Management of air quality by companies is the key to the Clean Air Impact Goal. This includes emissions from factories, plants, offices, machines, and methods of transport used to manufacture and deliver products and services. Specifically, these emissions produce oxides of nitrogen, sulfur, and heavy metals in addition to greenhouse gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide. Another component of this goal is how companies manage the sustainability of their energy, especially when it is derived from third-party sources.
When scoring a company on the Clean Air impact goal, the following underlying Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) factors are considered:
- Air Quality: (management of air quality from factories, plants, trucks, planes, etc. – specific to oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, heavy metals, chlorofluorocarbons).
- GHG Emissions: (Scope 1 of Greenhouse Gases – management of emissions from plants, factories, trucks, delivery vehicles, etc. through the combustion of fuel, or non-combustion such as extraction, power generation. Also includes reg risk, E compliance, rep risks related to GHG emissions. 7 GHG covered under Kyoto – C02, CH4 (methane), N2O (nitrous oxide, HFC, PFC, SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride), Nitrogen Trifluoride).
- Energy Management: E impacts associated with energy management: energy used to manufacture and for P&S derived from grid energy not owned by the company. Specifically, management of energy efficiency and intensity, energy mix, grid reliance.
The SASB is a non-profit organization founded in 2011 to help businesses and investors develop a common language about the financial impacts of sustainability. To learn more, see https://www.sasb.org/about/
To learn more about the Impact Scoring methodology, see How are Impact scores calculated?