From April 2024, whether you need a complete Carbon Reduction Plan or a standalone Net Zero Commitment depends on the value of your provision to the NHS.
If you offer goods, services, or materials in excess of £5 million (+VAT) per annum, you need a full Carbon Reduction Plan. This follows a specific layout which is consistent across government and local authority settings and is not only used by the NHS. It is called PPN 6/21. In order to complete it, you need to calculate your carbon footprint according to the relevant standards, lay it out in the correct format, establish targets and then forecast your future footprint going forward; ensuring that it puts you on the trajectory to meet the goals of the NHS.
If your NHS work is between £10 thousand and £5 Million per annum then you are entitled to submit a Carbon Reduction Plan, but it is not compulsory and your duty is limited to making a Net Zero Commitment. A Net Zero Commitment is a public commitment to achieve net zero by 2050 or earlier, and acts as confirmation you are taking steps to reduce Green House Gas emissions over time. The Net Zero Commitment requirements are a subset of the Carbon Reduction Plan requirements, therefore if you are already completing a Carbon Reduction Plan you do not need to make a separate Net Zero Commitment.
We can help with any of your NHS carbon requirements, including the Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment, so if you have any questions please contact us for helpful advice and support.
How we support with NHS Carbon Reduction Plans
- Blue Marble will review your tender or bid requirements and fully explain what you are being asked for and why.
- We will go through the process of understanding your business and classify it according to the requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol to allow an assessment of the carbon emissions as per the NHS Carbon Reduction Plan requirements.
- You will be guided through the process to gather data which we will use to produce your carbon footprint.
- Emissions will be calculated and full GHG report will be provided to support your Carbon Reduction Plan.
- We will calculate the relative reductions required to meet your emissions aspirations, or otherwise the statutory requirements.
- A Carbon Reduction Plan following the technical standards will be provided to you to support your tender requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- If the service or goods offered to the NHS are less than £5 million, is a Carbon Reduction Plan required?
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In principle it is not required, however the tenders and contract conditions are not standardised so it is possible that a Carbon Reduction Plan is required even for contracts below that value.
- Is the Carbon Reduction Plan the same as the Evergreen Supplier Assessment?
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Several of the requirements are mirrored across the two, and in both cases a Greenhouse Gas Inventory is required. However the supplier assessment considers other elements of sustainability such as social responsibility.
- How often does a Carbon Reduction Plan need updating?
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It must be updated annually and contain information from a Greenhouse Gas assessment. It should accurately report the emissions from the previous year and compare it with the first year that it was completed.
Why choose Blue Marble?
- We understand the pressure of completing bid submissions and being asked to provide information outside your normal scope of operations. We have a streamlined process to get the information you need to enable you to be successful in that tender.
- We provide you with a specific point of contact whose role it is to explain what is being asked, the process that is required and then completing it in partnership with you.
- Using software and calculators we can derive your reduction trajectory based on your aspirations, beyond what is required by statute we will guide you to an achievable aim.
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Insights
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Click to find out in plain speech your net zero obligations as a current or potential NHS supplier.
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