Ecometrica: Measuring Environmental Impact Through Advanced Satellite Analytics

Introduction to Ecometrica Solutions

Ecometrica offers a range of easy-to-use tools that help companies measure, report, and keep track of their environmental impact. Their platform makes it simple for organizations to see where they stand with sustainability and what they can do to improve. Whether it’s calculating carbon emissions, creating reports for regulations, or monitoring environmental changes in real time, Ecometrica gives companies the tools and data they need to make informed, positive changes for the planet.

Measuring

"Since 2008 our software has enabled the world’s largest businesses to accurately and transparently calculate their climate impact, ensuring compliance with the latest legislation."
Source: ecometrica.com

Ecometrica’s Measuring tools help companies collect accurate data on things like greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, energy use, waste, and water consumption. These tools make sure the data aligns with global standards, like the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (a guideline for tracking emissions), so companies have a reliable starting point to measure their progress. Here’s how it works: every time energy is used—like electricity to power a factory or fuel for a company vehicle—it produces GHG emissions. To figure out the amount of emissions, Ecometrica uses something called emission factors. These factors are like conversion rates that turn units of energy (like kilowatts) into the amount of GHGs they release. They take into account where and when the energy is used, and even the type of energy source, as these details affect the emissions produced.

Ecometrica’s platform is equipped with a huge database of over 150,000 emission factors, which makes it one of the most comprehensive resources for tracking emissions. This database is updated regularly—hour by hour—to ensure that companies are working with the most accurate data available. This level of detail helps businesses get a clear and precise picture of their carbon footprint, allowing them to track emissions in real time and understand their environmental impact.

Reporting

"As mandatory greenhouse gas reporting becomes increasingly ubiquitous, using Ecometrica to report to the compliance frameworks enables you to comply with confidence."
Source: ecometrica.com

Ecometrica’s Reporting solution makes it easy for companies to share their environmental data like GHG emissions or electricity use in a way that meets international standards (such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol) and is understandable to all stakeholders. Reporting can be a complex task, especially with the growing number of regulations and expectations for transparency.

One of the standout features of Ecometrica’s reporting tools is the ability to create tailored reports for different audiences. For example, you might need a detailed emissions report for regulators or investors, while internal teams might only need a summary. Ecometrica allows users to customize reports, so everyone gets the information they need in the format they understand best.

Ecometrica also offers automated data validation and error-checking, which means the software helps ensure that the numbers are accurate before they go into a report. This feature reduces the risk of mistakes and makes the reporting process more reliable. With the software’s flexibility, companies can generate reports that include everything from carbon footprints to compliance with specific environmental regulations.

Monitoring

"Our on the ground and satellite monitoring service monitors your supply chains for deforestation covering all key commodity crops to ensure compliance."
Source: ecometrica.com

Ecometrica’s Monitoring solution allows companies to track and keep an eye on environmental risks that could affect their business and supply chain over time. This solution is especially useful for understanding and managing risks related to climate change, deforestation, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss. By continuously monitoring these risks, companies can make smarter, more proactive decisions to protect their operations and ensure compliance with environmental standards.

Ecometrica’s platform brings together different types of environmental data to give a complete picture of what’s happening in a company’s supply chain. They offer a set of tools that focus on monitoring specific environmental risks within a company’s supply chain:

Environmental Risk Profiler

This tool provides a big-picture look at potential environmental risks. It identifies areas in a company’s supply chain that might face deforestation, water shortages, or have important biodiversity (variety of plants and animals). This helps companies spot where they could face challenges and make decisions to reduce those risks.

Forest Due-Diligence

"Ecometrica’s Forest Due Diligence product monitors global supply chains, covering 100,000s of farms and other supply areas to flag potential linkages to deforestation. It helps companies to comply with deforestation legislation such as the EUDR and UK Environment Act."
Source: ecometrica.com

Forest due diligence is all about making sure that products we buy and sell aren’t contributing to deforestation – the clearing of forests for agriculture or development, which is a major driver of climate change. Certain crops and products, known as "forest risk commodities," are closely tied to deforestation because forests are often cleared to grow them. Some of the biggest culprits are:

• Palm oil

• Soy

• Cocoa

• Cattle (for beef and leather)

• Coffee

• Maize

• Rubber

Source: hub.jncc.gov.uk

These commodities are used in countless everyday products, from food to clothing, but their production often leads to the loss of forests, which are essential for absorbing carbon dioxide and supporting biodiversity. Deforestation is currently the second-leading cause of climate change globally, causing about 12-20% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Why Is Forest Due Diligence Important?

Governments and international bodies are increasingly introducing regulations to curb deforestation. For instance, the European Union has introduced the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which aims to prevent products linked to deforestation from entering the EU market. Companies that trade in these high-risk commodities are required to perform "due diligence" – a thorough check of their supply chains to ensure they're not sourcing from deforested areas.

