Does your business need to legally disclose its carbon emissions?

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Does Your Business Need to Legally Disclose Its Carbon Emissions?

If your business has over 250 employees and a turnover of £36m or more, the answer is yes &#8211; you will need to disclose your company’s carbon emissions!
Navigating climate-related reporting is essential for UK businesses to ensure compliance and promote sustainability. SECR, TCFD, CRFD, ESOS, and UK SRS each play a critical role in enhancing transparency, improving energy efficiency, and managing climate disclosure-related risks. Understanding and adhering to these frameworks can help companies meet legal requirements, drive environmental and economic benefits, build stakeholder trust, support strategic goals, and contribute to global decarbonisation efforts.
<h2>Ensuring Compliance and Strategic Advantage</h2>
This article provides an overview of five key climate disclosure frameworks that UK businesses need to be aware of in 2024. These include: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="#secr">Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR)</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="#tcfd">Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="#crfd">Corporate Responsibility and Financial Disclosures (CRFD)</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="#esos">Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="#srs">UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (SRS)</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Understanding the Evolving Regulatory Landscape</h2>
In today&#8217;s rapidly evolving regulatory landscape, businesses are increasingly required to disclose their environmental and sustainability practices. The UK policy landscape for climate disclosure is undergoing significant transformation as the government intensifies its commitment to addressing climate change and achieving net-zero. In recent years, the UK has implemented regulations to enhance transparency and accountability among businesses concerning their environmental impact.
<h2>Importance of Climate Disclosure-Related Reporting Frameworks</h2>
For UK companies, understanding the different climate disclosure-related reporting frameworks is crucial for compliance. The introduction of the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework in 2019 marked a pivotal shift, mandating large companies to disclose their energy usage and carbon emissions. Building on this momentum, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework is set to become mandatory for large companies and financial institutions, emphasising the need for carbon accounting and strategic planning.

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<h2>Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR)</h2>
<h3>What is SECR?</h3>
SECR is a UK government initiative aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. It requires large businesses to report on their energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy efficiency measures.
<h3>Who needs to comply? </h3>
SECR reporting became mandatory in 2019 and large companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) in the UK must comply. This includes those meeting at least two of the following: turnover of £36 million or more, balance sheet total of £18 million or more, or 250+ employees.
<h3>What needs reporting? </h3>
Companies must report:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Total Energy Use: This includes the consumption of electricity, gas, and transport fuels.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">GHG Emissions: Both direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) emissions must be reported.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Energy Efficiency Actions: Details of the energy efficiency measures undertaken during the year.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Narrative Description: A qualitative description of the energy efficiency measures implemented and the methodologies used for calculating energy use and GHG emissions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Where, when, and how to report?</h3>
SECR information should be included in the directors&#8217; report section of the annual financial filings, with reporting required annually to align with the company’s financial reporting cycle. Companies must adhere to UK government guidelines to ensure accuracy and completeness.
For more detailed information, refer to the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-trust-financial-management-good-practice-guides/streamlined-energy-and-carbon-reporting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK Government&#8217;s Guidance on SECR</a>.

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<h2>Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)</h2>
<h3>What is TCFD? </h3>
TCFD is an international framework to improve the reporting of climate-related financial information, aiming to provide consistent, comparable, and reliable disclosures.
<h3>Who needs to comply? </h3>
Initially voluntary, TCFD became mandatory in the UK from April 2022 for large companies, financial institutions, and publicly listed companies.
<h3>What needs reporting? </h3>
Companies must report on:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Governance: The organisation’s governance around climate-related risks and opportunities.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Strategy: The actual and potential impacts of climate-related risks and opportunities on the organisation’s businesses, strategy, and financial planning.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Risk Management: The processes used to identify, assess, and manage climate-related risks.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Metrics and Targets: The metrics and targets used to assess and manage relevant climate-related risks and opportunities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Where, when, and how to report? </h3>
TCFD-aligned disclosures should be included in the company&#8217;s annual financial filings, with reporting required annually, following the company’s regular financial reporting cycle. Companies should use the TCFD’s recommendations to ensure consistency and comprehensiveness in their disclosures.
It should be noted that TCFD recommendations, which align the UK public sector with global best practice, serve as the foundation for new international sustainability standards, such as those from the proposed sustainability standards from International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). 
For more details, refer to the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tcfd-aligned-disclosure-application-guidance/task-force-on-climate-related-financial-disclosure-tcfd-aligned-disclosure-application-guidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK Government&#8217;s TCFD-Aligned Disclosure Application Guidance</a>.

