Company ideologies and personal ideologies do not always go hand-in-hand. There is always the possibility that the former will reside in the realm of starched shirts and pencil skirts; an item you can’t wait to take off at the end of the day and replace with something more comfortable. At Good Energy, reducing our impact on the planet and securing a sustainable energy future for everybody is integral to our vision. We like to think that it is the same for our employees. And it would appear that they think so too: two thirds have signed up to our PACT scheme, which begins today. 

PACT – Personal Allowance Carbon Tracking – is the world’s first voluntary staff carbon trading scheme, developed by WSP Environment & Energy in 2007. After a successful two year trial in its UK office, the global consultancy firm rolled the innovation out to all of its offices. The project has quickly gathered pace and there is now a cluster of pioneering companies involved across the globe, bringing the number of individuals participating to over 1000. 

Good Energy employees who have opted in to the scheme will have their carbon usage monitored on a quarterly basis using a WSP developed, web-based, tracker tool. Home energy consumption, vehicles owned, daily commute, holidays and other significant journeys taken will all be monitored in a simple programme – the whole process takes around 20 minutes per quarter to complete. It couldn’t be easier.

The scheme is a great way to make personal carbon emissions tangible, the result being that we should reduce our energy consumption. A PhD study carried out during the initial WSP trial showed that, on average, participants reduced their carbon footprint by around 10% in the first year.

An associate who took part says, “Knowing that I’m recording the information helps me to think about whether certain travel is necessary and reminds me to switch off that standby light on the TV.” 

But is it money or that warm fuzzy feeling of good deeds done that makes the world go round? A combination of the two most probably; so there is a financial incentive too. Individuals have an annual CO2 allowance of 4.5 tonnes (4,500kg), and for every kg under or over the total 5p is either cashed or docked up to the value of £100. So, if you have a footprint of 4.2 tonnes at the end of the year – 300kg credit – you receive a payment of £15. That’s a romantic cinema date for two – or a charitable donation – paid for right there. But as the Guardian online pointed out, “Employees know that the company shares their environmental values and is willing to commit financially to a greener future. The cash benefit (or loss) may not be huge, but the psychological impact certainly is.”

Well done to the members of the Good Energy team who have made a PACT with the planet. This is just another step forward in our ongoing commitment to creating a low carbon future.