How the Advancing Low Carbon programme works
Activities from all aspects of BP’s businesses are eligible for inclusion in the ALC programme. They must meet the ALC criteria and requirements
Advancing Low Carbon process
Each activity must go through the ALC accreditation process before BP decides whether it can be accredited and receive the Advancing Low Carbon mark.
- Step 1 – Potential eligible activities are identified.
- Step 2 – Business areas submit an application(s) to the ALC programme and provide the required evidence.
- Step 3 – ALC team and internal experts review submitted activities.
- Step 4 – Members of the BP Target Neutral Advisory and Assurance Panel review the ALC programme and activities and provide external challenge and advice.
- Step 5 – Our external assurance partner, Deloitte LLP, assures the activities including that the ALC criteria have been met.
- Step 6 – Successful activities are accredited and become part of the ALC programme for the 12 month accreditation period.
Once awarded, the accreditation is valid for 12 months and the activity can use the Advancing Low Carbon mark. This mark is used to identify activities which BP has accredited and can then be used in association with these activities in communications and branding as appropriate.
To retain accreditation, each activity must undergo an annual review process to prove it continues to meet our ALC programme criteria.
Advancing Low Carbon criteria
BP’s ALC programme includes criteria against which activities are evaluated. Activities are only included within the programme if we are satisfied that they make a difference and deliver a better carbon outcome. This can be, for example, through emissions savings or offsetting the carbon they produce, through demonstrating exciting new technologies, or through supporting partnerships and initiatives that aim to advance research or drive action on low carbon across the industry.
Each activity must:
1 Deliver better carbon outcomes, by achieving at least one of the following:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Producing less carbon than competitor or industry benchmarks (or will do once fully scaled)
- Providing renewable energy
- Offsetting carbon produced
- Furthering research and understanding to advance low carbon
- Enabling BP or third parties to meet their low carbon objectives
2 Comply with ALC programme requirements on greenhouse gas calculation methodologies
3 Deliver better carbon outcomes which are intended to be irreversible
4 Go beyond what is required to meet carbon emissions regulations
5 Be up and running (e.g. products are available for consumers or customers to buy; programmes are ‘live)
6 Be delivered either directly by BP or by a BP partner
7 Be verified by an independent third party assurance provider
Each criterion has its own set of requirements and thresholds that an activity must adhere to in order to be accredited. More information on the ALC programme requirements is available below.
The breadth of the ALC programme means that different baselines, benchmarks and methodologies apply depending on the activity. A table with more information on the methodologies and standards used for the 2017 ALC programme is also available below.
Governance
Evaluation, assurance and verification
A number of individuals and groups – internal and external to BP – are involved in evaluating, assuring and verifying each Advancing Low Carbon activity before BP decides to accredit the activity.
ALC programme team
The ALC programme team is responsible for operating the programme. This includes overseeing the identification of potential eligible activities across BP and working with BP subject matter experts and groups in the detailed evaluation of each activity. The team also conduct an annual review to identify any internal or external changes – for example, changes to regulations or industry performance – that might be relevant.
Subject matter experts
The ALC programme has access to a wide range of highly qualified and experienced staff that we consider to be subject matter experts in their field. For example, these staff may have expertise in developing carbon neutral offers or calculating operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The experts assist the ALC team in reviewing submissions and evidence using the prescribed ALC criteria, guidance and relevant GHG methodology.
ALC steering group
Our steering group provides oversight of the ALC programme by advising on shortlisted activities, reviewing risks and challenges and ensuring that the programme objectives are being met. It consists of relevant senior leaders drawn from across BP.
External advisory panel
Independent external review is provided by the BP Target Neutral Advisory and Assurance Panel which includes industry experts and representatives from non-governmental organisations such as The Nature Conservancy. The Panel meet once a year to review the ALC programme and its qualifying activities, providing external challenge and advice.
Third party assurance
The programme’s independent third party assurance partner is Deloitte LLP. Deloitte assesses the ALC process and criteria. They also assure the activities included each year, including that ALC criteria have been met, the methodologies are correctly applied and the GHG savings or offsets within the programme have been identified correctly. Deloitte also reviews the communication of the activities and ALC programme to ensure that this reflects the evidence they have been provided.