Calculating a Carbon Footprint: An Essential Strategy

🎬 Interview with Philippe Mangard, CEO of the Decarbo’Solution® platform

Could you please introduce yourself and describe what Decarbo’Solution® does?

Hello, my name is Philippe Mangeard. Together with a number of friends and partners, we have launched this initiative, which aimsto identify and calculate greenhouse gas emissions—not only to establish a carbon footprint, but above allto develop reduction plans that will enable everyone to do their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the face of the climate crisis looming ahead of us. 

The result today is Decarbo’Solution®. It’s the undisputed market leader—and that’s only natural. We got started ten years ago.

Just three years ago, we were the only digital platform offering this kind of service. Today, there are a good half-dozen startups that have entered the market, which clearly shows that the market has evolved and that moving toward digital solutions is now essential. As a reminder,carbon footprint assessments have been around for over 15 years. For more than fifteen years, it has been aimed primarily at very large companies and very large local governments. Today ,local governments, SMEs, micro-enterprises, and mid-sized companies are demanding the ability to take ownership of this carbon footprint assessment— to be able to do it on their own,in full compliance, and despite its complexity— which has become straightforward thanks to digital tools.

In February 2021, what are companies' regulatory obligations regarding their carbon footprint?

Since the Grenelle Act—which dates back more than ten years—there have been legal requirements for large companies and local governments. Fortunately, the government has taken responsibility and decided in its 2022 Budget Act and the December 2021 decree,to require all companies with more than 50 employees that have received so-called COVID relief funds to conduct a compliant carbon assessment.

In plain terms, this means that the government has determined thatthe ecological transition cannot happen without the commitment of all businesses—not just the large ones—and this is precisely where we see the perfect relevance of Decarbo’Solution®’s offering. It will enable all these business owners—faced with the requirement to prepare an environmental report—to find an easy, self-service, online solution at a highly competitive price that allows them not only to meet this new regulatory obligation but, above all, to commit to this ecological transition and, as a result, improve their company’s economic and environmental performance.

What advice do you give to entrepreneurs?

I want to tell entrepreneurs that they should view carbon footprint assessments asa new tool for improving business performance.

Today, it’s clear that by calculating your carbon footprint, you’re contributing to the effort needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But for entrepreneurs, my advice is to conduct a thorough assessment: Scope 1, Scope 2, Scope 3—examine what’s happening line by line. They’ll very quickly uncover some surprising issues: waste, overconsumption, and inefficient use. So when conducting a carbon footprint assessment, you have to do it thoroughly across all three scopes, examine it in detail,identify opportunities for savings, and implement a reduction plan (with the help of a carbon footprint expert if necessary).