Carbon management approaches can help embed sustainability thinking in an organization, as well as helping to tackle GHGs. One approach to carbon management that has obvious branding and communication spin-offs is carbon neutrality. The Common Energy group at University of Victoria has compiled a short list of higher education institutions that have carbon neutral objectives or plans. The entire public sector of BC, including schools, universities and colleges, is moving towards carbon neutrality. SFU, for example, is developing a carbon neutral plan in response to this new requirement.

Beyond a simple (and potentially expensive) commitment to carbon neutrality, carbon management can be an important part of a broader sustainability plan. First, there tend to be sustainability co-benefits of carbon reduction plans, particularly when these occur in the context of a broader sustainability management framework and strategy. Second, the Province of Ontario has signaled its intention to introduce a cap-and-trade system for managing carbon emissions in Ontario. It is likely that this will have direct financial effects on the College; a carbon management approach will help the college identify carbon liabilities (i.e. operations that are carbon-intensive, and will therefore incur significant costs if either cap-and-trade policies or carbon taxes are introduced).