Origin Energy has launched a new Carbon Reduction Scheme offering Australian businesses an effective, efficient and flexible approach to reduce their carbon footprint. The company sees this scheme as a proactive way of helping companies to focus on and effectively manage the reduction and offset of greenhouse gas emissions.

Origin’s Managing Director Mr Grant King said, “There is a heightened awareness that companies need to take action now to universally reduce our greenhouse gas impact. Origin has the expertise, experience and products to enable us to advise companies on improving energy efficiency, the effective use of lower emission energy and the management of offsets.

“The Carbon Reduction Scheme design is based on five key principles; credibility, transparency, affordability, flexibility and effectiveness. It draws on and extends existing mandatory and voluntary frameworks to ensure that participants can use one framework and apply it to national and international operations. Importantly, the scheme is cost effective, transparent and externally verified.

“This scheme also allows business to purchase carbon offsets that are sourced from abatement activities overseas. This is particularly attractive to companies with international operations.”

In developing the Carbon Reduction Scheme, Origin sought advice from the Australian Conservation Foundation, St James Ethics Centre and Energetics Pty Ltd.