WeSpire reveals employee carbon management solution

The world is rightfully worried about climate change. However, beyond watching films that use thin allegories for our impending doom and trying to recycle more, what can we really do?

WeSpire, an employee engagement tool with an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) focus, believes it can help companies make substantial changes to their carbon footprint with its platform.

The company has now unveiled its new Employee Carbon Management solution, which has been developed alongside Cox Enterprises and South Pole.

The solution does what it says on the tin, but has features that will interest those who are compelled to take serious action to tackle the climate crisis.

The Employee Carbon Management solution

There have been plenty of advances on monitoring the systems of employees, but the Employee Carbon Management solution gives access to specific employee Scope 3 carbon emissions data quickly, accurately, and on-demand.

This means there is data on direct emissions from company-owned or controlled sources of pollution, as well as indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating, and cooling. Finally, Scope 3 emissions encompass all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain according to Carbon Trust.

Through this data, companies can engage employees about their carbon footprint, and make progress and plans to reduce their output.

Speaking about the new product, Kim Knickle, research director for ESG and sustainability at Verdantix, noted: “Given the dramatic shift toward remote work and subsequent increased emissions generated by working from home, companies need to reconsider their approach to Scope 3 emissions and gain insight into employee carbon footprints and home energy use.

“Innovative solutions to drive ESG performance are imperative to build towards a carbon-neutral and sustainable economy more effectively and meet net zero goals.”

Susan Hunt Stevens, founder and CEO at WeSpire, noted: “We’ve pioneered a data-first, behavior-change solution to drive much needed personal climate action in the workplace,

“Our technology enables organizations to engage their employees to better understand their own impact, take targeted carbon reduction actions, and, when needed, the company or employees can balance what remains.

“This holistic solution will inspire further innovation as employees see their collective impact on their company’s ESG goals and will significantly simplify employee-related Scope 3 emissions reporting.”

Of course, the vast majority of carbon emissions are caused by a select number of companies that have damaging practices. However, WeSpire believes this tool will help many businesses do better to reach their emission targets.

George Favaloro, South Pole’s Head of Climate Solutions in North America, commented: “Stakeholders and employees increasingly demand organizations make commitments to drive climate action and offset their carbon footprints. But this can be challenging,

“WeSpire’s solution with South Pole’s embedded offsetting capability makes it simple for organizations to take meaningful climate action while engaging and empowering their employees.”

Monitoring and reducing emissions is undoubtedly important and technology that enables that will have a use in most organizations.

The only question that remains, is whether businesses will take their carbon footprint commitments seriously enough to invest.