How Sri Lankan businesses can create value from a net zero emissions program

• Insights from Sustainability champion Tom Popple and Carbon Consulting Company
  
   

The Carbon Consulting Company (CCC) recently invited Natural Capital Partners Senior Manager (Climate Change and Sustainability) Tom Popple to inspire and inform Sri Lankan business leaders, on the value of taking credible climate action, at the Kingsbury Hotel on 6 March. 

At Asia’s first Climate Cocktail Club, the celebrated speaker showcased the seven components of building a credible and successful net zero program, through the innovative “Imprinting Net Zero” model. Evidence shows that profitable businesses have ambitious sustainability programs. A wider group of stakeholders are now engaged with the sustainability performance of company, including investors, employees, customers, and civil society. The role of social media has driven greater transparency in the business sector, and also provided new opportunities for sustainable businesses to create brand value. A credible net zero emission program, as part of an ambitious sustainability program is now a critical risk management strategy.

Seeking to generate greater awareness of the roadmap to achieving net zero status, CCC involved the Sri Lankan business community into this forum to empower and enable local leaders to take credible climate action. Natural Capital Partners Senior Manager (Climate Change and Sustainability) Tom Popple commented: “Business can play a critical role in addressing climate change by becoming carbon neutral, also reaping a range of benefits for the company. Sri Lankan businesses have a unique opportunity to take the lead in Asia, and create a profitable green economy built on net zero emissions.” Popple is responsible for the design, development and delivery of impact-led sustainability programs for a portfolio of global clients, including many brands who operate or have suppliers in Sri Lanka and the wider region. For over 20 years Natural Capital Partners have been recognised leaders in corporate climate action, and are at the forefront of innovation, delivering credible sustainability programs for many of the world’s biggest companies, including Microsoft, HandM, Marks and Spencer, Interface, VMware, and PwC.

The global climate change negotiation process at government level via the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has called upon business leaders to contribute to the development of the net zero economy. In response to that call to action, Natural Capital Partners created a series of Talanoa Dialogues to understand the views of business leaders. Set over seven events, they heard from 61 different companies representing USD 1.3 trillion of combined revenue. The Talanoa Dialogue series found that successful companies can deliver impact via seven key prints – Tail, Foot, Hand, Brain, Finger, Blue and News – named the “Imprinting Net Zero” model. Popple outlined this model and the business value drivers to the audience of Sri Lankan business leaders.

CCC focuses on sustainability assessments such as carbon foot-printing and offsetting, water foot-printing and offsetting, water auditing, energy auditing, waste auditing, life cycle analysis, and biodiversity assessments. The firm also provides management/technical consultancy and advisory services on integrated corporate sustainability strategy and change management, related risk and opportunity assessments, supply chain management, stakeholder engagement, GRI/integrated reporting, green building strategy/LEED certification, carbon offset development projects (VCS/CDM), and international renewable energy certificates (IRECs). All sustainability assessments/audits of CCC follow international standards, protocols, methodologies and/or guidelines.