Stefan Eriksson, 2022-05-30
Why Sustainability Matters More Than Ever
We all recognize urgent action needs to be taken to help protect the planet and we are proud at Konftel to have strengthened our sustainability ethos by securing Climate Neutral status for three consecutive years.
We can all play a part, both in our daily lives and collectively through the way companies operate. It could be reducing energy at home, driving less and even turning off the taps when brushing our teeth! Supporting Climate Neutral organizations is another effective way forward.
Konftel became the first in the collaboration industry to become officially Climate Neutral Certified, which means all greenhouse gas emissions have been offset by carbon credits and that we commit to actions to bring down the emissions from our operations.
To achieve the certification we had to complete a comprehensive process which comprises:
- Measuring our 2021 greenhouse gas emissions footprint
- Purchasing verified carbon credits to offset that footprint
- Implementing plans to reduce emissions during 2022 and beyond
Together with over 300 other brands we are working towards measuring and offsetting an impact goal of one billion tonnes of emissions by 2030. This covers the first part of the process and leads to the second of buying our carbon credits, through a controlled pool of certified projects offered through the Climate Neutral organization.
Worldwide projects supported
By investing in worldwide carbon credits, forest conservation, renewable energy and carbon capture technologies all benefit. Forest conservation in Zimbabwe, water filtration in Cambodia, renewable energy in India, clean electricity in Indonesia, reducing landfill gas in the USA and providing clean cookstoves in Mali are some of the many projects supported by Konftel so far.
New this year include improved forest management in the US, solar and wind energy in China, biomass in India and reforestation in Costa Rica.
A carbon credit is a standard unit which represents carbon emission reductions. One credit equals one tCO2e (tCO2e stands for tonnes (t) of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent (e). Carbon credits are generated through a variety of projects and technologies. If selected carefully, carbon credits provide real climate benefits by increasing removal of carbon from the atmosphere and speeding the transition to zero carbon energy sources. Climate Neutral's carbon credit standards are written to guide brands in the offsetting process, and reflect the input of a group of independent external advisors.
Carbon credits put money into climate change solutions. Solutions such as tree planting involve increasing the global uptake of carbon. Solutions such as renewable energy involve transitioning electric power generation away from fossil fuels. We need them all, and we need them very soon. Carbon credits are especially useful to neutralize the effects of emissions that can’t be avoided, either because it will take a long time, or we don’t have the alternative technology just yet. Many major brands from around the world are buying carbon credits to offset their activities.
Reducing impact across our business
Konftel recognizes we need to act across many levels of our business. For example we will cut the use of polythene bags in our products boxes for the Konftel 800 conference phones and Konftel Cam20 and Konftel Cam50 cameras by 50% by 2023. For cables and other small parts today shipped in poly bags, we will either shift to biodegradable bags or if possible just exclude the bags completely.
In addition we aim to increase the renewable energy ratio by 10% at our main contract manufacturer’s facilities by 2023. We will also dramatically reduce car commuting of staff compared to pre-pandemic levels. By promoting a hybrid workstyle with flexibility in work location, staff will not be required to commute to corporate offices to the same extent as before.
Both Konftel and the Climate Neutral organization believe every company should be climate neutral and invest in our planet. It’s about measuring, offsetting and reducing emissions to help the world become net-zero by 2050.
We find that our customers, our partners and our people really care about all of this. We have put it at the very heart of our business because it’s the right thing to do. Yes, the right thing from a commercial perspective, but also the right thing from an environmental and ethical perspective.
Climate Neutral is an independent non-profit certification body, founded in early 2019. It operates as an independent entity, overseen by a board of directors, and aligned to achieve a mission to eliminate global carbon emissions. A Climate Neutral product label bears testimony to the commitments made by each certified brand.
Find out more about Konftel’s Climate Neutral status here.