Due diligence for forests means companies need to ask questions like:

• Where do the commodities come from? This involves knowing the exact origin of the products.

• Were these commodities grown without deforestation? They must confirm that production didn’t clear forests, at least from 2021 onwards.

• Does the sourcing comply with local laws? Ensuring that production respects local regulations on land use and deforestation.

To comply with regulations like the EUDR, companies will have to set up due diligence systems across their supply chains. This might sound complex, but some key steps include collecting detailed information on product origin, verifying the precise locations where products were grown, and conducting risk assessments on potential deforestation. This also means companies must stay alert to environmental risks and be ready to act if issues arise in their supply chain.

Water Risk Profiler

The Water Risk Profiler focuses on water-related risks. It helps companies understand the current water availability in different regions and predicts future water risks, using data about rainfall and population growth. With this tool, companies can quickly respond to any changes in water conditions and manage relationships with suppliers in areas that might face water scarcity.

Climate Risk Profiler

The Climate Risk Profiler gives companies insights into various climate-related risks, like floods, wildfires, rising sea levels, and other extreme weather events. It uses global climate data to predict how these risks might affect different parts of a company’s supply chain. This tool makes it easier for companies to prepare for physical risks from climate change by providing clear, actionable information.

Case Studies

National Express

National Express, a major public transportation provider in the UK, wanted a better way to track its environmental impact, especially its greenhouse gas emissions. They operate a large fleet of buses, coaches, and trains, so collecting data on emissions across all these vehicles was challenging. Ecometrica’s platform helped them automate much of this data collection and reporting, so they could easily monitor emissions from their operations. National Express achieved a remarkable 26-point improvement in their CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) score within just one year, thanks to Ecometrica’s sustainability software.

ITV

ITV, one of the UK’s biggest broadcasters, has been using Ecometrica’s environmental data platform since January 2021 to track and manage its global environmental data. The platform helps ITV collect data related to emissions from direct activities like Scope 1 and 2, as well as indirect emissions from energy use, travel, and waste. One key feature is that ITV can update past data in Q3 to ensure its accuracy, providing a more precise reflection of their environmental impact. Additionally, ITV reports data quarterly to several high-level boards, including the Climate Action Delivery Group, to keep sustainability at the forefront of decision-making.

Additional source: itvplc.com

Pearson

Pearson, a global education company, partnered with Ecometrica to handle its carbon footprint data from around the world. Since they operate in multiple countries, Pearson needed a single platform to collect and manage environmental data across different offices. Ecometrica’s software allowed Pearson to gather and organize data consistently across their global operations. Pearson uses Ecometrica’s platform to handle the full scope of emissions tracking and reporting, from Scope 1 to Scope 3 emissions. Pearson has improved the accuracy of their sustainability reporting since implementing the Ecometrica platform.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Freshfields, a large law firm with offices around the world, benefits from Ecometrica’s user-friendly platform, praised by Oliver Dudok van Heel, their Head of Client Sustainability and Environment, for its simplicity and helpful support team. The platform is flexible, adjusting to Freshfields' specific reporting needs, making it easier for the firm to track and report their sustainability progress. This adaptability is crucial for meeting various reporting standards and aligning with Freshfields' commitment to sustainability.

Important Update

As of July 2023, EcoOnline, a global provider of EHS (Environmental Health and Safety) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) software, acquired Ecometrica. This acquisition brings Ecometrica's powerful tools for sustainability reporting, measuring, and monitoring into EcoOnline's suite of software solutions, creating a comprehensive, all-in-one ESG platform. The combined platform now offers enhanced capabilities, including carbon accounting, ESG framework reporting, climate risk assessments, and environmental compliance support.

Starting December 9, 2023, the Ecometrica website will redirect to www.ecoonline.com, reflecting this integration. Together, EcoOnline and Ecometrica aim to help companies worldwide systematically reduce their environmental footprint and comply with both current and upcoming regulations.

Pricing

Pricing for their platforms varies based on factors such as the organization's size, specific requirements, and the number of users. Some sources indicate that the starting price is €60,000 per year per user. However, this figure can fluctuate depending on the features needed, support or training required, and customization requests.

To get accurate and up-to-date pricing information, it would be best to contact Ecometrica directly for a custom quote based on your specific business needs and requirements.

Closing Insights

To wrap it up, Ecometrica is a great tool for companies that want to really understand and improve their environmental impact. It brings everything together—measuring, reporting, and tracking—in one easy-to-use platform. This means you can get a clear picture of your carbon footprint, stay on top of environmental standards, and make better decisions for the future. For any business looking to get serious about sustainability, Ecometrica would be a great choice to consider.