Family-run business Maderas Siero has become the first company in the world to achieve certification according to the NEPCon Carbon Footprint Management standard for their chestnut board product.
Chestnut board producer Maderas Siero has become the first company in the world to have the carbon footprint of their product independently verified as meeting the NEPCon Carbon Footprint Management Standard.
The Spanish family-owned business participated in the first pilot of a series of pilots, testing the usability of the NEPCon Carbon Footprint Management Standard. Launched on 1 October 2013, the Standard serves to make carbon management ambitious yet accessible for businesses, particularly SMEs.
Chestnut board producer Maderas Siero has become the first company in the world to have the carbon footprint of their product independently verified as meeting the NEPCon Carbon Footprint Management Standard.
The Spanish family-owned business participated in the first pilot of a series of pilots, testing the usability of the NEPCon Carbon Footprint Management Standard. Launched on 1 October 2013, the Standard serves to make carbon management ambitious yet accessible for businesses, particularly SMEs.
Maderas Siero used the Standard to measure the carbon footprint for their 1m3 chestnut board, accounting for emissions from the forest right through to point of sale – known as cradle to gate. The carbon footprint was independently verified by NEPCon and measured at 383.8 kg CO2eq.
“We are surprised about how feasible it is to manage our carbon footprint. The real value lies in identifying emission hotspots within our production and along the product value chain, making reductions a realistic option”, says Susana Martínez Prieto, Maderas Siero Deputy Director. “Certification with NEPCon allows us to communicate our carbon footprint results confidently to our clients and investors”.
Mateo Cariño Fraisse, NEPCon Senior Auditor, says, “We are delighted to award Maderas Siero with the first NEPCon certificate. It demonstrates their commitment to accurately monitor and communicate their emissions. We see great potential for small-to-medium sized companies seeking to switch to low-carbon practices, a change that is within their reach and will bring a range of benefits”.
Any company can manage their carbon footprint
Maderas Siero is a small family-owned business which has established itself as a leading European company for Chestnut wood products.
“Carbon footprint management is no longer restricted to large-scale companies. The Standard was developed to facilitate companies to get to grips with the Standard and its intent and be enabled to implement this themselves”, explains Mr Cariño Fraisse.
Certification according to NEPCon’s CFM Standard ensures that companies follow internationally recognised best-practices for greenhouse gas accounting.
“NEPCon’s carbon programme enables small-to-medium sized enterprises to benefit from reduced costs, improved reputation and long-term competitiveness that result from actively managing their carbon footprint”, says Mr Cariño Fraisse.
Companies account for all relevant greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their business conduct either their corporate activities or the full life cycle of a product – from cradle-to-gate or cradle-to-grave. In return for this ambitions approach, they are able to identify emission hotspots and work strategically to lower their emissions.
The Forest and Wood Technology Research Center (CETEMAS) provided Maderas Siero with technical assistance, using a methodology based on internationally recognised tools to calculate product carbon footprints in the forestry sector presented at several international conferences under the LoCaRe project.