These organisations are going the extra mile when it comes to cutting their carbon footprint
We all know that organisations have a responsibility to set a course for Net Zero and take steps to reduce carbon emissions over the coming years. But devising and implementing an effective carbon reduction plan is easier said than done.
Sustainability can feel like a mammoth task for any organisation and yet there are organisations out there setting the tone. Now, it’s worth noting that businesses don’t always get it right – none of us do – and for every low carbon initiative within an enterprise there’s a challenge that’s yet to be overcome.
Nevertheless, we should give praise where it’s due. From tech giants to the NHS, below are just some of the organisations showing the world how to up their Scope 3 game.
Microsoft
Microsoft is not only one of the largest companies in the world, it is also an organisation with a strong focus on sustainability. Microsoft has been transparent in its communications about the need to reduce carbon emissions – both internally and in partnership with its wider business ecosystem. President and Vice Chair Brad Smith reports that the company emits roughly 16 million metric tons of carbon each year, 12 million of which falls into Scope 3.
However, Microsoft has also been open about the need to drive that sizeable figure down. By 2030, the company intends to be carbon negative, and by 2050, Microsoft will remove all carbon emitted by the company since 1975 from the environment.
A $1 billion carbon innovation fund will see the organisation taking drastic steps to achieving true sustainability, including investing into new technologies like the AI for Earth program. Microsoft is taking a community-driven approach, deploying technologies to help suppliers, staff and customers reduce their carbon footprints.
At SmartCarbon, we have first-hand experience of working with organisations within Microsoft’s supply chain and we’ve helped them to report on their emissions in line with Microsoft’s requirements.
Tesco
With more than 6,000 stores in Europe and Asia, Tesco is responsible for serving millions of customers each week. As a multi-national organisation with a complex logistics network, tackling carbon emissions is a significant challenge for Tesco. However, the business is taking genuine steps towards its target of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 60% by 2025. Alongside this, Tesco has committed to reducing Scope 3 carbon emissions by 17% by 2030.
Making a substantial dent in Scope 1 and 2 emissions is certainly challenging but it is also relatively straightforward. As Tesco itself has identified, 60% of this comes from electricity usage and so moving towards renewable sources and implementing energy reduction initiatives has dramatically reduced emissions.
When tackling Scope 3 emissions, however, it is a different story. Having identified that around 70% of supply chain emissions stem from agriculture, Tesco have looked to create itemised reduction targets for Scope 3 emissions – acknowledging the need for a different approach in agriculture to other areas.
Coldplay
It’s not just industry giants taking strides towards reduced Scope 3 emissions. Some of the world’s leading music artists and entertainers are also showing their commitment to climate protection, with Coldplay leading the way.
This is most evident through the band’s Music of the Spheres Tour, which they’ve pledged to make as sustainable and low-carbon as possible. To do this, they have established three key principles:
- Reduce: cutting consumption, recycling extensively, and reducing carbon emissions in half.
- Reinvent: supporting new green technologies and developing sustainable, super-low carbon touring methods.
- Restore: funding a portfolio of nature- and tech-based projects to make the tour as environmentally beneficial as possible.
The band has pledged to drawdown more carbon dioxide than the tour produces, funding the planting of one tree for every ticket sold. The stage will also be powered largely by renewable energy, including solar power and sustainable biofuels.
You can find out more about Coldplay’s efforts on their dedicated website here. Refreshingly, the website doesn’t sugarcoat the band’s efforts, saying:
“Despite our best efforts, the tour will still have a significant carbon footprint. We pledge to drawdown more CO2 than the tour produces, supporting projects based on reforestation, rewilding, conservation, soil regeneration, carbon capture & storage and renewable energy.
“As part of this pledge, the tour is funding the planting – and lifelong protection of – millions of new trees including one tree for every ticket sold.”
Newcastle Hospitals Trust
We are proud to support 17 NHS Trusts around the UK and a broad range of their third-party suppliers. But Newcastle Hospitals Trust was the first Trust to utilise the SmartCarbon platform back in 2020 and we are proud to have been part of the progress made by the Trust in reporting on Scope 3 emissions.
While the Trust has pledged to reach Net Zero across its own emissions by 2030, it has also stated that, by 2040, the emissions the Trust can influence will also be Net Zero.
By 2040, the Trust also aims for all healthcare facilities to be accessed only by zero emission travel, and that a circular economy will be in place to ensure no waste is produced.
Taking a holistic approach to sustainability, Newcastle Hospitals’ efforts cover energy, waste, water, journeys, purchasing, buildings and land, care and people. Inspired, motivated people create better, greener results.
By 2040, all suppliers must align their carbon reduction plans with the Trust’s, establishing lasting positive change.
Make sustainability a priority for your business with carbon emissions reporting. Get in touch with the SmartCarbon team today.