Enterprise Carbon Management Solutions

On Tuesday June 16th, Sustainable Waterloo hosted 250 attendees at the Waterloo Inn to officially launch its Regional Carbon Initiative and announce initial Pledging Partners: Athena Software, VeriForm Inc., Enermodal Engineering.  This event was focused on truly celebrating the individuals and organizations that had contributed to Sustainable Waterloo to date and the Regional Carbon Initiative that is a product of their efforts.

In April 2009, e3 and Sustainable Waterloo announced our partnership to provide Waterloo Region's businesses with a carbon measurement tool. e3's carbon accounting and reporting tool is providing Sustainable Waterloo's Pledging Partners a standardized software used by some of the largest organizations in North America in a cost-efficient web-based Software-as-a-Service model (SaaS). This GHG Management system will help Pledging Partners measure, monitor, and verify activities to significantly reduce risks by achieving carbon reduction targets and promote sustainability.

"Supporting Sustainable Waterloo through this initiative and attending this launch was important to e3. The attendance and enthusiasm of so many  Waterloo Region organizations showcases the strong commitment the region has to addressing climate change.  As a strategic partner and the carbon accounting solutions provider, it was important for our team to show our support. We feel that Sustainable Waterloo's Regional Carbon Initiative will be a leading the market in carbon management best practices, not only for regional organizations but for organizations across Canada", said Julian Moffatt, Vice President, Client Solutions.

Organizations that participate in Sustainable Waterloo's Regional Carbon Initiative will commit to a carbon reduction target within a standardized framework. There are two membership options available for the Regional Carbon Initiative. A Pledging Partner makes a public commitment to reduce carbon emissions and is recognized for the achievements associated with its sustainability practices. Observing Organizations have access to the same service offering as Pledging Partners, however do not make their carbon reduction goals public. Pledging Partners commit to a reduction at Gold, Silver, or Bronze levels with 60%, 40% and 20% minimum reductions respectively as the goal over a ten year commitment.

Sustainable Waterloo's first Pledging Partners were announced as follows:
•Athena Software, Bronze Pledging Partner: 20% intensity-based reduction in 10 years (i.e. 20% reduction per full-time employee) 
•Enermodal Engineering, Gold Pledging Partner: 100% absolute reduction ("carbon neutral") in 10 years 
•VeriForm, Gold Pledging Partner: 100% absolute reduction ("carbon neutral") in 10 years

"We're incredibly excited not only to officially launch the Regional Carbon Initiative, but also to celebrate the commitments of these three leading organizations in Waterloo Region" says Sustainable Waterloo's Executive Director Mike Morrice. "Our first Pledging Partners have announced ambitious carbon emission reduction goals and we're thrilled to work with them and other organizations in the Waterloo Region – particularly the high-tech sector - to demonstrate our community's leadership in environmental sustainability."

All Regional Carbon Initiative members will be provided with e3's carbon accounting and reporting tool, quarterly educational forums and technical workshops, a directory of Waterloo Region environmental services professionals, inclusion in consolidated reporting and public recognition of their achievements, as merited.

Paul Rak, President of VeriForm Inc., provided attendees with a motivating success story on emission reductions. In only two years, VeriForm has implemented 37 carbon reduction projects at a cost of $46,774, but with a return of $91,263 in savings.

For additional information...

http://www.sustainablewaterloo.org/index.php?p=rcioverview