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<h2>Climate-related Financial Disclosure (CRFD)</h2>
<h3>What is CRFD? </h3>
CRFD enhances transparency and accountability by requiring companies to report non-financial information alongside financial data, focusing on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts.
<h3>Who needs to comply?</h3>
CRFD reporting has been required since 2017 and applies to large companies and certain public interest entities in the UK meeting two out of three criteria: turnover of £36 million or more, balance sheet total of £18 million or more, or 250+ employees.
<h3>What needs reporting? </h3>
Companies need to report on various ESG aspects, including:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Environmental: Impact on the environment, including emissions, resource use, and sustainability initiatives.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Social: Employee-related matters, community engagement, and social responsibility activities.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Governance: Corporate governance practices, including board diversity, anti-corruption measures, and compliance with regulations.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Human Rights: Policies and practices related to human rights within the company and its supply chain.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anti-Corruption and Bribery: Measures taken to prevent corruption and bribery.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Where, when, and how to report? </h3>
CRFD information should be included in the non-financial statement section of the annual report, with reporting required annually, in line with the company’s financial reporting schedule. Companies must follow established guidelines and standards for reporting as part of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD).
For detailed and specific guidance, refer to the UK government&#8217;s documentation on climate-related financial disclosures, accessible <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/climate-related-financial-disclosures-for-companies-and-limited-liability-partnerships-llps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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<h2>Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)</h2>
<h3>What is ESOS? </h3>
ESOS is a mandatory energy assessment and energy-saving identification program established by the UK government to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in large organisations.
<h3>Who needs to comply? </h3>
ESOS applies to large UK undertakings and their corporate groups, including those with 250+ employees, or an annual turnover in excess of £44 million, and an annual balance sheet total in excess of £38 million.
<h3>What needs reporting? </h3>
Companies must report:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Total Energy Consumption: Across all buildings, transport, and industrial activities.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Energy Audits: Detailed audits to identify cost-effective energy-saving measures, covering at least 90% of total energy consumption.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Compliance Evidence Pack: Documentation of compliance, including details of audits, methodologies used, and identified energy-saving opportunities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Where, when, and how to report? </h3>
Companies must maintain an internal evidence pack and submit a notification of compliance to the Environment Agency. ESOS operates in four-year compliance phases, with the current phase deadline in December 2023. To comply, companies must conduct energy audits in accordance with ESOS standards, compile the evidence pack, and submit the notification of compliance online through the Environment Agency’s ESOS portal.
For further details, please refer to the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/energy-savings-opportunity-scheme-esos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official ESOS guidance</a>.

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<h2>UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS)</h2>
<h3>What is SRS? </h3>
The UK Sustainability Reporting Standards are guidelines developed to standardise sustainability reporting, based on the global baseline set by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) under the IFRS Foundation. These standards aim to provide consistent, comparable, and reliable ESG information.
<h3>Who Needs to Comply?</h3>
While currently voluntary, UK SRS adoption is increasing among large companies, particularly those with significant environmental impacts or that are publicly traded. The UK government will potentially be making UK SRS adoption mandatory in the future. 
<h3>What Needs Reporting? </h3>
Companies must report on:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Environmental: Greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, water use, waste management, and biodiversity.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Social: Labor practices, community engagement, human rights, and employee health and safety.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Governance: Board composition, executive compensation, risk management, and anti-corruption measures.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Where, When, and How to Report? </h3>
Reports should be included in annual financial reports or published as separate sustainability reports. Reporting should follow UK SRS guidelines for standardised metrics and methodologies, typically conducted annually. Ensuring that reports are audited or verified enhances reliability and stakeholder confidence.
For more details, visit the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-sustainability-disclosure-standards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK Government&#8217;s Guidance on UK Sustainability Reporting Standards</a>.

