How can offices and companies reduce emissions?

Build a GHG inventory first

Use the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard to measure Scope 1 (fuel you burn), Scope 2 (electricity you buy) and Scope 3 (your value chain). Our articles on Scope 1, 2 and 3 and on GHG inventories explain this step by step. Set a base year and track the same boundary every year.

Get an energy audit

The Energy Conservation Act, 2001 set up BEE in 2002. Large energy users notified as designated consumers must get energy audits by BEE-accredited energy auditors under the PAT (Perform, Achieve and Trade) Rules, 2012. Smaller firms and MSMEs are not always required to, but a voluntary audit usually shows the quickest savings: compressed air leaks, motors, pumps, lighting, HVAC and process heat.

For offices, look at AC set points, lighting controls, BEE star-rated equipment and building design under BEE's Energy Conservation Building Code.

Buy or generate renewable power

• Rooftop or on-site solar on your own premises.
• Green Energy Open Access: the Ministry of Power's rules of June 2022 let consumers with a connected load of 100 kW or more buy renewable power from a generator of their choice; captive users have no minimum (PIB).
• Green tariffs offered by some distribution companies, and Renewable Energy Certificates (see our REC article).

Under the GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance (2015), companies report electricity emissions two ways: location-based (grid average) and market-based (the contracts you buy). Keep both, and keep the paperwork.

Engage your suppliers

For many companies, Scope 3, especially purchased goods and services, is the largest share. The GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard suggests collecting data from key suppliers. In practice:

1. Rank suppliers by spend and likely emissions.
2. Ask the top ones for their energy use or product footprint.
3. Add energy and emissions questions to procurement.
4. Help small suppliers with simple templates or shared audits.

Set travel and commuting policies

Prefer video calls for short meetings, rail over flights where practical, shared transport or shuttles, and charging points for electric two-wheelers.

Be careful with claims

If you plan to call a product or company carbon neutral or net zero, follow a recognised standard and disclose what was reduced and what was offset. See our article on carbon neutral, net zero and greenwashing.