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Close to home: experience of the CRC Energy Efficiency SchemeThe CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme is designed to make all kinds of companies and organisations consider their carbon emissions, and try to reduce their energy use. Among the companies participating in the scheme is Utility Week's own parent company, Reed Elsevier. This international publishing company, with magazines as varied as New Scientist, Caterer and Hotelkeeper, Farmers Weekly and Flight International, has emissions to account for from a variety of UK offices and activities. And although many of its activities take place online, as here on utilityweek.co.uk, that still means it needs to consider emissions from the hardware that serves its online businesses. How does Utility Week's parent regard the scheme? "Yes, we are liable to participate in the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme", says Marcia Balisciano, director of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Reed Elsevier. She says the company began to look at the scheme a couple of years ago and it participated in the consultation over its details. She adds, "we've had no shortage of opportunities to understand how the CRC works". Balisciano's CSR team flagged up the CRC at board level in 2008. "We made it clear in our regular meeting with the chief financial officer that we would need to participate in the scheme and take it seriously. Then we focused on it more strongly in 2009." she says. There are financial implications for the company, "carbon emissions cost you, and that raises it up the agenda as a business cost." The company is also anticipating staffing requirements, "as we will need a colleague from the finance department who will be designated to purchase and trade carbon credits". As an international company Reed Elsevier has a complex set of data to collate, but on the other hand that is a process the company has already grasped. For Balisciano, the scheme adds another layer to some already extensive data on the company's environmental performance. She explains: "We are a leader in the Carbon Disclosure Project. We have a strong commitment to understanding our environmental performance and we have our own targets to reduce emissions on our 2008 baseline. We want to cut them by 15 per cent by 2015." "The CRC data fits in quite well with the other data we collect," says Balisciano, and the company is already investing in more sophisticated tracking and data management systems. That's why Balisciano queries the CRC's heavy reliance on one particular measure: "We have external assurance on our environmental data, it is all audited by Ernst & Young and it is across all our international activities. But the government wants us to get the Carbon Trust Standard as well - that will cost £25,000," she says, pointing out that that investment could otherwise be used to cut emissions. "If you already have robust assurance data you shouldn't have to pay again for it." It's an issue the company lobbied on during the scheme development - arguing that it was a considerable cost burden and was fall as hard on smaller businesses. But in the round she believes the scheme will help drive energy efficiency improvements at Reed Elsevier. "It sends a strong message for companies," she says. What is more, she believes that the UK will not be the only place where companies have to account for their carbon emissions. "I think it's the beginning of a trend that will happen in other jurisdictions. It's a chance for us to test it," she says. Are you particpating in the CRC scheme? Now is the time to have your questions about the scheme answered. On 19 May from 2.30pm Malcolm Fergusson, head of climate change at the Environment Agency will be answering your questions LIVE on UtilityWeek.co.uk. Source: Utility Week © Faversham House Group Ltd 2010. News articles may be copied or forwarded
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