We are officially a Climate Positive business! This means we remove more greenhouse gas emissions than we produce – think of it as “putting back into the grid”. To achieve this, we teamed up with Earthly, the experts dedicated to removing carbon, restoring nature and reversing climate breakdown.
Climate Positive with Earthly
Offsetting 110% of our carbon footprint
The task of offsetting and going climate positive is an annual process, requiring a yearly calculation of our carbon foot print that could account for a set amount of employees. In 2022, this footprint came to 385.1 tons of Co2e, or 2.08 tons per employee (a reduction from our 2021 footprint per person). In order to go climate positive, we then offset a further 10% of our emissions total to reach 424 tons of carbon.
How did we actually offset? We invested in some of the amazing Earthly projects located around the world - find more details below.
As a certified B Corporation®, we’re dedicated to being more socially and environmentally transparent and accountable, which is why choosing to go Climate Positive was such an easy decision. However, being Climate Positive is more than just going one step further than a net zero carbon footprint. As a people-focused Clinical Research Organisation, it reflects our values and dedication to the environment, the needs of our employees, clients and society as a whole.
We want to inspire change within the bio-pharmaceutical industry and encourage more businesses to address climate change with meaningful action. Our work with Earthly is an example of meaningful action that is both accountable and transparent in nature.
According to the Earthly website, a carbon offset is a ‘measurable, quantifiable, and trackable unit of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions’.
In order to ensure carbon offsets are creating real and progressive climate impacts, the emissions they claim to reduce must be: additional, real, measurable, have no leakage, permanent and verifiable.
Discover Earthly’s article ‘What is Carbon Offsetting‘ for more information.
The process of calculating our offset involved a rigorous analysis process that involved a detailed assessment report that Earthly then used to calculate Veramed’s carbon footprint.
This included looking at everything from building costs to staff commuting, heating, events, and more. Broken down into a three scope process of analysis, the calculation was based on:
- Direct emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the company
- Indirect emissions from purchased sources of energy that the company does not control – e.g. electricity
- All other indirect emissions – e.g. travel
This report was a calculation for 2021. Earthly then calculated Veramed’s impact based on the tonnes of carbon per employee, which in Veramed’s case equated to 3.71 tonnes of carbon per employee, or 241.98 Tonnes in total.
The Earthly projects we’re investing in…
After calculating our carbon footprint, we wanted to invest in projects that could drive real change. We shared all our Earthly projects with Veramed staff, and found three Earthly projects that resonated with the team. Learn more about our progress on our Earthly Veramed page, and the projects we’ve invested in below.
Peatland Protection, Rimba Raya
This project protects one of the most highly endangered ecosystems in the world. Without this project, the carbon-rich, peatland forest of Rimba Raya would have been turned into palm oil estates, emitting over 100 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere. Instead, the project is protecting the land and working with local communities to achieve all 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Tropical Forest Protection, Mai Ndombe
The Mai Ndombe forest protection project is not only about protecting the world’s second-largest intact rainforest but also about helping local communities.
Mangrove Restoration, Delta Blue
Delta Blue Carbon is the largest mangrove forest restoration project in the world. Once a thriving ecosystem, in recent decades the mangroves were devastated by large-scale deforestation. The mangroves were used as fuel wood and fodder, with further damage caused by open-range grazing by livestock.
Seaweed Farming, Cornwall
An early stage, nature-based innovation helping write the science to scale up seaweed farming across the South West of the UK. Seaweed grows quickly, rapidly removing carbon from the atmosphere and creating shelter and food for wildlife. It’s also a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel, plastic and fertilizer, reducing industrial carbon emissions and helping to create a circular economy.
What does this mean for you?
As a climate positive business, we’re always interested in working with like-minded individuals and businesses. In fact, Veramed employees are actively involved in all of our environmental projects, such as Earthly, through groups such as Veramed’s B Corp Environment Hive. Be a part of a movement and join a team of passionate individuals that are addressing climate change.
