Preparing your Fleet for Emissions Reporting

Now is the time for thousands of companies to prepare their fleets for the government's greenhouse gas reporting. From next April, the reporting scheme will require companies to report on all of their greenhouse gas emissions, including those produced by their fleets, and is hoped to be the first step in companies reducing their emissions.

Announced in the commitment made by the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, at the Rio+20 Earth Summit in June 2012, the scheme forms part of the UK's plan to cut carbon emissions to 50% of 1990 levels by 2025.

Although initially affecting only the companies listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, if Parliament deems it a success, the scheme could be extended to all large companies from 2016.

The government clearly has high hopes for the scheme with initial estimates predicting mandatory reporting will reduce emissions by four million tonnes by 2021.

Be Prepared

It seems likely, especially given the high profile of the event at which the announcement was made, that the scheme will go on to be rolled out to all companies ??? so there's no burying our heads in the sand from it. The time scale for this rollout will probably be within a decade - which presents you with a golden opportunity to ensure you're fully prepared and have the right processes and systems in place.

And, thanks to technology, the task of reporting on your entire fleet's emissions is effortless. With a system such as our Smart Telematics, you can monitor the CO2 emissions across your entire fleet and, with a click, you can drill down to view the performance of a single vehicle.

Having a monitoring system in place, and ensuring your employees are fully trained on how to use it, will minimise the impact the scheme might have otherwise had on your business.

Reap the Benefits

Often, when the government announces more red tape, our hearts fill with dread. But this scheme is better viewed as an opportunity to improve your company's efficiency. As pointed out during his announcement of the scheme, the scheme not only has environmental benefits but also the financials ones:

"British companies need to reduce their harmful emissions for the benefit of the planet, but many back our plans because being energy efficient makes good business sense too. It saves companies money on energy bills, improves their reputation with customers and helps them manage their long-term costs too."

And what he says is true, it's been proven by our customers.

So even if you're not compelled to report on your emissions, doing so can save your business money. By monitoring your fleet, you can see the efficiency of your vehicles and your drivers' behaviour and take suitable action to minimise inefficiencies."