Access backs Government research on carbon emissions reporting

Colchester, UK - 06 December 2010 - Access, the mid-market consulting, software and solutions provider, is today backing new Defra-commissioned research, which will help the Government decide whether to make carbon emissions reporting mandatory.

Access Customer Services Director, Kevin Misselbrook commented, "We would wholly applaud the move to regulation in this area. We think it would be a step in the right direction. Reports should not just focus on 'softer' qualitative information, but should include quantifiable figures upon which sensible carbon reduction initiatives and decisions can be made. This is the absolute starting point. After all, you can't manage what you can't measure."

The report highlights that many FTSE all-share organisations see clear benefits to reporting on their carbon emissions, including 'cost savings, improved green credentials and better relations with investors and customers'. Sixty-two per cent of these organisations reported quantifiable figures on energy use/climate change in their 2009 annual reports. It was cited that 22 per cent of companies were providing absolute figures on their emissions 'showing improved performance since 2004'.

Kevin continued, "It was interesting to see that the research mainly focused on FTSE companies but consideration does need to be given to the impact on smaller and medium-sized enterprises as they're an important part of the supply chain. We do see any mandatory reporting as impacting on these organisations and indeed, as the backbone of the country, they will have a huge part to play in helping the country reduce its carbon emissions.

"Technology will be a key enabler here, helping organisations to measure, monitor and then manage down their carbon footprint, without hampering agility and competitiveness. This is paramount as smaller and mid-sized organisations will not have internal resources dedicated to sustainability issues; in any case, this should be driven at the highest level within an organisation." 

The research cited that an ICAEW survey in 2009 highlighted that 42 per cent of organisations and 31 per cent of SMEs thought they had enough information to be able to measure GHG emissions. An IEMA special report further identified that over half of SME respondents were not reporting but interestingly, the data showed that 'reporting in all sectors and across all sizes of businesses continues to grow'. It would seem that with mounting regulatory pressure down the supply chain that more SMEs will require carbon reporting.

Paul Druckman, chairman for Access commented, "There has to be a sense of urgency in seeing carbon emissions reporting embedded within organisations. This goes beyond simply generating awareness; it's about having accurate, timely information at hand so that decisive action can be taken. With increased costs attached to high carbon emitting activities, including travel, it makes absolute financial sense to manage these down.

"I am convinced that there are tangible benefits to a company in reporting its emissions, these are normally direct to the bottom line through a variety of ways including efficiency and recruitment. It is imperative that companies look to the long term in their strategy; those thinking short term are not businesses that will thrive."

Environment Minister, Lord Henley commented that the Government will now review the findings outlined in the report, and will announce 'a way forward in early 2011'.

In 2008, Access launched its own tool for measuring carbon emissions, and was the first to embed the technology into an accounting package. Accounting for Carbon Emissions (ACE) aims to help medium-sized enterprises easily account for their carbon emissions without adding extra cost or complexity. It has been incorporated into the very heart of the business and finance solution, Access Dimensions, which enables organisations to collate the carbon emissions data at source.

ACE allows the finance function to slice and dice the information and report on the most carbon intensive areas of the business, drilling down to information at the individual level. The latest developments have seen ACE incorporated into the professional services solution Access FocalPoint, including its iPhone application, where staff can record their own carbon emissions data.

For more information on Access or ACE, contact Matt Newman on 0845 345 3300 or visit . Alternatively, keep up-to-date by following Access on twitter, www.twitter.com/theaccessgroup .

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