Free template
A free carbon reduction plan template in Word laid out the way government buyers expect under PPN 006, with the scope 1, 2 and 3 categories already listed.
By Christopher Fagan, Managing Partner, PEF Consulting Partners
A note before you start
Suppliers lose bids over carbon reduction plans for avoidable reasons: the wrong scope 3 categories, no board sign off, or a plan that is not on the website. The plan itself is short. The work is in getting a reliable emissions figure and a reduction target your board will stand behind, so start well before the next tender that asks for one.
Christopher Fagan, Managing Partner, PEF Consulting Partners
Choose a baseline year and a reporting year, then calculate emissions in tonnes of CO2 equivalent using the UK government conversion factors. Cover all of scope 1 and 2 plus scope 3 categories 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9. Set out your commitment to net zero by 2050 at the latest, your reduction targets and the projects that will deliver them. Have the board approve it, a director sign and date it, and publish it on your UK website with a clear link from the home page. Update it every year, within six months of your financial year end.
[Organisation name] | Version 0.1 | [Date] | Owner: [Name, role]
[Organisation name] is committed to achieving net zero emissions by [year, no later than 2050].
The reference year you measure progress against.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Baseline year | |
| Additional details, such as changes to the business since the baseline |
| Baseline emissions | Total (tCO2e) |
|---|---|
| Scope 1 | |
| Scope 2 (location based) | |
| Scope 3 (included categories) | |
| Total |
Reporting year: [start date to end date]
| Emissions | Total (tCO2e) |
|---|---|
| Scope 1 | |
| Scope 2 | |
| Scope 3, category 4: upstream transportation and distribution | |
| Scope 3, category 5: waste generated in operations | |
| Scope 3, category 6: business travel | |
| Scope 3, category 7: employee commuting | |
| Scope 3, category 9: downstream transportation and distribution | |
| Total |
[We project that our emissions will fall over the next five years to [x] tCO2e by [year], a reduction of [x] per cent against the baseline.]
| Year | Projected emissions (tCO2e) |
|---|---|
Completed projects with the reductions achieved, and the projects planned for the period of the contract.
| Project | Completed or planned | Emissions reduction (tCO2e) | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
[This carbon reduction plan has been completed in line with PPN 006 and the associated guidance and reporting standard for carbon reduction plans. Emissions have been reported in line with the GHG Protocol corporate standard using the UK government conversion factors for company reporting, and the required scope 3 categories in line with the GHG Protocol corporate value chain (scope 3) standard. The plan has been reviewed and approved by the board of directors or equivalent management body.]
| Signed on behalf of the supplier | Name | Job title | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
Template by PEF Consulting Partners, pefconsultingpartners.co.uk. Free to use and adapt.
Related reading: scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions explained, SECR reporting, ESG consultancy and compliance, the social value target planner.
A short public document in which a supplier commits to net zero by 2050, reports its emissions for scope 1, 2 and selected scope 3 categories, and sets out its reduction targets and projects. UK government buyers ask for one on larger contracts.
Suppliers bidding for central government contracts worth more than £5 million a year including VAT, where the buyer applies PPN 006. Many other public and private buyers now ask for one on smaller contracts too.
Categories 4 (upstream transportation and distribution), 5 (waste generated in operations), 6 (business travel), 7 (employee commuting) and 9 (downstream transportation and distribution), on top of all scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Yes. PPN 006 applies to procurements under the Procurement Act 2023 advertised from 24 February 2025, and PPN 06/21 still covers procurements started before then. The requirements of the plan are essentially the same.
If a tender is coming up and you have no reliable emissions figure, we can help you get to a defensible baseline and a signed plan quickly.