To address the complex issue of carbon accounting, ESMT is engaging with a strong partner: Plan A. Plan A acts as a software-as-a-service platform for carbon accounting. “The platform will enable us to measure and track our carbon emissions rigorously and scientifically,” says Luka Zrnic, Master’s in Management student at ESMT, Co-Chairman of the Alumni board, and one of the initiators of the carbon accounting project. “At the same time, Net Impact ESMT will work on a variety of projects to continually reduce the school’s emissions.”

ESMT’s carbon accounting will be closely tracked by this platform. By monitoring its own data, the main drivers of emissions can be observed and identified. At the same time, ESMT will receive recommendations and opportunities for action in which form its emissions can be further reduced in the respective areas, ranging from switching to renewable energy and reducing the volume of business flights to replacing the use of plastic with more sustainable materials and recycling waste produced at the school. ESMT staff, who serve as sustainability ambassadors to encourage a more sustainable and environmentally friendly campus, work closely with Net Impact Berlin on on-campus activities to ensure the school's carbon footprint is reduced.

In order to focus more on ESMT's carbon footprint and to consider it in terms of ESMT's sustainability approach, the initiative will pursue three steps. The first step is to understand the status quo of ESMT's ecological footprint and measure it. The second step is to closely track and evaluate the measured emissions. Based on this, the final step is to start reducing carbon emissions.

The goal of the carbon accounting initiative is to first diagnose the problem and understand accurately what our emissions are. Subsequently, we intend to work on driving constant improvements towards the larger goal of carbon neutrality in the future.