Going Carbon Neutral means that there is no net increase in the global emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere as a result of a products business operations or service.
Castrol became the first lubricants company in the world to offer a certified carbon neutral product to our customers with the launch of Castrol Professional in 2014. Since then, Castrol has worked hard to reduce the carbon footprint of Castrol Professional by over 15% whilst millions of motorists have benefitted from using a carbon neutral engine oil.
We have built on this success and introduced carbon neutral products into other categories - launching the world’s first carbon neutral lubricants for cars, commercial vehicles and wind turbines as well as working with car workshops to help them make their business carbon neutral, offsetting more than 360,000 tonnes of CO2 over the last year (Source BP Advancing Low Carbon)
HOW DOES A PRODUCT BECOME CARBON NEUTRAL?
To achieve carbon neutral certification its necessary to:
calculate the carbon footprint of the product
develop an action plan to reduce the carbon
purchase sufficient carbon credits to cover the carbon
deliver against the carbon reduction plan to maintain carbon neutral certification
We like the role carbon neutral plays in our sustainability journey because it allows us to reduce carbon fast and it delivers additional social good, while we take action to reduce the direct carbon impact. WHAT’S THE BENEFIT OF CARBON OFFSETTING? Carbon offsetting is an internationally recognised way to take responsibility for unavoidable carbon emissions. Offsetting is when a tonne of carbon emitted is ‘offset’ by a reduction of the same amount elsewhere. This is achieved through the purchase of carbon credits which stimulate investment in carbon reduction projects around the world. It is the fastest way to achieve emissions reductions and the only way to achieve carbon neutrality.
Castrol purchases carbon credits through BP Target Neutral. BP Target Neutral supports several carbon offset projects around the world. The projects range from protecting 41,000 hectares (over 100,000 Acres) of rainforest in Zambia from deforestation to supporting cookstove installation projects, aimed at helping some of the 3 billion people in the world who cook on traditional open fires. Open fires are inefficient, require more firewood or coal and contribute to 3.7 million deaths a year from causes related to the smoke and fumes. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, our carbon offset projects also deliver a range of other benefits for those communities in which the projects are based. These benefits are reflected through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). The Goals recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and addresses a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling the climate challenge and environmental protection.
CASTROL VECTON - THE WORLD'S FIRST CERTIFIED CARBON-NEUTRAL COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINE OIL
At Castrol, we continuously look for new technologies and refresh our portfolio for the latest standards to be fit and ready for the future. Your needs are our top priority. We understand that engine oil is an enabler to meet your business and personal goals. So, we build propositions that provide solutions to your real functional and emotional needs.
In 2017, Castrol VECTON became the world's first certified carbon neutral commercial vehicle engine oil under the international BSI PAS 2060 standard. We have developed a campaign to stepout and drive brand advocacy as the leaders in sustainability by creating positive awareness using carbon neutral engine oil in trucks.
BENEFITS OF BEING CARBON NEUTRAL
A net-zero carbon footprint allows businesses to:
- Make a positive contribution to climate change
- Stand out from their competitors as an environmentally responsible business
- Contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
(originally posted on https://www.castrol.com/en_za/south-africa/home/castrol-story/sustainability/carbon-neutral.html)