<h2>An overview of climate disclosure requirements for UK businesses</h2>

<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Navigating climate-related reporting is essential for UK businesses to ensure compliance and promote sustainability. SECR, TCFD, CRFD, ESOS, and UK SRS each enhance transparency, improve energy efficiency, and manage climate disclosure-related risks. Understanding and adhering to these frameworks can help companies meet legal requirements, drive environmental and economic benefits, build stakeholder trust, support strategic goals, and contribute to global decarbonisation efforts.

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<h2>Ready to take climate action?</h2>
Our team of experts can help your business tackle the hurdles of climate disclosure requirements in the UK. If this article has inspired your business to start funding climate action, talk to our team today.

Schedule a call with our team

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Carbon Compensation vs. Contribution - What’s the difference?

Climate change is a topic that many of us are discussing at work each day. You may have heard terms such as ‘carbon compensation’ or ‘contribution’ being used in conversations about how to take meaningful action against climate change, but what do they actually mean, and how do they differ from one another? 
We regularly speak to businesses who have similar questions and in this guide, we’ll break it all down. Here’s a quick run-through of what we will cover:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What are the definitions of carbon compensation and contribution?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What is the purpose of each approach?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What mechanisms do both approaches utilise? </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What types of projects do they involve?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What types of certification are associated with each approach?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What kind of costs are associated with each approach?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What role do they play in achieving net zero?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What are examples of each?</li>
</ul>

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<h2>Definitions of carbon compensation and contribution</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation
Carbon compensation refers to the idea of balancing out a certain amount of carbon emissions by investing in projects that prevent or remove an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide elsewhere. This tonne-for-tonne ‘balancing’ or ‘offsetting’ is compensatory.
 
Contribution
This approach focuses on separating financial contributions from any compensatory claims. Instead, it involves directing funding to projects that will support global net-zero and nature restoration – but crucially without making compensatory claims. <a href="https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/join?utm_feeditemid=&amp;utm_device=c&amp;utm_term=one%20percent%20for%20the%20planet&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=ppc&amp;utm_campaign=&amp;hsa_cam=20766754741&amp;hsa_grp=155667469859&amp;hsa_mt=b&amp;hsa_src=g&amp;hsa_ad=680329727495&amp;hsa_acc=%7B8900384824%7D&amp;hsa_net=adwords&amp;hsa_kw=one%20percent%20for%20the%20planet&amp;hsa_tgt=kwd-299092657918&amp;hsa_ver=3&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwooq3BhB3EiwAYqYoEs0haU6oWnJZze5_b4QrYSQvdqPvXRSRdMCOrjloCv_URVN-RaIXIBoChu8QAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1% Percent For the Planet </a>is an example of this kind of scheme.

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<h2>What is the purpose of carbon compensation and contribution</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation
Compensation is aimed at achieving a ‘carbon-neutral’ status by offsetting specific emissions through equivalent carbon reduction elsewhere.
 
Contribution
Contribution focuses on supporting and financing sustainability projects and initiatives to encourage environmental stewardship, without associating this with compensation for emissions.

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<h2>What mechanisms do carbon compensation and contribution utilise?</h2>
Carbon Compensation
Compensation is carbon-centric and relies on detailed measurement and verification processes to ensure that the projects avoid or remove the claimed amount of CO2. Whilst projects may have ‘co-benefits’, project quality and credit utility is predicated on whether the carbon dioxide benefit is being delivered.
 
Contribution
Contribution is not predicated on carbon dioxide. It involves making donations to strategic funds which are designed to produce a range of benefits for net-zero and nature restoration – but may not require rigorous CO2 measurement or verification, but other kinds of monitoring and reporting are essential to ensure benefits are being realised.

