Insight: Net zero supply chains for the built environment
We can only achieve net zero by working together…
Sustainability for infrastructure and the built environment is a key part of Accelar’s work to accelerate the green transition. We have plenty of experience in this space, from running sustainability business strategy sessions to developing metrics across infrastructure organisations, and with 25% of carbon emissions in the UK coming from construction (according to the UKGBC’s Whole Life Carbon Roadmap), there’s plenty to do.
As a CO2nstructZero Business Champion, one area we’re focusing in on at the moment is supporting built environment businesses to understand where their supply chains are on their carbon journey. For most businesses, and built environment is no exception, most of their carbon emissions fall into the Scope 3 category. Scope 3 refers to those emissions created up and down the supply chain, for example, emissions from products and materials that a business buys in, business travel, and employees commuting. You can see the full list of emissions that fall into Scope 3 here. Estimates place Scope 3 emissions somewhere between 80% and 97% of total emissions, particularly for larger businesses.
As these Scope 3 emissions are often outside a business’s direct control, engaging positively with suppliers is critical to ensure they have a chance of reaching any net zero carbon targets they’ve made. The supply chain needs to respond because a company’s carbon profile will become, if it’s not already, part of the decision-making process of which suppliers will be selected to work with. Businesses who don’t take these steps are missing out on efficiencies and risking their reputation going forward.
Accelar is supporting built environment companies to build a picture of where their supply chain is at with carbon measurement and management. This includes what carbon footprints, targets, policies and action plans they have in place, status of environmental product declarations, renewable electricity tariff use, maximising utilisation rates, production of renewable electricity at manufacturing sites, and ensuring they have access to key environmental data. We do that through surveys, interviews, and data analysis – presenting results in a way that enables businesses to see the bigger picture clearly. Some businesses want to offer practical support to suppliers and have asked us to develop supplier action plans, identifying those areas where multiple suppliers are challenged with similar barriers. We are also working directly with numerous SMEs to support them to develop carbon footprints and carbon reduction action plans.
“Accelar is helping us explore and understand where our top ten suppliers by spend are on their carbon journey. The team at Accelar are providing both technical insight and impartiality into determining the real word embodied carbon within our construction systems and manufacturing processes and the outputs so far have given us a useful insight into our suppliers strategic and operational focus on carbon reduction. We’re looking forward to the project next steps to understand how we can best support suppliers in this space.”
- Simon Harold, Business Development Director, PCE
There is a distinct advantage in taking the time and effort to build strong relationships with suppliers in this space and identify more opportunities to work and innovate together. If you’d like to find out more about Accelar’s work on carbon and supply chain, please contact Clare Ollerenshaw (collerenshaw@accelar.co.uk).