Autodesk Approach Aligns GHG Reduction Targets

Autodesk has developed what it says is a more rigorous methodology for corporate greenhouse-gas (GHG) target setting. Autodesk developed the Corporate Finance Approach to Climate-Stabilising Targets (C-FACT) to align its own GHG reduction targets with global scientific and policy climate-stabilisation targets. According to the company, C-FACT is more science driven, business friendly and transparent than current methodologies.

In measuring its GHG emissions, Autodesk aims to take responsibility for direct emissions and a range of indirect emissions, including business travel, leased facilities, employee commuting, major conferences and data-centre vendors. Autodesk is challenging other companies to reduce their GHGs in line with scientific and policy climate stabilisation targets of 85 per cent by 2050. Autodesk's C-FACT introduces mathematical principles said to allow it to be proportional, replicable and verifiable.

The company says that it is compatible with generally accepted corporate finance principles and fair to companies of all sizes, GHG footprints and growth prospects. Autodesk has committed to C-FACT through to 2020, as well as performance reports against the stated target at the close of each fiscal year (FY). Using the methodology calculation to set targets for FY10 Autodesk will aim to reduce its absolute emissions by 4.52 per cent compared to FY09, translating to 3,756 metric tons of GHG.