RSA welcomes new climate change guidance

RSA has welcomed new guidance released today by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) on the term 'carbon neutral'.

The insurer believes that it will help to improve transparency and build consumer confidence in the use of the term and is pleased that emphasis placed on footprint measurement and reduction prior to a decision on offsetting being taken.

The current guidance should also allow organisations to support innovative work, particularly in the development and use of non-CDM carbon credits, while recommending the use of CDM/QA assured credits for those organisations who do not wish to undertake their own additional assurance work.

Dr Paul Pritchard, UK head of corporate responsibility at RSA said: "Our carbon neutrality activity is underpinned by our employees wanting us to do more on green issues. With this new guidance we hope that other organisations will look to examine the benefits of such actions for themselves, customers and staff."

The DECC's definition of carbon neutrality: "Carbon neutral means that – through a transparent process of calculating emissions, reducing those emissions and offsetting residual emissions – net carbon emissions equal zero."