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<h2>What types of projects do carbon compensation and contribution involve?</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation
Compensation is limited to projects which generate carbon credits,  typically those that are issued to an ICROA-endorsed carbon standard like Verra, Gold Standard or Puro. It includes projects such as afforestation, blue carbon removal, landfill gas, cleaner water systems and enhanced rock weathering.
 
Contribution
Contribution can include carbon credit-issuing projects but is not limited to them. Other projects that can be financed include funding for environmental research, habitat restoration, conservation programs, reforestation projects, educational initiatives, and donations to NGOs working on climate action.

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<h2>What type of certification is associated with carbon compensation and contribution?</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation: 
Carbon compensation requires third-party verification and certification by bodies such as the Gold Standard, Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Puro to ensure the credibility of carbon credits. 
 
Contribution:
Contribution typically does not require certification as it is focused on voluntary financial support for environmental causes. However, reputable organisations receiving contributions may provide transparency reports or impact statements.

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<h2>What kind of costs are associated with carbon compensation and contribution?</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation: 
Costs for carbon compensation vary depending on the project type and verification costs. The price per tonne of CO2 offset can differ significantly with some being much more expensive than others.
 
Contribution: 
Contribution is usually more flexible when it comes to costs. This is because the focus is on voluntary contributions towards environmental outcomes,  rather than compensating for a specific amount of emissions.

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<h2>What role do carbon compensation and contribution play in achieving net zero?</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation:
The <a href="https://sciencebasedtargets.org/net-zero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SBTi’s Net-Zero Standard</a> specifies that businesses must achieve a minimum 90% reduction in emissions on their path to net-zero &#8211; at which point a compensatory approach can be applied for the remaining &lt;10% of emissions which cannot be reduced directly. In this case, compensation is limited to carbon removals only, not carbon avoidance credits. To understand the difference between carbon avoidance and removal credits, <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/carbon-removals-vs-carbon-avoidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read our blog post here.</a>
 
Contribution:
The SBTi also promotes ‘beyond value chain mitigation’ known as BVCM. This involves a company funding climate action to support global net-zero efforts. BVCM does not count towards the organisation’s own corporate net-zero goals, however, the SBTi considers it “urgent and essential” that businesses contribute to global climate action outside of their value chain.

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<h2>Examples of carbon compensation and contribution</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation:
A company offsets its annual carbon emissions by investing in carbon credits from a landfill methane capture project that prevents an equivalent volume of emissions.
Contribution: 
A company contributes to an environmental project that works on biodiversity conservation, without claiming an offset of its own emissions. Instead, the company reports on how much it contributed, and the outcomes intended, and monitors the project’s progress over time.

<h2>Conclusion</h2>
In summary, Carbon Compensation focuses on the idea of ‘balancing’ or ‘offsetting’ emissions through purchasing carbon credits. The credits purchased are often used to offset emissions generated by businesses.  Contribution focuses on funding projects that support global net-zero goals without compensatory claims. Through supporting a contribution model, you can support a wide range of projects all offering crucial co-benefits, and in some cases, credit-issuing projects too. 
Both approaches play a critical role in supporting climate action. The Oxford Principles for Aligned Net Zero recommend a combination of carbon compensation (durable removals only)  and contribution to help maximise impact. At Ecologi, we believe that while both have their merits, prioritising high-quality, holistic climate action through a contribution-based approach is the best way to support global net-zero efforts and future-proof your sustainability strategy. This is why we created <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/business/ecologi-impact-funds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Impact Funds</a> &#8211; to allow our customers to support a wide range of projects that contribute to a particular climate goal.

<h2>Why did you create Impact Funds?</h2>
Our industry is moving and evolving all the time in an effort to reach global Net Zero goals and at Ecologi we witnessed the challenges firsthand through our Impact Partners, below is a quote from our Impact Partnerships Manager, Katie; 
<blockquote>At Ecologi, our partners were extracting tree-planting costs from a wider landscape restoration project because that’s what the market wanted. We need to change this &#8211; and educate the market on the solutions our planet needs.</blockquote>
Contribution models are increasingly focused on outcomes rather than inputs and go beyond metrics such as carbon credits purchased, or the number of trees planted. These projects produce a host of diverse impacts that aren’t being captured by single metrics. Supporting projects such as landscape restoration focused on the wider strategy &#8211; in addition to tree planting, landscape restoration captures co-benefits such as increased biodiversity, improved soil health, and reduced pollution.
Interested to learn more? <a href="https://info.ecologi.com/ecologi-impact-funds/get-started" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get in touch to find out more about our Impact Funds</a>.

