A start-up backed by Google introduces a free carbon emissions tracking tool.

• A "baseline" can be obtained by small- to medium-sized businesses through the use of a carbon calculator, which requires inputting data into a form.
• A group of about a dozen individuals from Google.org, Google's charitable arm, collaborated with Normative to develop a free carbon calculator. These individuals included software engineers, UX designers, and product managers who worked with Normative on a full-time, pro bono basis for six months.
• Normative also has a paid-for product that it sells to large businesses.

A free version of the carbon emissions tracker has been launched by Normative, a Swedish start-up backed by, as companies worldwide attempt to manage their environmental footprints.

The carbon calculator is a tool for small- to medium-sized businesses to determine their carbon footprint, while Normative offers a paid product for large businesses.

Despite the burning of fossil fuels being the main cause of the climate crisis, the world is expected to become increasingly reliant on energy sources such as oil and gas in the future, despite leaders and CEOs frequently declaring their dedication to the "energy transition."

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development reports that SMEs account for 95% of businesses worldwide. These small and medium-sized enterprises often work together with large corporations to create their products and services.

More accessible and accurate

According to Kristian Ronn, CEO and co-founder of Normative, the world economy is now more interconnected than it has ever been.

According to Ronn, if you take an average business, 90% of their emissions will be in the value chain. He also stated that SMEs contribute significantly to the value chain. To effectively address climate change, both large enterprises and small enterprises must collaborate.

Ronn announced that Normative released a free tool for SMEs to track their emissions and simplify the process for large enterprises to obtain accurate emissions data from their supply chain.

Google has not yet become a customer, but Ronn stated that they are in discussions.

Matt Brittin, the president of EMEA business and operations at Google, stated on CNBC on Thursday that he couldn't discuss why Google hadn't signed up as a customer because it wasn't his responsibility to negotiate such deals. He added, "I'm sure Kristian is driving a hard bargain with us."

A group of about a dozen individuals from Google.org, Google's charitable arm, collaborated with Normative to develop a free carbon calculator. These individuals included software engineers, UX designers, and product managers who worked with Normative on a full-time, pro bono basis for six months.

Google.org backed the company with 1 million euros ($1.1 million) last year, and now the search giant is providing support.

Jen Carter, the head of technology and volunteering at Google.org, stated in October that accurately measuring carbon emissions is crucial for small businesses to comprehend the impact of their actions. She added, "We're excited to offer both funding and technical expertise to help Normative develop a solution that will make measurement more accessible."

Brittin expressed satisfaction at the presence of numerous "authentic and committed" large corporations at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

He stated, "Although we aspire to be pioneers, we are modest enough to acknowledge that we can still gain valuable insights from numerous others."

Since its inception in 2014, Normative has been supported by Lowercarbon Capital, a venture capital firm founded by billionaire Chris Sacca, as well as other investors. The company offers its software to hundreds of firms, including BNP Paribas, the French bank, at varying rates based on the size of the customer.

For years, tech giants have made an effort to be perceived as environmentally conscious companies.

Since 2007, Google has been carbon-neutral by offsetting its use of coal and natural gas power through planting trees, purchasing carbon credits, and investing in wind power in regions where it is abundant.

By 2030, Google aims to use only carbon-free electricity to power its data centers and offices around the clock, with renewable sources accounting for just 61% of its global hourly electricity usage in 2019.

Brittin stated that we should choose suppliers who are aware of their environmental impact, and using a tool from Normative will aid them in competing for business.

In May 2020, Google vowed to cease developing bespoke AI technology for the oil and gas industry.