ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to demonstrate that there is a business case for corporate carbon management. Proactive companies are able to achieve market differentiation by pursuing a low-carbon branding strategy and increase revenues among environmentally sensitive customers. Proactive carbon management strategies can manifest in two basic directions: reengineering for a carbon-efficient organization and exploration of new low-carbon business opportunities. In the carbon management context —beyond the central role of governments —important organizations are NGOs, suppliers, competitors, investors, consumers, and employees. When analyzing the motivations for corporate environmental responsiveness, legitimacy is also an important drive. The relevance of legitimacy-enhancing activities in the context of climate change can be derived from Hoffman's notion that organizational fields form around central issues. There are many ways in which individual companies may explore new low-carbon business opportunities. Companies may seek to establish a low-carbon leadership position and attain socially conscious consumers with pro-climate attitudes.