Speak to our team. We're here to help you find your perfect climate solution.

Case studies

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Case Study: BioPak UK

<h2>About BioPak UK</h2>
A world without waste. That’s the mission of BioPak, and they’re working hard to achieve it. By disrupting the current take, make, waste model, BioPak’s sustainable food packaging solutions are leading the way to a truly circular economy.
Founded in 2006, BioPak has become a globally recognised brand, loved by businesses and consumers across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Hong Kong and Singapore.
BioPak’s packaging solutions are designed to be better for our planet. They use renewable plant-based materials that are sourced responsibly. To promote responsible disposal of their packaging, BioPak encourages composting through their Compost Connect scheme—a not-for-profit initiative that connects customers to compost pick-up services.

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BioPak is better for people too. The company is B Corp certified and donates 5% of all profits to positive change via their Give Back Fund. BioPak is a business that’s truly committed to the principles of the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, and Profit.

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<h2>Issue</h2>
BioPak’s commitment to combating climate change is unwavering. Having been carbon neutral certified for over a decade, in 2022 the team took the strategic decision to shift away from carbon-neutrality, and instead focus on emissions reduction.
This decision wasn’t taken lightly, but they recognised the need to move beyond mere carbon offsetting. They view it as a leap forward rather than a step back, and a move to create a more substantial positive influence on the planet. 
The team believes that understanding their total carbon footprint is vital. They are dedicated to clarifying the sources of their emissions, which span the entire product lifecycle, encompassing offices, product transportation, packaging production, raw material extraction, and end-of-life emissions.
BioPak uses an independent third party to measure their carbon footprint, cost to the environment (including impact on biodiversity, human health, climate change and material scarcity) and lifecycle phases of their products. This is done to enhance transparency, accountability and demonstrate their commitment to combating greenwashing.
BioPak is serious about combating climate change, with reducing carbon emissions being crucial in achieving this goal. A key part of this goal is supporting industrial composting through the Compost Connect scheme. The team is committed to diverting food waste and compostable packaging from landfill and incineration by making compost facilities more accessible across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Working together with customers, BioPak truly believes it can pave the way for a more sustainable world for future generations.

<h2>Challenges</h2>
As a B Corp and leader in sustainable food packaging, the team at BioPak feels a keen obligation for environmental stewardship. They describe BioPak as a “profit for purpose business”, and as such are driven to preserve and protect the environment while giving back to the communities in which they operate. 
To honour this obligation, BioPak set up its Give Back Fund in 2012, and since then have dedicated their time and energy to partnering with leading environmental and social charities to bring about positive change. So far they have donated a total of £2,495,352.
In the last decade, BioPak’s commitment to Australian environmental conservation has flourished through a partnership with Rainforest Rescue, which has planted and safeguarded 95,720 trees and reclaimed eight hectares of endangered Daintree Rainforest.

<h2>Solution </h2>
BioPak donates 1% of all profits to community and environmental projects, and here in the UK we’re proud that Ecologi has been chosen to support that commitment through tree planting. The team firmly believes that tree planting is a powerful solution that produces oxygen, stores carbon, and helps tackle climate change.
BioPak’s reforestation work with Ecologi underpins a global commitment to ecological restoration. This ambitious initiative is a cornerstone of BioPak’s corporate responsibility ethos, aiming to not only mitigate the impacts of climate change but also foster local biodiversity, enhance soil health, and support local communities in achieving sustainable development goals.
Working with Ecologi proves BioPak’s cast iron commitment to the environment, and in turn boosts its credibility, enhances its brand reputation and helps its customers make a positive impact. The team regularly communicates their sustainability milestones with customers and colleagues alike, through impact certificate, emails and internal communications.

