The Charter Explained

Introduction

Addressing climate change is a positive move. It can help organisations work through tough times and improve long term prospects. You'll save money now as your energy bills shrink, you'll save money in the future when law forces everyone else to catch up with you and you'll make money by keeping staff and winning customers from rivals who don't seem to be doing their bit. The Charter provides a framework for Cambridge businesses and organisations to make these changes and help others do the same

Points of the Charter

• Measure how much energy your organisation is using, and keep track of it. The Carbon Trust has a free Carbon Footprint Calculator. Keeping track of your carbon footprint is one of the best ways to monitor your progress. Keep all your energy bills, and take note of how they drop once you implement changes.
• Assess the risk posed by climate change. It is important to understand how climate change could affect your organisation, for example through more frequent heat waves, droughts, or storms. The Energy Saving Trust provides resources for carrying out such risk assessments.
• Set challenging targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions The Charter does not specify what targets to set, but they must be challenging and make a real difference. You could sign up to the 10:10 campaign: a great way to start reducing your organisation's carbon footprint. Its website provides case studies and excellent advice about how businesses can cut that first 10%.
• Act to reduce emissions, act to reduce risks You will need to take a range of actions to save energy and reduce emissions . This checklist from the 10:10 website is a good starting point, especially for SMEs. You may also need to prepare for the impacts of climate change by modifying your building and planning for emergencies. Use this website to share experience and identify potential for working together.
• Report the progress made By signing the Charter you join a common effort to tackle climate change. Through this website, and support network, you should find new ways of working together.
• Work with other organisations to address climate change throughout the community. By signing the Charter you join a common effort to tackle climate change. Through this website, and support network, you should find new ways of working together.
• Encourage everyone in your organisation to commit to the Charter and take action on climate change. The more people support the Charter, the more effective it becomes. Spur on your colleagues and workforce, publicise the Charter, encourage other organisations to sign up.
• Assign responsibility to a senior individual. The Charter should be signed by the head of your organisation. However, it is a good idea to make someone responsible for your energy savings initiative and ask them to draw up an action plan. A useful tool for your action plan can be found at www.carbontrust.co.uk/apt. Encourage all staff to get involved and consider incentives to motivate and engage people.