CO2 neutrality is a journey and a path of continuous improvement. Today, for most sectors and industries, it is still a voluntary process on the part of the company that requires commitment at the highest level of management and in many cases internal coordination of all teams, sometimes considerable financial investment to transform processes or finance adaptation.
It is therefore normal for companies to move forward gradually, usually starting with the offset of emissions in order to minimise their impact while putting in place their reduction plan. The CO2 Neutral label, through its 3 levels, aims to represent this progression as transparently as possible.
The Gold level of the CO2 Neutral label is aligned with climate science, and helps companies progress in their ambition towards a Net Zero journey. And for every level, the QR provides clear information about the company’s climate journey and level of ambition to the general public.
The third party validation by Vinçotte is another way for us to guarantee the robustness of the label, and ensure that the claim associated with it is indeed justified.
Our policy also states that a company, product or activity that is deemed to be counterproductive to sustainable development and transformation to a Net Zero society may be denied or have the CO2 Neutral label withdrawn.
Furthermore, offsetting can only be done with certified climate projects (Gold Standard, VCS), ensuring maximum impact. Climate projects related to nuclear power, fuel switching, industrial gases, coal mine methane and large hydroelectric power plants are excluded.
All companies should be encouraged to take action. The label is a way of inspiring them to be more ambitious, and it will continue to evolve in the future to meet the global challenge of climate change