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<h2>Outcome</h2>
Since 2021 BioPak has planted 102,479 trees with Ecologi, and the team plans to continue to regularly donate to increase this figure as much as they can. 
As a profit-for-purpose business, BioPak’s commitment to protecting the environment is vital in retaining current customers and attracting new customers, who are looking to make a positive impact through their supply chain. The Give Back Fund, and the work with partners like Ecologi, remains a fundamental part of BioPak’s brand messaging and ethos.
Sam Walker, Technical Director at BioPak UK, said:
<blockquote>It&#8217;s great to partner with Ecologi and support both the large scale reforestation projects they do and the more grass roots initiatives which really make a difference locally&#8230; Reforestation and habitat restoration are the foundations of reversing biodiversity loss and critical in the fight against climate change. We&#8217;re proud to work with Ecologi and share the impact data with our customers.</blockquote>

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<h2>Is your business ready to take climate action?</h2>
If this article has inspired your business to start its climate journey, talk to our team today.

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At Ecologi we believe in transparency, which is why, when we make changes, we want to let you know.
As of Tuesday 1st October 2024, we will be making a few changes to the Ecologi Impact Shop, including discontinuing some projects, as well as adding new ones and changing our prices slightly. 
Keep reading to find out more, or jump to the section on <a href="#customers">What these changes mean for our customers</a>, or our <a href="#faqs">FAQs</a>.

<h2>Update to our ‘Carbon avoidance’ project</h2>
We will be removing our generic ‘<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/impact-shop/support-carbon-avoidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carbon avoidance</a>’ product from the Impact Shop, and replacing it with a new type of carbon avoidance project, which specifically supports landfill methane capture. This project is among the first in the world to receive the CCP-Approved quality label from the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM).
<h3>Why are we making this change?</h3>
In June of this year, the ICVCM, an independent governance body dedicated to establishing a global benchmark for high-quality carbon credits, <a href="https://icvcm.org/integrity-council-announces-first-high-integrity-ccp-labelled-carbon-credits-as-assessments-continue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced the first carbon-crediting methodologies</a> that meet its high-integrity Core Carbon Principles (CCPs).
As part of this, the ICVCM have applied its ‘CCP-Approved’ label to a variety of projects that tackle potent greenhouse gases by capturing methane from landfill sites (like our supported <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/avoiding-methane-emissions-from-landfill-in-brazil" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Macaubas LFG project</a>), and by destroying ozone-depleting foams and refrigerant gases from discarded equipment such as refrigerators and air conditioners.
We have been supporting landfill gas projects through our platform since our early days, including some of these first projects which have received this ICVCM stamp of approval. Effective on 1st October 2024, we are replacing the general ‘support carbon avoidance projects’ product on our Impact Shop, to specifically support these newly CCP-Approved landfill methane capture projects.

