Doing our part for the environment
The state of the environment is something that affects us all, and at Brandkind we are determined to do our part in reducing carbon emissions. For this reason, we have implemented the Brandkind Environmental Program.
“Many of our customers require that their partners are working responsibly, and we also want to do our share for a sustainable future,” says Maiju Leppänen, Partner and Art Director, who is coordinating the environmental program. “For me, it is very important to work in a company that seriously considers environmental issues. In our own lives we can make a small impact, but it is also important to motivate others.”
The ultimate goal of the program is for our company to become carbon neutral by 2035. As we all know, changing habits is not easy, and requires foresight and dedication, which is why we have decided to begin our shift now.
Taking the first steps
There are five steps involved. Firstly, we assess the starting point, then identify reduction potential, define and prioritise appropriate measures, implement them, and investigate possible compensation measures. These steps are based on training organised by the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in 2019.
The assessment of the starting point was completed earlier in 2021. The timing of the survey was atypical, we hope, due to the Coronavirus pandemic. “Because we started our work during the pandemic the numbers will become more accurate in the following years,” Leppänen explains, “but it was important to get an overall idea of our emissions and where they come from. This gives us tools to figure out how we can start cutting them and what to focus on in the next steps of the program.”
Positive results
The review showed that Brandkind’s carbon footprint in 2020 was equivalent to 6.35 tonnes of carbon dioxide. “According to the first calculation we have a very small CO2 footprint,” Leppänen concludes. “On a normal year it will most likely be a bit higher, but now we know that our emissions mainly come from purchased energy and travel to work.”
By the end of Q3 2021 we will have completed the next two phases of the action plan – firstly identifying reduction potential, and then specifying, prioritizing, and scheduling emission reduction measures. The final two steps will be finished in Q1 2022. The Brandkind Environmental Program is only one part of the struggle to prevent worse ecological disaster, but this is really one situation where every little helps.
