becoming
certified

The NoCO2 Certification program is a logo certification system that rewards organisations for addressing their carbon footprint. Below is a summary of the different types of certification that can be achieved through the program.
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Certification Levels

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NoCO2 Business Certification

NoCO2 certification is an organisational certification which encompasses all emissions for which a business is responsible; across Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions. Emissions are measured through a carbon audit and are fully offset through carbon credits.

A NoCO2 business is a carbon neutral business. Emissions reduction strategies are tracked and monitored over time through the completion of an annual carbon audit. This certification offers the greatest impact on climate change and provides reputational and cultural benefits for your business.

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Carbon Neutral Product Certification

Carbon Neutral Products certification ensures that you have accounted for, and fully offset, all of the emissions associated with your product.  The product carbon footprint is calculated through a comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of the product and offsetting is based upon product sales.

Emissions assessed cover raw materials, including their extraction and transportation; and production, shipping, distribution, use, and end of life disposal of the product.

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LowCO2 Business Certification

LowCO2  certification is an organisational certification focussed on the operational impacts of a business.  LowCO2 certification is primarily for businesses that can't achieve carbon neutrality or are starting the journey to carbon neutral. Emissions are measured through a carbon audit, and an annual emissions reduction target is set, which is achieved through a combination of carbon offsetting and emissions reductions.

An example of the type of business for which LowCO2 certification may apply is a Travel Agency which cannot feasibly offset all of their client’s travel, but still wants to offset their office impacts and engage their staff.

Steps To Certification

Certification through the Carbon Reduction Institute’s NoCO2 program allows your company to demonstrate true leadership in the fight against climate change.
1.

Following presentation and discussion of the Carbon Audit, a Certification Plan is presented to the client organisation to set out the conditions and certification options available through the NoCO2 certification program.

The certification plan serves as an agreement for the client’s chosen level of certification and their commitment to reduce their emissions (through carbon offsetting and reduction strategies). The certification plan also includes emissions reporting requirements, the fees for compliance, the use of logo branding devices and information regarding the purchase of carbon offsets.

The certification plan serves a number of purposes, namely:

  1. To provide your company with an emissions monitoring schedule to ensure it meets its certification level,
  2. Outline the costs of certification,
  3. Provide terms and conditions for use of logos and the responsibilities of your company and CRI in complying with certification.

We encourage you to read through the agreement closely to gain a strong understanding of the certification obligations.

2.

Once you return the signed certification plan, you are provided with all of the benefits of certification including:

  • Certification logos customised to your certification number, representing the level of climate change action taken,
  • Certificate confirming the date, number and level of certification; and offsetting undertaken,
  • Emissions reduction flyer and decision support,
  • Office recycling guide with accompanying behaviour change stickers,
  • Dedicated webpage in the Low Carbon Economy Directory website (lowcarboneconomy.com.au) that contains clear disclosure of your achievements in tackling climate change,
  • Ongoing monitoring and advice to ensure that your brand receives the maximum long term value from certification, and
  • Cross marketing opportunities with all certified carbon neutral businesses.
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3.

We invoice you for the proportion of carbon offsets you will need to purchase to maintain your certification. We check in with you quarterly (you may need to provide us with information such as quarterly product sales if relevant) and then each year we assess your carbon emissions again so that your certification and carbon offset purchases stay on track.

We encourage you to let us know throughout the year if you have had any major changes in your business which would affect your carbon footprint and if you implemented any carbon reduction measures recommended.
 We are keen to assist you in promoting your certification as well as the commitment your company has to
combatting climate change.

Operational Boundaries

The main function of operational boundaries is to create different scopes for organisations to separate and define the emissions produced from their operations.

Scope 1

Direct GHG emissions
Emissions that occur from sources that are owned or controlled by the company, for example, emissions from combustion in owned or controlled boilers, furnaces and vehicles.

Scope 2

Electricity indirect GHG emissions
Emissions from the generation of purchased electricity consumed by the company.

Scope 3

Other indirect GHG emissions
Emissions that are a consequence of the activities of the company, but occur from sources not owned or controlled by the company. These include emissions from waste, the extraction and production of purchased materials; transportation of purchased fuels and transportation of employees to and from work.
The NoCO2 emissions boundaries chart below graphically depicts the three scopes of emissions covered in a NoCO2 audit.
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The Carbon Audit

As a result of the carbon footprint analysis undertaken, a detailed Carbon Audit is generated for each client. This report is presented and further discussion about its contents is encouraged. The content of The Carbon Audit will cover all of the greenhouse gas emissions produced from the operations of the client organisation.
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The Carbon Audit is designed to provide an understanding of greenhouse inventory, and how this knowledge can be used to plan future reductions of the carbon footprint. It also provides you with awareness of any reporting obligations under energy and emissions reporting legislation. The report isolates each emission source, allowing the organisation to determine and model emission reduction strategies, their payback and viability.
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CERTIFY YOUR BUSINESS TODAY

Make your business carbon neutral with the Carbon Reduction Institute. Find out the benefits and process to make your business carbon neutral.

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