Simon Jones: Net zero independents

One of the many things to emerge from the Eyes on Sustainability conference last weekend (November 5-6), was just how poorly communicated the NHS Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) and Net zero supplier roadmap have been. To give an idea of just how poorly, the first phase of the plan was introduced in April 2022, with some soft targets for NHS procurement.

In April this year, the NHS introduced a requirement for suppliers and contractors to prepare carbon reduction plans for their Scope 1 and 2 emissions (direct, which includes fuel for fleet cars, and indirect energy purchasing costs) in every new procurement for a contract with a value above £5 million per year. Scope 3 emissions (separate from 1 and 2 but created by the company’s supply chain) were also included, but with softer reporting requirements.