Climate change and the way we interact with our environment has had a significant impact on our health. The UK government has therefore set a target for the country to become Net zero carbon by 2050, with the NHS striving to be the first national health service to be Net Zero carbon by 2040.
NHS Supply Chain has made a commitment to both trusts and suppliers to prioritise sustainable development. Whilst the target to reach Net Zero for Trusts has been set for 2040, the target for their suppliers is 2045.
What are their objectives?
Supporting partners’ cost improvement programmes
NHS Supply Chain has committed to supporting their partners’ cost improvement programmes. They are committed to working with trusts to deliver savings that can be re-invested in patient care. In 2022/2023, they will support trusts’ cost improvement programmes through national pricing matrices which offer discounted prices in return for volume commitment.
Driving a Net Zero supply chain
NHS Supply Chain has a unique role in supporting its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2045. Have a look at the four pillars of their sustainability strategy below:
Tackle climate change
The biggest contribution to their Carbon Footprint comes from Scope 3 emissions from suppliers and products. In 2022/2023 they aim to reduce carbon emissions across their supply chain by 2,900 tonnes through:
- Mapping Scope 3 emissions to identify the total carbon footprint and then working with their highest carbon emitting suppliers to reduce their impact
- Ensuring that their 37 existing suppliers with spend over £5 million produce a Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) and regularly report progress. They will also require future suppliers to do the same.
- Continuing to work with their Logistics Provider to introduce more environmentally friendly fleet solutions as part of their fleet refresh programme, along with new technologies in warehousing to reduce gas consumption, as well as install LED lighting.
Reduce single use plastics
In 2022/2023, they aim to remove 190 tonnes of single use plastics from their supply chain. Examples of how they will deliver this include reducing the amount of plastic in high content plastic containers; introducing sustainable alternatives across catering consumables product range; and introducing a new framework to deliver clinical waste containers as a service.
Support the circular economy
Circular economy initiatives, which include utilising re-manufactured and recycled products, present an opportunity to further deliver against the long-term Net Zero target. In 2022/2023, NHS Supply Chain will identify opportunities to introduce recycled or re-manufactured products onto their product catalogue that contributes to carbon footprint targets.
What is PPN 06/21?
The Procurement Policy Note (PPN 06/21) was released by Crown Commercial Service in June 2021 and sets out how government departments need to take account of suppliers’ Net Zero Carbon Reduction Plans (CRP) in the procurement of major government contracts. It is subject to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
Since 30th September 2021, all NHS suppliers who bid for large government contracts (over £5 Million) have to comply with PPN 06/21, detailing their commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2045 and how they will reach the target.
Download the guide for NHS suppliers for details on PPN 06/21, CRPs and compliance requirements.
What is PPN 06/21?
The Procurement Policy Note (PPN 06/21) was released by Crown Commercial Service in June 2021 and sets out how government departments need to take account of suppliers’ Net Zero Carbon Reduction Plans (CRP) in the procurement of major government contracts. It is subject to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
Since 30th September 2021, all NHS suppliers who bid for large government contracts (over £5 Million) have to comply with PPN 06/21, detailing their commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2045 and how they will reach the target.
Download the guide for NHS suppliers for details on PPN 06/21, CRPs and compliance requirements.
What is a CRP?
CRPs are to be completed on behalf of NHS suppliers and must meet the reporting requirements, as well as include the supplier’s current Carbon Footprint and its commitment to reducing emissions to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2045.
CRPs will help suppliers and the NHS understand what impact their wider operations have upon the environment. They detail the organisation’s emissions across a single year against a range of emissions sources and greenhouse gases.
Carbon Reduction Plans must be provided by suppliers when responding to in-scope procurements as defined by PPN 06/21. The Carbon Reduction Plan is not intended to replace existing reporting or calculation of your organisational Carbon Footprint. It is a summary document that details high level information that demonstrates your compliance with the measure.
The NHS has adopted the standard for their suppliers, however there are a few differences from the general reporting requirements and the way that they expect suppliers to adhere to it.
Download the Sample Carbon Reduction Plan to make sure you’re on the right track.
How can we help?
To achieve Net Zero you will need to do a lot of calculations. Calculating your Carbon Footprint and monitoring it is one of the most important things you’ll need to do, as it will help you understand where you stand, and it will set a starting point for your Net Zero journey.
That is why it is really important to be accurate with the data collection. Moreover, climate change data is as important as financial data, so it will need to be complete, accurate and timely.
You can collect this data manually, through a consultancy or with a platform. Doing it manually is your lowest cost option, but this does also increase the chance of making mistakes or forgetting bits of your data. For many, using a platform is the best option in terms of cost-time balance. With the Enistic Platform, you are required to enter the data, with the software automatically checking if you are missing data or if it is not correct.
The Enistic Platform is the professional cloud-based software that allows you to calculate your Carbon Footprint and monitor it. It has a Carbon Planner integrated that will allow you to create a Carbon Reduction Plan and see the impact of your carbon reduction projects. Moreover, it gives you the opportunity to enhance your company’s energy and cost efficiency through advanced software with the help of our experts.
Book a free consultation
Contact one of our Net-Zero experts today and book a free consultation to see how Enistic can help you set your Net Zero strategy. We will make the processing time and cost-effective. ensuring you move forward, informed, empowered, and confident that you have control.