What does it mean to be a Carbon Neutral Business?

Carbon offset credits are produced by activities that reduce carbon emissions. Have you ever heard of a business or their products being "carbon neutral" or "carbon zero" but been confused by what that means? It's not always clear. In order to be carbon neutral, a business or organisation must calculate their greenhouse gas emissions. This includes every activity related to the business, such as fuel use and travel. The business first reduces these emissions as much as they can, by investing in new, more energy efficient technology, or changing the way they operate. Any remaining emissions can be "cancelled out" by purchasing what are called carbon offsets. Carbon offset units are generated from activities that prevent, reduce, or reuse greenhouse gas emissions. This might be planting trees (the most common offset type) or building a solar farm. When the offsets an organisation purchases are equal to the emissions they produce, they are carbon neutral.

Why BioPak is Carbon Neutral

BioPak is certified carbon neutral with Climate Active. BioPak has been carbon neutral since 2010. However, in 2019 they made the decision to become certified to the Australian Government–backed standard, Climate Active (formerly NCOS). The program has strict certification requirements, and it guarantees that certification is awarded only to businesses and organisations that have credibly reached a state of achieving net zero emissions.  

Information taken from BioPak's website. You can find Climate Active information here. Read about the difference between recycled and FSC-certified paper and more about carbon neutrality, on our blog.

Planet Friendly Packaging acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work. Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by COVID-19. Stay safe.