GBB is Carbon Neutral since 2021

• Since 2021, GBB has verification of its purchased and retired offsets for the emission of greenhouse gases.
• The renewable energy project that GBB’s action supported aligns with the company’s values and overall ESG efforts.
• GBB hopes this can be a model for others to follow as we continue to work toward environmental sustainability in our internal efforts and client projects.

Carbon Neutrality and Beyond

As part of our ESG efforts, GBB set out to become carbon neutral. This process requires limiting emissions and procuring carbon credits from voluntary markets to offset the unavoidable emissions in cases where they cannot be limited. The GBB team has a continued goal to undertake meaningful activities to reduce the firm’s footprint and, when it cannot be reduced, scrutinize carbon offset options to ensure the impact of the offset is material.

GBB’s Carbon Emission Goals:

1. To efficiently measure and track emissions on an annual basis
2. To show progress through improvements to policies and procedures
3. To show progress through the purchase of carbon offset credits
4. Educate the staff and potentially the clients on process and progress
5. Eventually, achieve neutrality!

Making claims about commitment to improving environmental outcomes is a critical first step, but it has little value if it is not operationalized. GBB’s choice to implement an entirely virtual staff as of November 2021 has been one of our first steps in taking action to determine how to both achieve carbon-neutral operations and foster a vibrant and sustainable culture in the new virtual model.

This decision was responsive to the changing office dynamic of many professional service entities. It ensured the ongoing positive environmental benefits of working virtually, including meeting clients virtually without travel-related emissions. Full-time, flexible telework arrangements for all employees reduce the daily emissions of traveling to and from work.

A fully remote team still requires opportunities to collaborate in person. GBB will carefully consider the intention for staff gatherings and purchasing carbon offsets directly from the carrier when gathering requires plane travel.

We Can’t Achieve What We Don’t Measure

A critical feature of a written ESG strategy is to hold the firm accountable for making progress toward its stated goals. GBB began to measure its environmental footprint, focusing initially on its carbon output to achieve carbon neutrality. In doing so, we aim to make measurable progress toward a world where discarded materials are used as resources rather than wasted. After surveying our employees, we used the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency GHG Emissions Calculator which is designed as a tool to help small businesses and low-emitter organizations estimate and inventory their annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The calculator determines the direct and indirect emissions from all sources at a company when activity data are entered into the various sections of the workbook for one annual period.

Given that GBB is part of the professional services industry, GBB’s most significant impact on the environment is through its service delivery. GBB’s assessment of its carbon footprint focuses on Scope 3 emissions through its business travel. Using this information and the EPA calculator, our ESG team could determine GBB emission factors, establish a company baseline for tracking overall emission trends, and use it as a basis to develop future mitigation strategies.

After calculating our baseline, GBB looked to purchase credits to offset the current carbon generated. Evolution Markets is a brokerage service for global energy and environmental markets that enabled GBB to purchase our necessary offsets (transaction confirmation pictured on the right).

Since 2021, GBB has verification of its purchased and retired offsets for the emission of greenhouse gases relating to operations.

By purchasing 120 MTCO2E in offset credits, GBB helped benefit a landfill gas to energy project in Fulton County, New York. This renewable energy project is healthier for the community, which aligns with GBB’s values and overall ESG efforts.

GBB hopes this can be a model for others to follow as we continue to work toward environmental sustainability in our internal efforts and with client projects.

Learn more about the Fulton County Mud Road Landfill Carbon Offset Project.

Press Release: GBB Announces Carbon Neutrality for 2021 and 2022