<h2>Discontinuation of our ‘Renewable energy carbon avoidance’ project</h2>
In addition, we will be removing the ‘<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/impact-shop/support-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Renewable energy carbon avoidance</a>’ product from our Impact Shop. The ICVCM recently decided it would not award the existing renewable energy credit methodologies its CCP-Approved label, so we’ve opted to preemptively stop offering these on our platform. For additional insight into this decision, we encourage you to read our <a href="#faqs">FAQs</a> further down on this page.
<h3>Why are we making this change?</h3>
One of the next decisions made by the ICVCM as part of its assessment of carbon credit methodologies was to acknowledge that existing renewable energy generation credit methodologies do not meet the standard to achieve CCP-Approval. 
One key reason these methodologies don’t meet the CCP-Approved criteria is that the methodologies themselves fail to meet the stringent requirements for additionality, a key factor in ensuring that carbon credits represent genuine emissions reductions that wouldn&#8217;t have occurred without the carbon finance. See this quote from Sylvera on what additionality refers to: 
<blockquote>Additionality refers to the causal relationship between the project&#8217;s activities and the climate benefits it claims including the risk of the project over-crediting. A project is considered additional if the project activities would not have occurred without the revenue from a voluntary carbon credit. The additionality score is a function of how likely it is that the project is additional, and how likely it is that the project is over-crediting on the carbon avoidance or removal it is delivering.</blockquote>
Ecologi has always had a regionalised approach to our impact, consistently applying additional scrutiny to the projects we elect to support through our platform. Only six renewable energy projects are currently eligible for receipt of funding from our platform – out of an estimated &gt;2,200 renewable energy projects on the voluntary carbon market. Our careful selection process has ensured that we consider not only the type of project but also its specific implementation location.
For example, we have deliberately chosen not to fund large hydroelectric dams due to their associated social and environmental risks and we have generally steered clear of offshore wind projects, favouring onshore wind solutions that are more appropriate for the regions we support. We have always prioritised those situated in areas where the energy grid is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels, such as Morocco and Mexico, to maximise impact as much as possible.
This all said, following the ICVCM’s ruling on renewables, we have made the decision to stop offering renewable energy carbon credits via our Impact Shop.
We believe it is a good thing that the ICVCM is rejecting certain methodologies from receiving its high-quality label. This rigorous approach is necessary to maintain and improve the integrity of the carbon market – to raise the quality of projects across the board – and to ensure that all participants can trust that their investments are driving real, additional climate benefits.

<h2>Updates to pricing on the Impact Shop</h2>
Finally, on October 1st we will be updating pricing across our Impact Shop to reflect recent changes in market prices, and as a result some of our products will be cheaper to support.
<h3>Why are we making this change?</h3>
As part of our commitment to staying aligned with the evolving voluntary carbon market and providing the best prices we can to customers, we are also adjusting our pricing structure. To better reflect current market prices, we have reviewed and updated all the prices for carbon projects, some of which have reduced in price slightly. We are pleased to report that none of our existing projects have increased in price.
Pricing in the carbon market is dynamic, influenced by a variety of factors including regulatory updates, market demand, geographies, ratings, and broader project qualities. We aim to stay responsive to these changes and ensure that our offerings continue to provide value to all stakeholders involved, from project developers to buyers and the communities benefiting from these projects.
As an impact-driven organisation who put planet first, we want to ensure that we are responsive to the market and our customers are getting the best deal for the impact they want to support.

<h2>What do these changes mean for our customers?</h2>
There are no direct actions that our customers will need to take in light of these changes.
As of October 1st you will notice that our generic ‘<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/impact-shop/support-carbon-avoidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carbon avoidance</a>’ project and our ‘<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/impact-shop/support-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Renewable energy carbon avoidance</a>’ project will no longer be available on the Impact Shop. You will also notice that our new CCP-Approved landfill gas capture project will be available to support, and that the price of some of our existing projects have decreased slightly.

Climate Disclosure	SECR	TCFD	CRFD	ESOS	UK SRS
Legal requirement?	Yes	Becoming mandatory in the UK	Yes (part of NFRD)	Yes	No, but increasingly adopted
Who needs to comply?	Large companies and LLPs in the UK	Large companies, financial institutions, publicly listed companies	Large companies and public interest entities in the UK	Large UK undertakings and corporate groups	Voluntary - Large and publicly traded companies
Specific criteria includes	Over 250 employees. Turnover of £36m+	Over 500 employees. Turnover £500m+	Over 500 employees. Turnover £500m+	Over 250 employees. Turnover of £44m+	Voluntary - Not specified
What to report?	Energy use, GHG emissions, energy efficiency actions	Governance, strategy, risk management, metrics & targets	Environmental, social, governance impacts, human rights, anti-corruption	Energy consumption, energy audits, compliance evidence pack	Environmental, social, governance metrics
Where to report?	Annual financial filings	Annual financial filings	Annual reports	Environment Agency online portal	Annual or sustainability reports
When to report?	Annually, since 2019	Annually, from April 2022	Annually, since 2017	Every four years, next in Dec 2023	Annually, voluntary

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