This is our policy?
Carbon Reduction Plan
28th November 2021
Commitment to achieving Net Zero
NEON is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050. We plan to reduce our direct carbon emissions (known as Scope 1 and 2 emissions) by at least 75% (compared to 2020 levels).
Baseline Emissions Footprint
Baseline emissions are a record of the greenhouse gases that have been produced in the past and were produced prior to the introduction of any strategies to reduce emissions. Baseline emissions are the reference point against which emissions reduction can be measured.
Baseline Year: 2020
Additional Details relating to the Baseline Emissions calculations.
NEON has identified the calendar year 2020 as the baseline year for measuring carbon reductions against.
We have used greenhouse gas (GHG) protocol operational control methodology to determine our baseline for our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. 2020 has been selected as this is the first year delivering our refreshed Sustainability Strategy, Building New Futures, and setting out our 2050 ambition to go Beyond Net Zero Carbon.
For Scope 2 emissions, the GHG protocol’s market-based methodology has been used. The selected Scope 3 category data is comprised from GHG calculations from actual and estimated data. Actual data has been used to derive tCO2e totals for waste and business travel. As an online company, there is no commuting for employees, but we have employed estimations using the GHG Protocol Quantis Scope 3 Evaluator.1
The baseline defined within this Carbon Reduction Plan is specific to NEON. The baseline has been established to measure compliance with PPN 06/21. Further detail on NEON’s total GHG emissions, Sustainability Strategy and energy consumption is available by emailing admin@npqonline.co.uk where annual updates will be emailed once they are reported to the board of directors.
Carbon reduction strategies for NEON for Scope 1 and 2 and all Scope 3 categories are detailed within our sustainability strategy.
Our carbon data is compiled at year end. We will update our current emissions data for 2021 in April 2022.
Baseline year emissions: 2020
Additional Details relating to the Baseline Emissions calculations.
Baseline year emissions:
EMISSIONS TOTAL (tCO2e) 36501
Scope 1 (1%)
Since the company is home based, without premises, apart from the homes of those that work for NEON our scope 1 emissions are significantly smaller that other organisations. This results in little transport requirements.
Scope 2 (99%)
Electricity 19286
Gas 13564
Scope 3
Emissions from business travel:
Upstream transportation and distribution: Not included in reporting boundary
Waste generated in operations: Not included in reporting boundary
Employee commuting: Not included in reporting boundary
Downstream transportation and distribution: Not relevant to NEON
Total Emissions
36501 (tCO2e)
Current Emissions Reporting
Our overachievement is mainly due to a total reduction in business travel. 2020 saw significant impacts from Covid-19, most notably travel restrictions which significantly reduced our business travel emissions. Since 2019, we saw all meetings being held online. Looking forward this looks to continue with the appetite for online meetings being increased. Where travel is unavoidable NEON will support our colleagues to switch to low carbon modes of transport or preferably use public transport.
Reporting Year: 2020 our baseline year
4.562 tons of CO2e per person per year
EMISSIONS TOTAL (tCO2e)
Scope 1 9286
Scope 2 13564
Scope 3 (included sources)
Total Emissions 36501 tCO2e
Emissions reduction targets
We will continue to explore opportunities to reduce emissions for Scope 1 and 2 emissions for NEON.
These include improving Operating an ‘Agile Working’ policy to maximise the use of technology such as Microsoft Teams to reduce travel and improve work-life balance.
In the future, we aim to implement further measures such as:
- Reduce excessive emails and large attachments by the use of cloud storage
- Changing search engine to help plant trees- make Ecosia the default search engine in google chrome
- Ensure monitors are set to go to standby within 10 minutes
- Ensure PC power saving settings
- Investing in computers that can easily be upgraded
- Carbon offsetting schemes (Ecologi offer businesses the opportunity to be climate positive via participating in carbon offsetting programmes such as local afforestation projects). Website: https://ecologi.com/. An example could include a tree to be planted for each participant enrolment.
- Staff training on environmentally conscious practices whist home working (turning off appliances whilst not in use, reducing paper usage, recycling materials where possible).
- Upgrade or maintain home office insulation and support staff in applying for grants to fund such approaches
- Consider offering grants to workers of NEON for low carbon modes of transport
In order to continue our progress to achieving Net Zero, we have adopted the following carbon reduction targets.
We project that carbon emissions will decrease over the next five years to 11022 tCO2e by 2025. This is a reduction of 70% compared to our 2020 baseline.
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2021
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Total
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Scope 1
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Scope 2
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Reporting Year 2021
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18126
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12932
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31058
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Carbon Reduction Projects
The following environmental management measures and projects have been completed or implemented since the 2020 baseline. The carbon emission reduction achieved by these schemes equate to 25, 479 CO2e, a 70%ge reduction against the 2020 baseline and the measures will be in effect when performing the contract
- Encouraging employees to source 100% of all electricity supplied from renewable energy sources.
- Completing a carbon footprint audit each year and monitoring our progress towards targets
- Completing a sustainability audit for the company and acting on any actions
- Encouraging employees to use hybrid power systems such as solar, ground source heat pumps and for employees to be supported in applying for any available grants
- Ensure the use of energy-efficient lighting e.g. LED lighting systems or natural light
- Operating an ‘Agile Working’ policy to maximise the use of technology such as Microsoft Teams to reduce travel and improve work-life balance.
- Assess, upgrade, or replace electrical appliances to ensure they are energy efficient. This will include computer monitors, recycling hardware
- Reducing waste by maintaining our paperless approach
- Electrical timers or sensors to moderate appliance usage and thereby reduce unnecessary waste
- Invest in energy saving light bulbs within home offices.
- Utilising a smart meter to assess energy usage.
- Attempt to fix faulty appliances before purchasing factory new equipment and recycling where they can’t be
- When a commute is required, travel by public transport. Or if not possible, consider a car-sharing scheme.
Declaration and Sign Off
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been completed in accordance with PPN 06/21 and associated guidance and reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans.
Emissions have been reported and recorded in accordance with the published reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans and the GHG Reporting Protocol corporate standard and using the appropriate Government emission conversion factors for greenhouse gas company reporting.
Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have been reported in accordance with SECR requirements, and the required subset of Scope 3 emissions have been reported in accordance with the published reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans and the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard.
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been reviewed and signed off by the board of directors.
Signed on behalf of the NEON
......Adrian Conway (Director)........................... Date: ..November 28th 2021...........................
