Achieving our low-carbon commitments
Focus Areas
Reduce our carbon footprint against science-based targets
As a services firm, our carbon footprint is comparatively low. However, we recognise that, as with every global business, we still have an important role to play.
During FY22, we engaged an environmental consultancy to formulate our Net Zero journey. We worked with them to determine and measure a carbon footprint baseline year (FY20) and produce a carbon emission reduction plan, aligned with science-based targets.
From FY22, we expanded our emissions reporting to incorporate material categories across scopes 1, 2 & 3, including purchased goods and supply chain, and emissions across all our global offices. Similar to most services firms, our greatest emissions source is within our purchased goods and supply chain.
The emissions we measure by scope and category are outlined below:
Since our FY20 baseline year, we have already significantly reduced our overall emissions by 16%:
Scope 1
Scope 2
Scope 3
On an FTE intensity ratio, we have also reduced our emissions from 9.63 tCO2e in FY22 to 9.47 tCO2e in FY23.
We recognise that this is only the start of our journey. Our pledge is to take meaningful steps each year towards our targets:
2020
⬤
Baseline Year
2030
⬤
-90% scope 1 & 2 emissions (absolute metric)
Neutralise residual scope 1 & 2 emissions through permanent carbon removal and storage
-57% scope 3 emissions (FTE intensity metric)
2050
⬤
Net Zero
Regular review and 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 & 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 1.5ºc pathway
- Obtain real emissions data from 70% of suppliers (by spend)
- Set and communicate clear goals with suppliers
- Engage with suppliers to offer support & resources where relevant
- Review business travel policy
- Offer low carbon commuting incentives to employees
- Improve the quality of travel, commuting & 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 1.5ºc pathway
- Obtain real emissions data from 100% of suppliers (by spend)
- Enhanced supplier engagement & 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.
We have submitted both near term 2030 & Net Zero 2050 targets to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and we are scheduled to go through the validation process during 2023
Our targets are aligned with a 1.5°C warming pathway (as defined by the 2015 Paris Agreement) and we are proud to be part of the Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign
We hold a Silver EcoVadis rating, improving on our scoring in 2023 (vs. 2022) and putting us in the 85th percentile of all companies rated
We have submitted a response to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and will receive a rating in H1 FY24
Support carbon offsetting projects
In similarity with many other businesses, and the wider UK and global economy, we fully recognise that reducing our own emissions is a long journey with incremental annual steps.
Whilst we are on that journey, we are committed to beyond value chain mitigation by compensating our direct business emissions through carbon offsetting* from FY23.
*Offsetting against all categories across scopes 1 & 2 and selected scope 3 categories: business travel, water, waste, employee commuting, work from home, WTT. 1,177 tonnes offset in FY23 against our FY22 calculated footprint.
We fully recognise the importance of investing in projects that are driving towards a low-carbon economy and supporting the UNs Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the countries where government investment is lower and that are often hit the hardest by the impacts of climate change. We have chosen to invest in projects that are aligned with our STEM focus, alongside meeting the highest offsetting verification; Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard accreditation.
We are excited to partner with climate consultancy, Furthr, to support three climate impact projects:
Access to clean water via handpumps
Mozambique
Wind energy farm
Turkey
Biomass Power
India
Colleague engagement & volunteering
Alongside our corporate carbon reduction plan, we offer our colleagues the resources and opportunities to reduce their workplace emissions and support positive climate activity.
We have targeted this area for growth over FY24, both further developing our offering and ensuring that all colleagues are aware of the resources and opportunities available to them.
FY23 Highlights
- Setting up an Environmental ERG (Employee Resource Group)
- Our UK colleagues using volunteering leave to support sustainability and conservation efforts at Marwell Zoo, and conduct a beach clean near to our HQ
- Encouraging sustainable commuting through participating in the UK Government’s Cycle to Work scheme
In addition to supporting accredited carbon offsetting projects, Gattaca and our colleagues support the global drive for afforestation and reforestation through tree planting initiatives.
- Our Infrastructure Public Sector team personally planted 1,200 trees within the UK’s Pleasley Pit Country Park in Derbyshire and also participated in tree planting schemes in collaboration with both Nottinghamshire and Hampshire County Councils
- As part of our flexible benefits scheme, we introduced the opportunity for our colleagues to make a monthly contribution towards tree planting in forestation sites across Madagascar, Kenya and Mozambique
- A tree has been planted for every benefit selected by our colleagues under our flexible benefits scheme
- As a result of our colleague and client children's Christmas competition, we funded the planting of two trees per entry within a forestation programme in Madagascar. This competition ('X-Mess') aimed to raise awareness about the harmful impacts of waste at Christmastime. To enter the competition, children were asked to upcycle waste from around the house into Christmas decorations
Targets & 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 1.5º pathway
- Obtain real emissions data from 70% of suppliers (by spend)
- Engage with suppliers to offer support & resources
- Set and communicate clear goals with suppliers
- Review business travel policy
- Offer low carbon commuting incentives to employees
- Improve the quality of travel, commuting & 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 1.5º pathway
- Obtain real emissions data from 100% of suppliers (by spend)
- Enhanced supplier engagement & goal setting
- Enhanced low carbon commuting incentives to employees
All % figures are measured from FY20 baseline year.
FY23 Highlights
Whilst our primary focus within FY23 has been formulating our carbon reduction targets and roadmap, other highlights include:
- Renewable energy supply within our Hampshire office HQ
- Reduced paper usage through pivoting our contractor workforce to 80% electronic weekly timesheets Increased from 44% in FY21
- Begun developing the climate-related disclosures in our Annual Report to engage with our investors and other stakeholders during our climate journey
FY24 Next steps
- Engage with suppliers to further improve our data accuracy
- Offer guidance to suppliers with a less developed climate journey; initial focus on our second tier recruitment suppliers, following a data gathering exercise over FY23
- Review our business travel policy to identify ways of lowering emissions, whilst recognising the renewed post-Covid importance of face to face interaction with our customers
- Identify and road-map means of reducing our employee commuting emissions
- Ensure that climate-related considerations become a factor in key business decisions, under the direction of our Sustainability Committee
- Further develop the climate-related disclosures in our Annual Report
- ESOS 3 compliance