Counting Carbon with the CDP

“So…what’s your carbon footprint?” If you are an international manufacturer that can’t answer this question, its time to start figuring out how to get this information. That’s because the international companies that purchase your products and services are measuring and disclosing their greenhouse gas emissions and they are about to ask you to do the same. Reporting on emissions and other actions like water use and waste reduction are all part of the global business community’s ongoing commitment to sustainability.

Supporting the collection and analysis of this information is an independent not-for-profit organization called The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). If this isn’t a group you are familiar with, expect to be hearing more about them in the coming years. The CDP holds the largest database of corporate climate change in the world and they partner with multinational organizations on everything from investor relations to supply chain management when it comes to carbon.

Of most importance to manufacturers are the global companies that are requesting that their supplies submit their information to CDP. Recognize some of these names?
· Colgate Palmolive Company
· Nestle
· Unilever
· Walmart

Smart manufactures will be proactive and begin looking at how they might calculate their carbon footprint and design a strategic sustainability plan. Here are a few resources to get you started:
· Walmart’s Sustainability Index. Walmart is setting the tone for supplier sustainability and many retailers will likely borrow heavily from Walmart’s program when creating their own.
· The Carbon Disclosure Project: Their questionnaire for suppliers is available for download.