We're measuring, reporting and reducing our carbon emissions
Pippa Ciezarek - 07 November 2022
One of Rotamap’s company aims is to make a positive and meaningful contribution to society. Actively reducing our environmental impact has to be a priority in order to wholly fulfil this aim.
Businesses account for nearly 20% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) like Rotamap constitute 99.9% of UK businesses. This means that collectively, all businesses have a crucial role in helping the UK to meet its 2050 Net Zero target. For this reason, in September 2022, we implemented a long-term carbon accounting strategy laying out the road ahead for our transition to Net Zero.
What is Net Zero?
‘Net Zero’ is a state in which carbon emissions are effectively zero. This can be achieved by releasing no emissions, balancing out emissions via offsets or removal, or a combination of reductions and offsets. It’s important that Rotamap reduces our impact in the most responsible way, minimising reliance on offsets and implementing genuinely positive measures. To ensure that our strategy is both effective and achievable, we’ve broken it down into a number of key milestones:
- Reporting Rotamap’s direct emissions
- Developing and implementing an emissions reduction plan
- Including all emissions (direct and indirect) in reporting and reduction plans
- Setting a Net Zero target
Rotamap has already achieved Milestone (1). Completing this process has allowed us to identify areas to target in our first reduction plan, and we’re now actively working towards Milestone (2).
Working towards a Net Zero future
Net Zero and the NHS
This significant first step was facilitated by an award-winning 5-step programme developed by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Their programme actively engages and supports the Trust’s network of suppliers, enabling us to take our first steps in carbon accounting. Newcastle Hospitals’ initiative aligns closely with the frameworks laid out by the wider NHS, including the Evergreen Supplier Framework and the NHSEI Net Zero Supplier Roadmap.
In October 2020, the NHS became the world's first health service to set a Net Zero target, declaring a commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. Rotamap is firmly embedded in the NHS’ community of suppliers, designing our services to play an essential role in the ‘digital ecosystem’, where providers collaborate for the benefit of the health service. In the same vein, we believe suppliers’ practices should actively contribute to achieving the NHS’ Net Zero target.
To learn more about our carbon strategy, or to request our 2021-2022 carbon emissions, please contact us at support@rotamap.net