Interesting views on Carbon Offsetting from some big corporate players at yesterday’s Low Carbon Innovation Exchange. At a panel discussion with the UK CSR/environmental managers of HBOS, Harper Collins, McDonalds and IBM, the first two found carbon offsetting a useful tool as it added a stronger economic driver to cut carbon (opponents of offsetting accuse the concept of allowing organisations to ‘buy forgiveness’ for their ‘carbon sins’).

On the other hand, McDonalds thought that people would deride them for offsetting as a gimmick and IBM decided the money would be better invested in internal low carbon projects.

Quote of the day was from Ashley Lodge of Harper Collins. One of his colleagues advised him to make the low carbon agenda “more stilettos than sandals.” Damn right.