ESMT Berlin business case for sustainability

Package

Essential

Pro

Enterprise

Scope

Scope 1, 2, 3 emissions

Start Date

April 2021

Carbon Accounting Initiatives have been growing in popularity through CSR departments at corporations. In this top business school, students have become the key drivers of the sustainability initiative.

  Net Impact ESMT Berlin, a 40-member strong student club for sustainability, needed a way to start measuring their carbon emissions in order to create a data-driven approach to change in the school.   

Net Impact ESMT Berlin President Luka Zrnic had been in contact with CEO and Co-founder Lubomila Jordanova, so when the club looked for a carbon accounting software it felt natural to adopt the Plan A software. As such, the ESMT Berlin campus became one of the first universities to partner with Plan A. With the software, both students and staff can get involved with the project and the wider initiative for sustainability.

“Plan A's software platform was co-developed by scientists. It is therefore the ideal solution for us to measure the CO2 emissions of ESMT Berlin as accurately as possible and gradually reduce them. The software analyses and identifies our main drivers and creates an emissions profile. In this way, we can see in which areas we still have room for improvement and where we can save CO2 most efficiently. To do this, we will use the action plan generated by the software over the coming weeks and months to further reduce ESMT Berlin’s CO2 emissions.”

Luka Zrnic

Project Initiator

Solution

A carbon platform to drive decarbonisation and engagement with data

ESMT Berlin is using the Essential version of the carbon manager. The software’s capabilities includes all operational emissions measurements, benchmarks, automated action plans as well as a space to centralise data, build a compensation portfolio, and manage their progress over time.

  In addition to the usage of the platform, Net Impact ESMT Berlin and Plan A have co-organised engagement and educational events, from park cleanups to talks, as well as supported the compensation of ESMT Berlin’s largest events.

Results

ESMT Berlin has successfully set up a baseline this year using the Plan A Platform. Information about the status of the school and the next steps for carbon reduction initiatives is shared with all employees and students, establishing a pattern of change for the future months and years ahead.

  Having the carbon accounting platform has given the group the legitimacy to hold discussions with ESMT Berlin’s executive board to implement more sustainable measures. The group has been able to secure additional budget for its activities such as battery collection stations, proper waste separation, building a greenhouse for the garden, and educational events such as a park clean-up with Plan A that brought together over 140 people to collect over 50 trash bags.

  Longer term, ESMT Berlin aims to change the status quo on campus and train the next generation of business leaders through this school-wide project.