Print.IT Reseller - issue 47

24 01732 759725 ENVIRONMENT Simpson set up the company in 2003 with a group of friends. “Initially it was a voluntary organisation, we were looking at planting trees to offset both individuals’ and companies’ carbon footprints,” he explained, adding: “We wanted to make a difference and raise awareness of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” At the time environmental awareness was at the early stages, the Kyoto Protocol (major UN climate change policy) was adopted twenty years ago but only entered into force in 2005. It was at this point that co2balance experienced a greater take-up, as cognizance of the issue increased. “As mitigating climate change became higher on the corporate agenda, we were approached by a number of businesses looking to dip their toe in the water,” Simpson said. “We started to look beyond tree planting and it emerged that best practice was to concentrate on projects in developing countries. After visiting Kenya, we completed our first overseas pilot project – replacing bulbs with low energy ones, on behalf of one of our clients.” Having identified LDCs as its area of focus, co2balance sent an engineer out to Kenya to do some research and run the numbers. “The outcome of that was that we identified a real need to provide an alternative to the three-stone stoves the locals used for cooking,” Simpson added. This finding led to the development of the African Energy Efficiency Stove project, which provides energy-saving cooking stoves for villages, reducing firewood usage by 50 per cent and indoor smoke pollution by 70 per cent. This remains its main project in countries including Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Eritrea. Other initiatives currently underway Global carbon management company co2balance, has been working with Toshiba TEC since 2009. PrintIT Reseller spoke to Managing Director Mark Simpson to find out more about the company and its work with LDCs (Least Developed Countries), businesses and NGOs Gold Standard carbon offsetting include fixing broken boreholes in rural Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia and Eritrea that supply clean, safe water. The company is also looking to open new water projects in India. “In some countries we manage the projects by ourselves and in about nine other areas, we work with partners, predominantly NGOs,” Simpson explained. co2balance has also done consultancy on forestry projects and acts as an accredited consultant on schemes in Malawi and Mozambique. Setting standards Co2balance was a founding member of the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), a non-profit organisation established in 2008. ICROA’s primary aim is to deliver quality assurance in carbon management and offsetting through its member’s adherence to the ICROA Code of Best Practice. This ensures credibility and quality for corporates using voluntary carbon offsets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and meet their carbon targets. “Creating a code of best practice professionalised carbon offsetting in a way and with that in place, we saw more corporates looking to get involved in a much bigger way,” Simpson said. It was around that time that co2balance first started to work with Toshiba’s laptop division. “We worked with them and their partners offsetting the carbon associated with manufacturing and shipping. Then in 2009, we got involved with Toshiba TEC UK on the print side, The company is also looking to open new water projects in India