data in the cloud quickly equals a digital footprint of 0.2 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
Limit the use of plastics and recycle waste as much as possible. Provide clear recycle instructions for your employees.
Reduce your company's power consumption: think about energy-efficient LED lighting in the office, sensor-based lighting, and energy-efficient appliances (A-label).
Avoid unnecessary printing: even invoices and contracts can be sent and signed online in secure pdf form. Is printing truly the only option? Then use recycled paper and print double-sided.
These are, of course, just a few examples and there are many more measures you can take as a company to reduce your ecological footprint.
"}},{"componentType":"highlight","title":"Make your business even more sustainable with ING’s Sustainable Buildings Guide ","richBody":{"value":"Discover our new interactive tool with concrete actions and investments to reduce the ecological footprint of your business real estate.
"}}]},"legalZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"Good to know","richBody":{"value":"This article is for informative purposes only and the information set out herein may change with time. We therefore recommend that you always reference specific regulations and requirements with the competent authorities for the latest information. Additionally, we advise that you seek professional advice on a case-by-case basis before making any decisions. Please note that ING Belgium SA/NV cannot be held liable for any decision taken on the basis of the information provided.
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