Sustainability @ Copperleaf: Our Continuing Commitment to Carbon Neutrality
Global temperatures have already risen by 1.2°C compared with the pre-industrial average. Experts agree that the global community needs to collectively keep temperatures below 1.5°C by reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions by 48% by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050, in order to avert the worst impacts of climate change and preserve a livable planet.
There is a growing coalition of nations, cities, and organizations pledging to achieve net-zero emissions, and Copperleaf® is proud to be among them.
In 2020, we kicked off an action plan to eliminate our carbon footprint by purchasing Gold Standard carbon offsets every year, equivalent to the carbon we generate. Most of our emissions are in the Scope 3 category, and we have evolving business processes in place to account for most sources of emissions.
In 2021, we purchased 600 tons of carbon offset—the equivalent of our company’s total carbon footprint for 2020—and invested in three projects that were geographically diverse and supported the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Two years on, we are proud to have continued to achieve carbon neutrality each year since we implemented our action plan. In 2022, we purchased 1,767 tons of carbon offset and distributed our investment among the following projects:
- 695 tons for the 50 MW Wind Power Project, India
- 695 tons for the 60 MW Wind Power Project, India
- 126 tons for the Renewal Energy Project, Brazil
- 126 tons for the 20 MW Solar Project, India
- 125 tons for the 100.5 MW Wind Power Project, India
The 20 MW Solar PV project in Rajasthan generates 35.7 GWh of clean electricity annually—the equivalent to powering 8,300 households every year.
In addition to our carbon offsets, we are proud to have recently joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)—the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative—which will expand our commitment to our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals. As a signatory, we will also report yearly to the UN to communicate and demonstrate our progress.
Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond our own actions. We are also dedicated to advancing sustainability for our clients and helping them achieve their ESG and net-zero goals efficiently and cost effectively. Examples include:
- Helping utilities develop a sustainable approach to grid modernization
- Partnering with Black & Veatch to create a Clean Energy and Investment Planning Working Group to drive the development of consistent practices in the valuation of grid modernization projects
- Helping water utilities achieve carbon reduction targets
- Guiding the energy sector to climate resilience
- Helping organizations integrate ESG measures and the TCFD’s recommendations in four areas
The Copperleaf Decisions Analytics Solution is helping to inform over $2.7 trillion dollars of investment in physical and digital infrastructure in the world today. We help organizations quantify the impact of investments on the environment and community, and create optimal plans that drive their strategic goals—while meeting all constraints and targets.
To learn more about how we are driving sustainability for future generations, visit our sustainability page.