The best way to assess your impact on climate change is to look at the carbon emissions linked to your business - measured as ‘carbon dioxide equivalent’ or ‘CO2e’. For many businesses, your CO2e will be mostly made up of Co2 but other relevant emissions like methane (CH4) and Nitrous Oxide (N2O) might also be relevant.
Most businesses start out by measuring all of the types of energy they use e.g. electricity, petrol, natural gas, and then using that information to calculate the associated carbon emissions. This gives you an idea of what the footprint of your operations is, and where you can try to reduce it. Many businesses also add in company travel (air travel is a hotspot) and waste into the mix too. There are many free online calculators available, but if you want to be extra confident about your numbers, you can go through a certification or auditing process.
Another way to measure the carbon emissions related to your business is to look at the footprint of the products and services you sell to customers. Here you look not only at your operations, but also all the activities going on in your supply chain and the use of your products which emit carbon. This can be tricky, but it is the best way to show your customers the actual carbon footprint of what they buy from you.