EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
FLORIAN HÜBNER , CO-FOUNDER AND CEO , UBERALL
More than ever before , companies are thinking about their impact on society alongside how they can operate their business effectively . And climate change has risen to the top of these societal concerns , boosted in large part by the startling changes to the environment we ’ ve seen due to global lockdowns , from crystal clear waters in Venice ’ s canals to the Himalayas being visible in India for the first time in 30 years due to reduced air pollution . Add to that , the extreme weather of the past year – severe winter storms , record-breaking high temperatures and catastrophic flooding – has put sustainability firmly on the corporate agenda .
As business leaders , it ’ s important to start by prioritising sustainability in our own ‘ house ’ and making sure that it is an integral part of our overall business strategy . But it isn ’ t just about the direct carbon footprint of a company from within the four walls of its business , such as its energy use and its facilities ’ operations and activities . It ’ s equally essential to go beyond getting your own house in order and consider the carbon impact of a company ’ s overall operations , including things like purchased goods and services and employee travel .
More and more , these indirect emissions are being recognised and measured by companies , using standards like the Greenhouse Gas Protocol ( GHG Protocol ) to provide a benchmark to measure achievement .
The GHG Protocol categorises carbon emissions into three groups , called ‘ Scopes ’ – Scope 1 being a company ’ s direct emissions , Scope 2 covering indirect emissions from energy consumption like heating , cooling and electricity , and Scope 3 describing all other indirect emissions .
commuting accounted for 20 % of total travel distance , totalling 18 billion kg of CO 2 emissions per year , according to the CBI . As a company with seven offices around the globe , being able to work remotely , worldwide makes a notable difference to our carbon footprint .
Likewise , the amount and type of business travel we do has changed . We no longer require every new Uberall employee to go to our headquarters in Berlin for an initial induction . It ’ s all done remotely . And customer meetings that would have been done in person for certain in the past , are now digital meetings . We ’ ve even turned our annual summer party into a 24-hour World Tour , where we booked a venue in each city so that almost no one needs to fly .
Sustainability isn ’ t just the right thing to do , it ’ s also good for business . Our key stakeholders , including customers and employees , demand it and with 99 % of large company CEOs agreeing that sustainability issues are important to the future success of their businesses , per Accenture , it ’ s clear that sustainability is critical to business performance . x
IT ’ S EQUALLY ESSENTIAL TO GO BEYOND GETTING YOUR OWN HOUSE IN ORDER AND CONSIDER THE CARBON IMPACT OF A COMPANY ’ S OVERALL OPERATIONS , INCLUDING THINGS LIKE PURCHASED GOODS AND SERVICES AND EMPLOYEE TRAVEL .
At Uberall , one of the ways we ’ re tackling Scope 3 emissions is through changes to where and how we work . We now have a ‘ work from anywhere ’ policy , which directly impacts employee commuting . In the UK , prior to the pandemic ,
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