1. Get control of your data – don’t worry, you have most of it
All elements in your value chain have an emission. And you have paid for all emissions. Your financial system therefore has figures for everything you have bought and thereby emitted. Whether it is kWh of electricity, tonnes of steel or money spent on the lunch scheme, these figures exist or can be estimated. Therefore, start small and work your way up as you gain more knowledge about climate data and where to find it. You may wish to use the Danish Business Authority’s publicly available CO2 calculation tool, the Climate Compass (), which makes it possible to calculate your CO2 emissions for Scope 1, 2 and 3.
2. Get top ownership and everyone on board
Ensure ownership and support at management level, both strategically and in relation to setting the framework for which functions and employees should be involved in the work with CO2 mapping and climate strategy. This can be done, for example, be responsible for data, purchasing and accounting, production and design, communication, HR, the employee on the production floor and the marketing and sales manager.
3. Create an overview with the CO2 accounting that provides insight
Create a CO2 accounting for Scope 1, 2 and 3 to get an overview and knowledge of where the shoe is pressing. The work with Scope 3 can seem overwhelming and difficult to tackle, but you don't have to understand and fix everything now. Start with the largest items and increase your understanding of these emissions and your options for action to reduce them - this is where initiatives will have the greatest effect.
- Scope 1 and 2
To reduce your company's overall climate footprint, it is necessary to look at emissions across the entire value chain, but start by focusing on initiatives in Scope 1 and 2. Start with the low-hanging fruit - think efficiency improvements, electrification and the transition to more green supply. This will put your own house in order while you gain knowledge about your company's climate impact and become better equipped to work with Scope 3.
- Scope 3
Scope 3 often covers the majority of total emissions and can therefore take the breath away from many small and medium-sized companies. But don't let yourself be paralyzed by action. Start by doing a 'hotspot analysis' that provides an overview of your emission sources by ranking them from largest to smallest. You can also benefit from researching your suppliers' climate goals and engaging in dialogue with them to be armed with the knowledge to prioritize your own efforts.
4. Communicate transparently, honestly and ambitiously
Use data and knowledge as the foundation for your . This way, you can talk from the inside out about your long-term sustainability goals and about the specific activities and initiatives that bring you closer to the goal. Talk openly and honestly about your visions and interim results on the way to your goals. This contributes to credibility and trust with your customers.
5. Think about sparring & partnerships
It may seem counterintuitive to engage in dialogue with competitors and other stakeholders. But the goal as well as the dilemmas in relation to climate are the same for many companies – and therefore the potential in sparring, knowledge sharing and partnerships is very large. Have the courage to engage in open dialogue with customers and competitors in your industry. In this way, you can create joint solutions to common challenges.
You can get more inspiration and help with CO2 calculation, climate strategy and branding through the project Klimaklar SME, which you can read more about .
