Carbon plans are no longer a 'nice to have'

Beware the surface commitments of green washing, the distraction of eco-badges, and the hype of shallow pledges.

Real commitments to drive down the climate impact of business are becoming a procurement reality. Whilst government Carbon Reduction Plans are right now the benchmark for large scale public sector contracts beyond £5m, the NHS has also picked up this target.

From April 2024 the NHS will extend this requirement for a Carbon Reduction Plan to all procurements. The rest of the public sector will follow. If you’re a Lancashire business the Chamber Low Carbon team has government funded support to help you create your Carbon Reduction Plan now.

A Carbon Reduction Plan is a report of your carbon emissions, and your plan to reduce them. Beware, the contracting authority will follow up on your plan and check you have stuck to it.

Understanding your emissions is where the carbon footprint comes in, to help you see what your business is responsible for directly, through the energy you purchase and through your supply chain.  

Soon you will be judged on your carbon emissions management when you apply for tenders and contracts, and insurance or for funds -  that’s what’s the banks’ commitments to those ESG standards mean: that they want to assess investment through a socially conscious lens.

Taking control of your carbon footprint is also taking control of your energy bills, changing behaviours, driving up efficiency, even generating your own electricity on site -  all will help your business survive.

And that is exactly what it is -  a matter of survival, with the reduction in the government’s energy support by 85%, we are seeing some business bills escalate by 400% this month.

Act now – before it costs you more than you can afford.