Respira welcomes a new campaign, Reduce and Invest, to the carbon market

Respira is excited to welcome a new campaign, Reduce and Invest, to the voluntary carbon market (VCM). It is relevant to every business professional, of every company, in every sector because although none of us have chosen to have our careers during a climate crisis it’s up to us to act, fast.

The principle of Reduce and Invest is simple. It calls on us all to balance our [carbon] books.

The climate crisis is asking big, difficult, fundamental questions of business leaders. While a CEO’s tenure may be short (the average tenure is 4.5 years), their legacy is long. 

But there’s no instruction manual.

Reaching net zero emissions is hard. It’s one thing to commit to net zero emission in the future, but quite another to take responsibility for your continued contribution to the problem. As business professionals, we need to account for our emissions today, tomorrow, next week and next year.

Reduce and Invest says we should all be applying its four messages to our business strategies. It calls us businesses everywhere to balance their [carbon books] by reducing and investing in equal measure. Continue reading for more.

The principle: Balance your books

First, let’s examine the foundational principle of Reduce and Invest. What does it mean to balance your [carbon] books?

📉 Reduce

Reduce your corporate emissions as fast and as far as possible. Rapid decarbonisation of your supply chain is critical and urgent.

📈 Invest

Simultaneously use the VCM to invest in climate solutions, above and beyond your business, which can help accelerate global net nero.

Reducing and investing means matching your company’s emissions to its carbon credit purchases, today. It has to be both – and in equal measure. Put simply, if you pollute, you pay.

To decide how much to spend on carbon credits, Reduce and Invest recommends setting a voluntary carbon price per tonne of your company’s emissions. It should be equal and opposite. Every tonne, every time. Simple. 

The market: Immediate and effective

The VCM is an immediate, proven and low-cost way to account for your emissions today. It uses the mechanics of the market to deliver positive impacts for carbon, for nature and people living in the Global South. 

So how does it work? The VCM facilitates financial flow to effective solutions that accelerate our path to global net zero. While delivering urgently-needed funding to climate mitigation projects, the VCM provides businesses with viable way to alleviate the pressure on net zero targets. The market offers a diverse range of options, businesses will find plenty of quality & value. 

The Claim: Global net zero

Contributing to global net zero means investing in solutions beyond your business. It is not enough to solely account for your company’s emissions – business professionals need to think of the big picture. What can be done for biodiversity? What can be done for trees? And what can be done to support the people most impacted by the climate crisis? 

Consumers, employees, shareholders and journalists increasingly expect brands to do the right thing — reducing and investing. They want to see companies taking leadership for climate and nature. Yes, these actions are voluntary now. But they could (and should) become mandatory later.

The business case: ROI

Not only is reducing and investing the right thing to do, but it’s also the commercially smart thing to do. But, although sustainability is high on the business agenda, the VCM is not. It’s complex, and often the domain of the CSO.

This needs to change. Companies should recognise that doing the right thing enhances their brand’s reputation. It shows you as a leader in the climate space, setting an example for others to emulate. 

Finally, reducing and investing help manage risk. It’s an opportunity to hedge long-term costs, locking in prices ahead of regulatory compliance. It delivers a return on investment. Rather than a cost to the business, it’s a source of competitive advantage for B2C and B2B, raising debt, securing insurance and retaining talent. 

Final takeaways

If you remember anything from this article, make sure it’s these points:

1. Reduce and invest.
2. It has to be both. And in equal measure. 
3. Emissions today, balanced by investments today.
4. Like for like. Every tonne, every time.
5. It really is better when it is balanced. Better for the planet – and better for your business.

We are hugely supportive of this campaign and encourage others to get involved. This is what doing the right thing looks like.

Find out more on Reduce and Invest’s website: www.reduceandinvest.com