(CSRwire) SAN FRANCISCO - Business for Social Responsibility's Clean Cargo Working Group has just published a Guidance Appendix to its Environmental Performance Survey (EPS). The Clean Cargo EPS is a standard environmental reporting tool for ocean transport. The Guidance Appendix provides additional assistance for calculating emissions from containerized ocean transport. Together, the EPS and new Appendix provide a single tool for ocean freight carriers to identify specific emission factors and report them to their customers.

Collection of the data from the initial use of the tool was completed in spring 2004, and the experience gained from its use has lead to improvements and further standardization now contained in the Guidance Appendix. One year after the release of the first EPS, the Guidance Appendix is an important next-step to make emission calculations for ocean carriers and their customers consistent and transparent.

"This is an excellent opportunity for carriers that are currently reporting and those that have not yet done so to improve the character of information they track by using information provided in the Guidance document," noted Stefan Seum, BSR Business and Environment Manager. Clean Cargo members are now working on reporting the results of their 2004 data according to the EPS with the help of the Guidance Appendix.

Use of the tools is not reserved only BSR Clean Cargo members only. In fact, BSR encourages all ocean carriers to use the EPS as the standard form for their environmental performance reporting to their customers.

For manufacturers and retailers - the customers of ocean carriers - the Guidance Appendix provides important information on how to use the data gathered through the EPS. By using the Clean Cargo methodology, every user of ocean transport services can clearly monitor, document and track their environmental performance as it relates to this mode of transport.

The Clean Cargo working group is currently developing a similar system of reporting for car carriers. Furthermore, a working group focusing on inter-modal and international freight transport has also been formed. BSR aims to have management and reporting tools available for all modes of freight transport within the next two years.

The original EPS and the Guidance Appendix are accessible at www.bsr.org/sustainabletransport and can be found under 'Documents and Tools.'

About BSR
Founded in 1992, Business for Social Responsibility is a global organization, providing advisory and information services to its member companies, the broader global business community and other key CSR stakeholders. For more information, visit www.bsr.org.

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