Melting glaciers, tropical storms, massive forest fires: the consequences of the climate crisis are already very noticeable today. The process that began with the Industrial Revolution can no longer be reversed; there is no reset button on climate change. That’s why it is all the more important that we act quickly, to slow the progress of climate change to the greatest extent possible. After all, the global climate goals set out in the Paris Agreement are still achievable.^[1] However, to make that happen, businesses, governments and individuals all need to do their part.

The issue of environmental and climate protection has consequently become all the more pressing and present in recent years, not least due to the increased attention paid to researchers and activists like Fridays for Future. The public, the media and many companies have also increasingly turned their focus to environmental and climate issues. But what does climate protection mean for companies, exactly?

The main goal should be to strive for climate neutrality. Climate neutrality is achieved when a company’s own production or consumption no longer has an impact on the climate (i.e., it becomes ‘neutral’). To reach this point, any carbon emissions the company generates must be offset – by supporting climate protection projects that invest in renewable energies or energy efficiency, for example. There are initiatives dedicated to reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions or to preserving and reforesting woods and moors.

However, even better than offsetting carbon emissions is not generating them in the first place. Consequently, companies’ primary goal should be to actively reduce carbon emissions in order to achieve climate neutrality. In the process, it can help to understand your company’s own carbon footprint. After all, you need to know the extent of your own emissions before you can develop an effective, sustainable climate strategy for your company.

In the following, this guide will explain how such a strategy might look and how you can get started. As you will see, you don’t need to be a superhero to do your part in saving the world. Even little things can often go a long way.