CO2 Performance Ladder Certification: How to gain a robust competitive edge in Belgium

What is the CO₂ Performance Ladder?

The CO₂ Performance Ladder is a management system that originated in the Netherlands to help companies address their CO₂ emissions. It involves an independent third-party audit, with successful companies receiving certification. Importantly, procuring bodies that utilise the CO₂ Performance Ladder in public tenders awards an advantage to ambitious companies, rewarding sustainability and carbon reduction across their operations and supply chains.

Key aspects of the CO₂ Performance Ladder include the requirement for companies to calculate their carbon footprint and develop an action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the CO₂ Performance Ladder is intended to be a scoring criterion in public tenders, giving ambitious companies an advantage to win the tender.

To achieve successful certification, you must make accurate assumptions and provide the level of detail required by the CO₂ Performance Ladder about your carbon footprint and emission reduction plans. Being a management system, it also requires companies to put in place the necessary internal procedures, ensuring CO₂ reduction is implemented in daily operations.

Here are recommendations on how companies can get started with the CO₂ Performance Ladder:

• Ensure accurate data and detail: Make sure your company gathers accurate data and provides the required level of detail about your carbon footprint and emission reduction plans. Successful certification relies on this information.
• Establish internal procedures: Implement the necessary internal procedures within your company. This is crucial for integrating CO₂ awareness into your daily operations, as the CO₂ Performance Ladder is a management system.
• Focus data collection: Streamline your data collection process. Direct your efforts efficiently to maximise valuable insights while ensuring the time and effort invested are reasonable.
• Develop a tailored action plan: Create an action plan that fits your specific situation. Consider utilising ambitious target-setting frameworks like SBTi to enhance your approach.
• Navigate administrative requirements: Familiarise yourself with the administrative requirements of the CO₂ Performance Ladder. Understanding these requirements will help you avoid potential pitfalls during the certification process.

For organisations in Belgium that are also working with SBTi, the CO₂ Performance Ladder framework helps to step up their game when it comes to making their carbon reduction efforts clear and trustworthy. By using both, they set out exactly what they're aiming for with climate action, which helps them map out their journey to reducing emissions with the right level of detail.