We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest emissions figures and Carbon Reduction Plan. It took a couple of revisions to get to this stage, as new data kept arriving (those late business mileages…) and we wanted it to be as accurate as possible.

Without acting as a spoiler, the key report points are:

Although we have not yet succeeded in our aim to reduce absolute emissions, we have made big steps forward in our approach to Scope 3 data collation to allow us to better understand and target future reductions through to 2026.

Our emissions intensity indicates a disconnect between Focus’ (rapid) growth and emissions increases. Whilst we still target absolute reductions and Carbon Neutrality by close of 2025 (scopes 1 and 2), indications of decoupling Carbon from growth elicits cautious optimism. It has highlighted how difficult it is to reduce utilities’ emissions where we cannot practically go ‘off grid’, and the intrinsic emissions associated with grid power remain. Other SMEs have commented similarly in recent forums; so, a common concern.

Although increases are not the desired result, since our initial PAS2060 declaration last year we have made strides forward – with staff CPD and a survey to better engage with our teams and improved Scope 3 data capture / reporting. Inevitably, this has resulted in increased overall figures but arises from an essential process by which we can understand, manage and report emissions more transparently.

The widening of published data is partly in response to Frameworks such as NHS SBS releasing new reporting directions based on PPN 06/21. Moreover, the 2025 retirement of PAS 2060 will influence our choices surrounding methodology and reporting over the next 18 months.

It looks like 2024-5 will be a year of change, so do come on this journey with us!

Happy global recycling day. The impact of excessive consumption and the resultant production of too much waste is a costly one for pocket and planet.

As you know, we have waged war on waste at Focus and taken steps to minimise consumption. This does not just affect our client contracts – specifying re-use of construction materials, assessing waste credits for BREEAM or application of Life Cycle Assessments – but impacts office practices too.

We have started a new contract this month for waste and dry mixed recycling collection following a reduction in the recycling service our incumbent provided (sigh) and upgraded signage to help employees to recycle more.

Our colleagues quickly got used to the recycling area rather than desk waste baskets, and I have noticed a marked reduction in paper misdirection: whether shredded for security or not, it is now diverted from general waste. Recycling of our confidential waste via Shredding Box has also seen fewer collections required than previously as we print less. Increased frequency of electronic signing has likely contributed to this reduction and all internal printing uses recycled paper for an extra ‘mini win’. Even so, less is more – so think before you print!

Calculations have determined that our waste related emissions are de minimis (under 1% using PAS2060 methodology) but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth targeting, especially as we grow as a business. Recycling bin collections are cheaper per lift than general waste, and fewer collections of all waste types saves money – so if you don’t do it, why not?

Perhaps our biggest win is the rescue of furniture – we are currently lining up a donation of more old items from storage and you will have noted the ‘new’ desks and chairs we bought were in fact preloved and refurbished.

There will be more to follow in my post year-end round up where emissions for all streams are re-evaluated and reported.

As I reflect on our year, I cannot believe how quickly time has flown. I have been looking at the COP28 outcomes of last week (can it be 12 months since I was looking at COP?) with a feeling of deflation again at the ‘damp squib’ of a meet, with small incremental movement at best and little real progress on movement away from fossil fuels, with neither timescales or any mandatory commitment under the deal. For general overview see What was agreed on climate change at COP28 in Dubai? – BBC News

That said, we are aware of our clients’ and working partners’ continued commitment and progress in their own journeys: you will likely have seen announcements surrounding our Partnership with Nottingham Trent University – one of the world’s most sustainable universities – to build skills and educate the industry, driving the sustainable agenda in our sector through their new Centre of Excellence. See our News page for details.

We have continued to put our money where our mouth is; as you know from previous posts, I have been on a bit of an anti-waste campaign and we were delighted to be able to make significant upgrades to our office furniture using professionally refurbished and pre-loved purchases, and successfully passed our own old items to new homes wherever they were fit for purpose. Did you know that the carbon footprint of an average office chair’s manufacture is 72 kg CO₂, and by not having brand new workstations (chair, desk, pedestal) a saving of circa 3900 kg of CO₂ can be achieved for a headcount of 26? That is more than half our current average monthly operational emissions….and just think of the landfill avoided!

We have been increasingly discussing strategies for broadening our reach and improving capture of our sustainable activities beyond carbon; based on the most relevant UN Sustainability goals for Focus and feeding into our ever-developing Social Value policy – so I look forward to updating you on those in the forthcoming year.

Given our decision to pursue Carbon neutrality, lowering emissions is still crucial for us, but there are wider environmental and sustainable aspects to manage that we aim to better plan and document. I recommend the Supply Chain Sustainability School (SCSS) learning modules / webinars as a useful tool, including establishing priority areas via ‘heatmapping’ and considering an extremely wide sustainability scope covering both people and planet.

All that remains is to wish you all the best for the festive season: hoping that the usual excesses of Christmas are not too planet-punishing. Updates will continue in the new year.

As part of our most recent company presentation to staff, it was no surprise that sustainability featured alongside the usual departmental performance information and team news.

We will be following this up regularly with internal updates on progress, plans and how Focus folk can contribute to our collective aims both at work and (hopefully) feed good habits into their home lives too. Indeed, our first staff sustainability update was released after the presentation, giving employees a bit more insight into our current position and we intend this to be only the beginning.

Internally, our Net Zero Carbon working group is expanding its membership, to represent a wider employee base across our growing company and assist in knowledge sharing between attendees – and ultimately to our full staff complement. We plan to schedule regular staff polls to gauge opinion and encourage sharing of ideas to really help embed this culture across our teams.

Communication doesn’t remain only internal. We have been making changes to our supply chain documentation to highlight sustainability and carbon measurement as key areas in both supplier approval and monitoring. This will kick start collation and interpretation of data from these contacts to understand where they are on the journey and what is necessary to help decarbonise operations undertaken on our behalf. To improve on where we are, we need to understand our impact collectively, so this is an important element for inclusion.

September has been an active month in terms of third party media – full of sustainability related days/events to raise awareness, including Zero Emissions Day or World Car Free Day, but also of National News articles surrounding the (at best) mixed Government announcements of changes to environmental strategies: from additional funding to delays and scrapped initiatives. Nonetheless we firmly believe we are on the right path, and hope you’ll continue to join us.

It is all going on in our carbon neutral journey!

We are proud to announce the release of our first QES declaration document, including baseline data to serve as a benchmark for our progress, and our Carbon Reduction Plan. This outlines a strategy that integrates various initiatives and targets to mitigate our environmental impact, acting as a roadmap to guide our organization towards achieving significant reductions in carbon emissions over the coming years contributing to global efforts to limit global warming to below 2°C.

Our baseline data provides a snapshot of our current carbon footprint, enabling us to measure our future emissions reduction efforts. By analysing this data, we gain valuable insights into our organizational practices, enabling us to make informed decisions about where to focus our resources and implement effective solutions.

This comes at a time when carbon is on our minds – the new DEFRA Emission Factors have just been released. It is disheartening to note that these reveal an increase in the carbon intensity of electricity due to an upsurge in gas-fired power generation. This unexpected trend emphasizes the need for collective action and underscores the significance of our Carbon Reduction Plan. It also highlights the imperative need to explore alternative energy sources that can deliver cleaner electricity.

As National Clean Air Day and Circular Economy Week approach, let us embrace these events as catalysts for change and reaffirm our commitment to reducing emissions, improving air quality, and building a circular economy…and if that isn’t enough for you to think about, we are expecting a new roadmap (in development) surrounding embodied carbon from the SBTI. One to watch. Together, we can create a sustainable and resilient future for generations to come.