The topic of carbon emissions is no longer reserved for large corporations or climate activists. Small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly expected to understand and manage their environmental impact.

With growing regulatory pressure and shifting customer expectations, carbon footprinting is quickly becoming a business necessity rather than a nice-to-have. But where should companies begin, and how can they make the process manageable?

We spoke to Karel Kotoun, co-founder of Green0meter, a platform designed to help businesses measure and reduce their emissions in a simple, practical way.

Q: Karel, why should companies care about their carbon footprint?

Karel Kotoun: It’s becoming part of how business is done. There’s growing pressure—from regulations, customers, even employees—for companies to take responsibility for their environmental impact. And the carbon footprint is a simple place to start. Once you know where your emissions come from, you can actually do something about them.

Q: Sounds simple. But is it really that easy to measure emissions? 

Karel: Not always. Many companies find it overwhelming at first. Where do you even begin—electricity bills, fuel use, company flights? Especially if you’ve never done this before. What we often see is that businesses have some of the data, but not the full picture, or they don’t know how to structure it. That’s where a good tool helps.

Q: So how does Green0meter fit in?

Karel: We built it to be straightforward. You log in, fill in a few details about your energy, transport, waste, that kind of thing—and the platform does the heavy lifting. It calculates your emissions and shows you where the biggest sources are. No need for a sustainability degree.

Q: But there are other tools out there. What’s different about yours?

Karel: We focused on what local businesses really need. We kept the interface simple, and we made sure it fits the Central European context — energy mix, local waste categories, that sort of thing. Plus, we don’t just give you numbers. We give suggestions. Like: hey, here’s how much you could cut by switching your fleet to electric or optimizing deliveries.

Q: Is this just about regulations? Or is there more to it?

Karel: Regulations are coming, no doubt. But we see a lot of companies doing this proactively. It’s about being credible. If you say you care about the climate, your actions need to back it up. Plus, reducing emissions often cuts costs too. It’s a win-win.

Q: And for the companies still hesitating?

Karel: Start small. Don’t try to be perfect on day one. The important thing is to begin. Once you get that first report, the conversation shifts from “Should we?” to “How do we improve?” And we’re here to help with that step.

Final thoughts

Carbon footprint reporting is not just a compliance task — it’s a strategic opportunity.

Companies that take the lead today will be better prepared for tomorrow’s expectations. With the right tools and mindset, decarbonization becomes a process of discovery and improvement, not just obligation. And as Karel says, the most important step is simply to start.

If you'd like to see how Green0meter works in practice, book a free demo session with us. Just send an email to: info@esginstitute.eu.

Author: Dariusz Postument (Junior ESG Specialist at ESG Institute)

ESG Institute Sp. z o. o.

info@esginstitute.eu

Rondo ONZ 1,
00-124 Warszawa

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