In 2022 Nottingham Trent University started to explore how it could reduce its carbon emissions from the goods and services it purchases. A key consideration was how the university could accurately calculate the supply chain carbon footprint, as well as track the positive sustainable supply chain interventions that it implements. It was clear that the university needed to move away from spend-based carbon calculations to a methodology that could provide a higher level of specificity and focus.
Nottingham Trent University approached NETpositive Futures to collaborate in designing and implementing a platform to engage with suppliers on net zero, to support the development of supplier bespoke carbon reduction plans and to gather data to enable the calculation of scope 3 supply chain emissions. Following the initial pilot phases and in response to an open invitation to the Higher Education Sector a total of 32 universities are now engaged in the action research project running from 1st November 2023 – 31st October 2024. A full list of universities involved can be found here.
The tool acknowledges the differing maturity of suppliers on the journey to net zero – some will have already calculated their carbon footprint and created a Carbon Action Plan, whilst others will have not.
For those that have calculated their carbon emissions the tool asks for some primary information including size of business, provision of goods/services supplied, business turnover and carbon footprint reporting year before going on to requesting the supplier’s carbon footprint and a weblink to their plan.
For those that haven’t calculated their carbon emissions, by working through tool they receive their carbon footprint and a Carbon Action Plan, which they can upload to their website as their public declaration to net zero. Watch the video to see what suppliers are asked to do and how they are supported.
