Eco-Friendly Web Alliance further reduces CO2e limit for Carbon-Conscious Website Accreditation

[London, 31 March 2025] — The Eco-Friendly Web Alliance (EFWA) has made a significant update to its Carbon-Conscious Website Accreditation. Following a periodical analysis of data, our Scientific Advisory Board has lowered the recommended CO2e limit to 0.35g per page view from the previous 0.65g, effective 10th April 2025. This adjustment reflects our ongoing mission to drive sustainability across websites, in line with our vision for a cleaner, greener internet.

Raising the Bar for a Greener Internet

With digital infrastructure contributing significantly to global carbon emissions, EFWA remains committed to setting ambitious but achievable standards. This latest revision underscores our dedication to fostering a more energy-efficient and environmentally responsible web ecosystem.

Key Changes:

• New CO2e Limit: The CO2e limit for websites has been lowered, reducing the average per page view from 0.65g to 0.35g, further strengthening our commitment to achieving greater emissions reductions.
• Implementation Timeline: By 20th April 2025, all references to the carbon limit will be updated across EFWA’s platform, website, communications, and social media.
• Transition Period: Accredited websites will have an eight-month grace period to make the necessary adjustments to comply with the new threshold.
• Pricing Unchanged: Accreditation costs will remain the same, and EFWA will continue offering free accreditation to registered charities, select non-profits, and public sector organisations.

The Accreditation Process for Carbon-Conscious Websites

EFWA’s accreditation is about more than just reducing the average CO2e per page view. Our accreditation process ensures a comprehensive approach through three key pillars:

1. Carbon Emissions Reduction: Through regular audits, we support reducing of the average carbon emissions per page view, improving the carbon rating, and minimising website carbon footprints.
2. Green Hosting: Hosting is assessed to determine if a website is powered by green or renewable energy. If not, an additional 10% of carbon is accounted for in the calculations.
3. Taking responsibility for yearly carbon footprint: Website owners take responsibility for their carbon footprint every year through verified insetting initiatives or by supporting high-integrity Gold Standard/Verified Carbon Standard nature or community projects.

"What's Your Website's Impact on the Planet?" Audit

EFWA’s website audit service What's your website's impact on the planet? assesses the entire website, not just the homepage, ensuring a thorough evaluation of a site's environmental impact. As a social enterprise, around 80% of our work is provided free of charge, prioritising environmental and social impact over profit.

Ethical Commitment

EFWA upholds strict ethical standards and does not accredit websites associated with fossil fuels, high-interest lending, gambling, tobacco, firearms, conflict minerals, or other industries misaligned with our values.

We actively collaborate with industry-leading initiatives, including:

• ComputerWeekly’s IT Sustainability Think Tank
• The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)’s Sustainable Web Interest Group
• Future17 SDG Challenge (A collaboration between the University of Exeter and QS, focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals)

Our broader efforts include tackling e-waste and sustainable device lifecycle management, offering open-source resources, and hosting knowledge-sharing sessions to drive digital sustainability forward.

Towards a cleaner, greener internet

This latest reduction in CO2e limits is a significant step forward in our shared mission to create a cleaner, more sustainable internet. We thank our partners and stakeholders for their ongoing support and look forward to working together towards a more responsible digital future.

For more information and media inquiries, please contact:

Eco-Friendly Web Alliance (EFWA)

Email: info@ecofriendlyweb.org