Carbon capture
Carbon capture is the process of capturing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mainly from industrial and power generation sources before they are released into the atmosphere. The captured emissions can then be stored in geological formations or used in industrial processes.
Carbon credit
“Offsets or carbon credits represent greenhouse gases emissions that have been reduced, avoided, or captured through projects that are verified according to credible standards.” Source: UNFCCC, “Climate Neutral Now: Guidelines for Participation,” Mar. 2021
Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)
Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) is a metric used to compare the emissions of different greenhouse gases in terms of their global warming potential. It’s used to convert the emissions of other greenhouse gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide, into the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. This allows for comparing and aggregating the total warming effect of different greenhouse gases. It’s measured in units of mass (e.g., metric tons) and is commonly used in climate change mitigation policy to track emissions from different sources.
Carbon footprint of an organization (e.g., a company)
Similar to a GHG inventory of a company, as per the GHG Protocol Standard: “A quantified list of an organization’s GHG emissions and sources.” Source: GHG Protocol, A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, revised edition.
Carbon neutrality of an organization (e.g., a company)
“A state in which the GHG emissions released into the atmosphere have been reduced or avoided and the remaining ones are compensated with carbon credits. To achieve carbon neutrality, carbon credits from projects that reduce, avoid, or temporarily capture GHGs are accepted.” Source: UNFCCC, “Climate Neutral Now: Guidelines for Participation,” March 2021.
CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project)
The CDP is an international non-profit organization based in the United Kingdom, Japan, India, China, Germany, and the United States that helps companies and cities disclose their environmental impact. It aims to make environmental reporting and risk management a business norm, driving disclosure, insight, and action towards a sustainable economy. In 2022, nearly 20,000 organizations disclosed their environmental information through CDP.
China Green Design Product
The China Green Design Product logo is authorized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). To obtain the label, products must comply with the assessment indicators of the product's technical specifications and provide a product lifecycle assessment report. The Green Design Product label is only granted to 10,000 products.
China RoHS
In China, it’s legally required that low voltage electrical electronic equipment (EEE) must be compliant with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances China Directive (RoHS). As those substances are also targeted by many local or other RoHS-like regulations, applying RoHS China restrictions outside China is key to aligning with other local regulations.
If the product is RoHS China compliant, then relevant logos need to be displayed to show whether the substance is below or above the threshold.
Circular economy
“An economy where waste and pollution are designed out, products and materials are kept in use, and natural systems are regenerated.” Source
Climate neutrality
“The same concept as carbon neutrality but rather than solely focusing on CO2 emissions, it extends to zero net anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., including emissions beyond carbon dioxide).” Source
Climate change
“Climate change refers to a change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g., by using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. Climate change may be due to natural internal processes or external forcings such as modulations of the solar cycles, volcanic eruptions, and persistent anthropogenic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or land use. Note that the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in its Article 1, defines climate change as ‘a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.’ The UNFCCC thus makes a distinction between climate change attributable to human activities altering the atmospheric composition and climate variability attributable to natural causes.” Source
Climate risks (physical)
Physical climate risks refer to the direct and immediate consequences of climate change, such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, storms, and sea level rise. These risks can have a significant impact on the natural and built environment, as well as on human health and well-being.
Climate risks (transitional)
Transitional climate risks, on the other hand, refer to the indirect and long-term consequences of climate change, such as changes in economic conditions, social and political instability, and shifts in global supply chains.
CMR
Carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic chemicals, abbreviated as CMR chemicals, make up the first and most toxic category of the toxicity classes into which hazardous chemicals can be subdivided, according to EU legislation. Carcinogenic chemicals can cause or promote cancers. Mutagenic chemicals can cause genetic mutations. Reprotoxic chemicals can damage the reproductive process. Source
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission guide to Enterprise Risk Management (COSO ERM)
Developed in tandem with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), this governance-focused guidance is designed to apply COSO’s enterprise risk management framework to help companies integrate ESG risks into ERM processes.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a legally binding international treaty that was adopted in 1992 and came into effect in 1993. The Convention was developed by the United Nations to address the increasing loss of biodiversity, which is the variety of life on Earth and the natural systems that support it.
The Conference of Parties (COP) on climate
The Conference of Parties (COP) is the supreme body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) made up of representatives from all Parties to the Convention. The COP meets annually to review progress towards climate change mitigation and adaptation, to negotiate and agree on actions to address climate change and its social and economic impacts, and to make decisions on how the Convention will be implemented.
Corporate Knights
Media outlet with a research division producing corporate rankings based on sustainability performance, the most notable of which is the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations.
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
Requires certain large companies to disclose information on the way they operate and manage social and environmental challenges.
Cradle to Cradle
The Cradle to Cradle certification is a product standard that assesses the safety, circularity, and responsibility of materials and products across five categories of sustainability performance: material health, product circularity, clean air and climate protection, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness.
CSRHub
A web-based tool that provides access to ESG ratings on most major companies in North America, Europe, and Asia.