Focus areas
- Reduce our carbon footprint against science-based targets
- Support carbon offsetting projects
- Colleague engagement and volunteering
Targets
- 90% reduction in Scopes 1 & 2 emissions by 2030 and neutralise residual emissions
- 57% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030
- Net Zero on or before 2050
- Compensate direct business emissions by offsetting from FY23
FY25 highlights
- 20% reduction in overall emissions and 54% for scopes 1 & 2 against FY24
- Extended the reach of our data collection and engagement with suppliers, including direct disclosure requests and knowledge-share
- Increased our colleague engagement activities including a focused campaign within Earth Month
- Increased eligibility for our Electric Vehicle scheme to 47% of our UK employees (FY24: 20%)
- Won an industry award with the REC (Recruitment & Employment Confederation) for our sustainability progress
FY26 next steps
- Maturity and risk analysis against our supply chain
- Increase engagement with suppliers, expanding the scope of direct disclosure requests and providing support for smaller businesses
- Continue to improve colleague awareness of both the climate crisis and greener practices
- Support our clients by providing insights around contractor carbon footprint
Progress since baseline year
All figures are in tCO2e and are market-based.
Where improved data was identified for FY23 during the FY24 measurement process, the values have been restated.
Progress since FY24
We have decreased our overall emissions by 20%. This reduction has been principally driven by operational efficiencies and increased renewable energy. Total energy usage decreased by 47%, with electricity from renewable sources comprising 81% of our total global usage and 87% within the UK.
Progress since FY20 Baseline Year
We are proud to report strong progress against our 2030 sustainability targets:
· Nearing our renewable energy target, 81% against our 90% target
· Outperforming our business flight reduction target, reaching an 80% reduction in FY25 since FY20
Whilst we have achieved a 20% reduction in Purchased Goods & Supply Chain emissions since FY20 (primarily due to reductions in spend), this remains a key area of focus moving forward.
We recognise that this is only the start of our journey. Our pledge is to take meaningful steps each year towards our targets:
2030
⬤
90% reduction scope 1 & 2 emissions (absolute metric)
57% reduction scope 3 emissions (FTE intensity metric)
Neutralise residual scope 1 & 2 emissions through permanent carbon removal and storage
2050
⬤
Net Zero
Regular review with ambition to achieve before 2050
Reduction targets are market-based and measured from our FY20 baseline.
Our reduction path to Net Zero is centred around a robust action plan.
Targets and actions to reduce scope 1 & 2 emissions.
By 2030:
- All offices to have renewable electricity, or 90% (by usage) to have renewable electricity and all to have renewable gas supply
- Full fleet electrification and reduced fleet capacity
Near Term 2030 (scope 1 & 2)
Net Zero 2050 (scope 3)
Targets and actions to reduce scope 3 emissions.
By 2030:
- -25% in business travel flight emissions
- -7% YoY in supply chain emissions
- 90% of suppliers (by spend) to have SBTi carbon reduction targets in line with a 1.5°c pathway
- Obtain real emissions data from 70% of suppliers (by spend)
- Set and communicate clear goals with suppliers
- Engage with suppliers to offer support and resources where relevant
- Review business travel policy
- Offer low carbon commuting incentives to employees
- Improve the quality of travel, commuting and work from home data
By 2050:
- -70% reduction in business travel flight emissions
- 100% of suppliers to have SBTi carbon reduction targets in line with a 1.5°c pathway
- Obtain real emissions data from 100% of suppliers (by spend)
- Enhanced supplier engagement and goal setting
- Enhanced low-carbon commuting incentives to employees
All % figures are measured from FY20 baseline year.
We recognise the importance of robust governance and transparency in measuring, setting and managing our targets, both for ourselves, and to enable us to offer accurate data to our customers to help them manage their scope 3 supply chain emissions.
Our near term 2030 and Net Zero 2050 targets have been approved
Our targets are aligned with a 1.5°C warming pathway
We hold a Silver EcoVadis rating, scoring in the 90th percentile of all rated companies
We have been disclosing to CDP since 2023
We also actively participate in several client-led Sustainability Forums, supporting their environmental goals while engaging in learning and collaboration opportunities.
This year our achievements were recognised by an award for ‘Sustainability Impact of the Year’ from the REC (Recruitment & Employment Confederation).
"We believe that Gattaca winning the REC's new Sustainability Impact of the Year award will inspire other recruitment firms to follow their lead."
Supplier engagement.
We have extended the reach of our direct disclosure data collection with suppliers and will continue our engagement programme over the next year.
Understanding the value of supporting suppliers and partners who are at earlier stages of their environmental journey, this year our Head of ESG:
Supporting carbon offsetting projects.
We began compensating for our direct business emissions* in FY23, achieving carbon neutrality against these categories.
This year we have continued to support projects that are either Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard, including a nature-based carbon removal project within our portfolio.
*Offsetting against all categories across scopes 1 & 2 and selected scope 3 categories: business travel, water, waste, employee commuting, work from home, WTT. 1,089 tonnes offset in FY25 against our FY24 calculated footprint.
During ‘Earth Month’ 2025, we put forward a short-list of carbon offsetting projects for colleague vote, investing in the winners below:
We recognise that achieving our environmental targets is dependent on our colleagues understanding the crucial role they play in driving positive impact.
This year we continued to increase climate awareness and engagement through specific activities including:
- Workshops with each business area to explain our goals and targets
- Celebrating Earth Month with a series of education and engagement events aimed at raising awareness and changing behaviours, including a webinar delivered by our climate consultancy, Furthr
- Extending guidance on sustainable business travel to our contractors
- Offering both our colleagues and contractors access to Furthr's app to help them understand and reduce their personal carbon footprint
We planted a total of 1,976 trees.
- Our Technical Public Sector team physically planted 1,000 trees in association with the Hampshire Forest Partnership
- We funded the planting of an additional 976 trees, predominantly within the Madagascar Ankarafansika Program, contributing to the global reforestation and afforestation efforts
We also offered colleagues the opportunity to contribute to positive climate practices through:
- Increased eligibility for our Electric Vehicle benefit scheme to 47% of our UK employees, up from 20% in prior year
- Selecting to make monthly contributions towards tree planting under our flexible benefits scheme
- Encouraging sustainable commuting through participating in the UK Government’s Cycle to Work scheme
- Belonging to our Environment Employee Resource Group
