Our carbon footprint and offsets

Our Carbon Footprint

Our carbon footprint comprises emissions from the electricity and gas we use to run our offices, Data Centres and Disaster Recovery sites plus our air travel.

Man has invested heavily in improvements to Riverbank House and our global technology infrastructure, with a view to boosting our operational energy-efficiency. Video conferencing helps reduce travel, though face-to-face meetings will always have a role to play in our business. Air travel will always constitute a significant element of our carbon footprint.

Our total global greenhouse gas emissions for the 9 month period April to December 2011 were 8,513 tonnes, 2,189 tonnes of which relate to air travel.

Carbon offsets

Working with South Pole Carbon, a technologically and geographically diverse portfolio of carbon credits has been purchased to achieve carbon neutrality for our group-wide air travel. In selecting qualifying projects, we have endeavoured to choose those that offer benefits to local communities.

Click for further information on South Pole Carbon at www.southpolecarbon.com

South Pole Carbon. Offset project developer

South Pole Carbon Asset Management is an international company that facilitates the implementation and operation of high-quality emission reduction projects to address climate change and aid sustainable development.

For further information on South Pole Carbon visit www.southpolecarbon.com

Man’s carbon dioxide emissions accounting

We use the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) as a guide to our carbon dioxide emissions accounting. Over 94% of our emissions from electricity, gas and air travel are captured by our monitoring system, with the remaining 6% extrapolated on a global per capita basis. Our methodology and data is independently verified, and a portfolio of carbon credits purchased from South Pole Carbon to achieve 100% offset of air travel.

GhG Conversion Factors

We source 'green electricity' at a premium for our UK and Switzerland offices, and use a zero conversion factor to quantify emissions from this renewable electricity. The UK Government treats 'green electricity' purchased by business at grid average conversion factors to quantify emissions. This means that 'green tariff' electricity purchased at a premium and sourced via the national grid is not treated differently from standard tariffs. We believe the cost premium for 'green' electricity should justify a corresponding benefit, in the form of a zero conversion factor to quantify emissions. We nevertheless show emission data on the dashboard both with the green savings included and at grid average.

For 2011 we have used the conversion factors as per ‘2011 Guidelines to Defra / DECC's GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting’.