Our Carbon Footprint And Climate Leaders Coalition Commitment
We believe in walking the talk. As dedicated decarbonisation engineers, we measure our operational greenhouse gas emissions, back our targets with climate science, and hold ourselves publicly accountable.
Transparent Emissions Reporting Across Our Operations
At DETA Consulting, our daily work centres on helping heavy industrial, agricultural, and commercial operations across Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia transition to low-carbon operations profitably. As signatories to the
Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC), we measure and disclose our greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory annually in accordance with the international
GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.
53.70 tCO2e
Total Gross Emissions
Combined Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions across our entire business footprint for the 2024 calendar year.
1.74 tCO2e
Scope 1 (Direct Fuel)
Direct emissions originating from company fleet vehicle fuel and operational fuel consumption.
1.26 tCO2e
Scope 2 (Electricity)
Indirect emissions associated with purchased grid electricity across our regional office premises.
50.70 tCO2e
Scope 3 (Travel & Value Chain)
Indirect value chain emissions, predominantly driven by essential business travel to regional industrial client facilities
Understanding Our Scope 3 Profile: The Reality Of Factory-Floor Engineering
Over 94% of DETA’s operational carbon footprint sits within Scope 3, with business travel representing our single largest emission source.
This footprint reflects the hands-on nature of industrial engineering. You cannot conduct an investment-grade energy audit, inspect an ammonia refrigeration plant, analyse high-temperature steam loops, or commission a multi-megawatt heat pump from behind a desk. Our process and mechanical engineers must physically stand on the factory floor, inspect mechanical infrastructure, and work alongside site operations teams across regional New Zealand and Australia. While essential to delivering deep industrial decarbonisation, we actively manage and mitigate our travel impact.
How We Are Actively Mitigating Our Travel Footprint:
- Regional Travel Clustering: We coordinate on-site client diagnostics to cluster multiple regional audits into single itineraries, eliminating redundant regional flights and vehicle travel.
- Virtual Collaboration First: Initial scoping sessions, project reviews, and stakeholder presentations are hosted via secure video conferencing to keep unnecessary travel to a minimum.
- Public Transport & Active Commuting: Our offices in Christchurch, Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane are located near key transit hubs to encourage low-carbon employee commuting.
Science-Aligned Targets Built On Operational Rigour
We believe environmental targets must be backed by verifiable data rather than abstract corporate aspirations. Our reduction commitments align with the mandatory criteria set out in the Climate Leaders Coalition Statement of Ambition:
- 1.5°C Science Alignment: Our near-term Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 targets are designed to align with international climate science to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
- Defined 2020 Baseline: We benchmark our continuous operational performance against our established baseline year ending 31 March 2020.
- GHG Protocol Compliance: We measure and categorize our emissions using the globally accepted GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, preparing our business for independent verification.
- Annual Public Disclosure: We submit our verified operational data annually to the CLC Secretariat and maintain transparent public reporting on our digital platforms.
Beyond Our Footprint: Our 2 Million Tonne Commitment
While keeping our internal operations lean is vital, our most significant contribution to climate action occurs outside our own office walls.
The 2 MT By 2030 Target
Our primary organizational milestone is focused on client outcomes: supporting our commercial and industrial clients to eliminate 2 Million Tonnes (2 MT) of carbon emissions by 2030.
125,000+ Tonnes Identified
To date, our engineering teams have already scoped, modeled, and identified over 125,000 tonnes of verified emissions reductions across heavy industrial, food processing, and public health facilities.
Real Operational ROI
Every tonne of carbon we emit in travel unlocks thousands of tonnes of permanent carbon abatement on our clients' balance sheets, cutting operating expenses while removing reliance on fossil fuels.
Zero Greenwashing Policy
We do not rely on generic paper offsets. We engineer physical process improvements—such as heat recovery, plant electrification, and demand flexibility—that permanently lower the energy intensity of industry.
True environmental accountability in heavy industry is not about producing glossy presentations or claiming carbon neutrality through cheap offsets. It requires getting onto the factory floor, measuring thermodynamic reality, and engineering real, permanent emissions reductions that make sound commercial sense.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Carbon Footprint
Why Is Business Travel DETA’s Largest Source Of Emissions?
Over 94% of our operational emissions originate from business travel. Delivering investment-grade energy audits, thermal pinch analysis, and plant commissioning requires our mechanical and process engineers to be physically present at manufacturing plants, meat processing works, and dairy factories across regional New Zealand and Australia. We actively manage this by clustering client site visits and maintaining regional offices close to our clients.
What Standards Are Used To Measure DETA’s Emissions?
Our greenhouse gas inventory is calculated in accordance with the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard. We account for direct Scope 1 emissions (fuels), indirect Scope 2 emissions (purchased electricity), and material Scope 3 value chain emissions (business travel, employee commuting, and waste).
How Does This Page Satisfy Climate Leaders Coalition Requirements?
As signatories to the Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC), DETA commits to publicly disclosing our annual carbon emissions inventory, maintaining science-aligned targets that support limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and demonstrating tangible progress toward our reduction goals.
What Is DETA’s Primary Long-Term Emissions Target?
While we continuously work to minimise our internal footprint, our headline strategic target is impact-led: helping our clients reduce their gross operational emissions by 2 Million Tonnes (2 MT) by 2030. Our team has already identified over 125,000 tonnes of verified emissions reductions.
Does DETA Purchase Carbon Credits To Claim Carbon Neutrality?
No. DETA prioritises real, physical decarbonisation and process efficiency over paper offsets. We focus our resources on eliminating emissions at the source—both within our own operational boundary and across the manufacturing plants we engineer.
Ready To Engineer A Pragmatic Decarbonisation Roadmap?
Whether you need to establish an investment-grade carbon baseline, evaluate industrial heat pumps, or prepare a compliant business case for EECA or ARENA co-funding, our engineering team is here to assist.
