Under the federal government’s Climate Active Program, Tasmania’s Lark Distilling Co. has been named Australia’s first carbon neutral distillery, boasting to have no net negative impact on the climate.
As one of the most rigorous, widely recognised carbon neutral programs worldwide, Climate Active certification is only awarded to businesses and organisations that have reached a state of achieving zero net emissions.
Lark Distilling Co. was founded in 1992 by Bill Lark, supplying award-winning and world class whiskies, spirits and liqueurs enhanced by pure water, barley and sphagnum peat unique to Tasmania.
Managing director of Lark Distilling Co. Geoff Bainbridge commented, “The achievement of this milestone truly represents the best of Lark in terms of our pioneering spirit, the brand values and community contribution.
“We are committed to improving our work practices to ensure we take as little from the earth as we possibly can during a time of unprecedented concern for the future of our planet and I would urgently encourage all participants in the alcohol industry to participate and become certified Climate Active.”
To achieve carbon neutral certification, an independent audit must be conducted by a registered auditor and the Australian Government and eligible businesses must meet the requirements of the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard by:
- Calculating the greenhouse gas emissions created by the organisation’s activity, such as fuel use or electricity use and travel
- Reducing emissions as much as possible through investing in new technology or changing the methods of operating
- Offsetting the remaining emissions by purchasing carbon offset units.
Aside from Lark Distilling Co., other Australian organisations that have become certified carbon neutral via Climate Active are Aesop, AGL, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Qantas, National Australia Bank, Telstra and Westpac.