Carbon reduction plan
Our commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050
Supplier name: FCDO Services
Publication date: 11 September 2024
Contents
Our commitment
FCDO Services is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050, in line with the Greening Government Commitments and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) policy.
Baseline emissions footprint
Baseline year 2017/18
| Emissions | Total (tCO2e) |
| Scope 1 | 105 |
| Scope 2 | 1,270 |
| Scope 3 (included sources) | 79 |
| Total emissions | 1,454 |
Additional details on baseline emissions calculations
While FCDO Services has been reporting emissions data since 2009/10, this Carbon Reduction Plan uses 2017/18 as the baseline.
This is because the Greening Government Commitments for the period 2021/25 have re-calibrated Government Department reporting to set 2017/18 as the baseline year, to more accurately reflect the current government estate and ensure government builds on the progress it has already achieved since 2009/10.
As required by the Greening Government Commitments, FCDO Services currently only reports emissions data on its UK based operations. It reports Scope 1 (direct energy including logistics / distribution fleet) and 2 (indirect energy) emissions plus some elements of business travel and waste management from Scope 3.
FCDO Services shares its sites with its parent department, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and currently apportions most Scope 1 and 2 emissions on a per capita (staff FTE) basis.
From 2012/13 to 2020/21 FCDO Services’ work with non-FCDO customers was not included in the Greening Government Commitment reported data, as the GGC Baseline Panel had deemed that they should be exempted from the scope.
This decision was reversed in 2021, so reporting since 2021/22 has covered all FCDO Services UK based activity whoever the customer.
The 2017/18 baseline emissions have been adjusted to include FCDO Services’ delivery for all customers.
Current emissions reporting
Reporting year 2023/24
| Emissions | Total (tCO2e) |
| Scope 1 | 141 |
| Scope 2 | 689 |
| Scope 3 (included sources) | 112 |
| Total emissions | 942 |
Emissions reduction targets
In order to continue our progress to achieving Net Zero by 2050, we have, as part of the FCDO Departmental footprint, adopted the following Greening Government Commitment carbon reduction targets to be achieved by March 2025 (from a 2017/18 baseline year).
| 2025 target (against 2017/18 baseline) |
2017/18 baseline |
2023/24 |
Comment on 2023/24 performance |
| Reduce overall reported emissions by 56% |
1,454 tons CO2e |
942 tons CO2e |
Overall emissions reduced 35% against baseline and 7% against 2022/23. It will be extremely challenging for FCDO Services to meet the 56% target by March 2025 but we are working closely with FCDO to help our parent department meet the target overall |
| Reduce direct emissions by 30%. Comprises direct Scope 1 emissions from estate and operations (excluding vehicle fleet) |
71 tons CO2e |
39 tons CO2e |
Direct estate emissions decreased by 45% compared to baseline, more than achieving the March 2025 target |
| Reduce domestic flights 30% |
12 tons CO2e |
8 tons CO2e |
Domestic flight emissions decreased by 32% compared to baseline, more than achieving March 2025 target. FCDO Services shares the FCDO policy to use rail by default for domestic travel but there is a dependency on customer demand for UK projects |
| 25% of car / van fleet to be ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) by end 2022, and 100% to be fully zero emissions (ZEV) at the tailpipe by end 2027 |
No baseline target |
18% |
9 vehicles in 49 car / van fleet are ULEV. Working towards the 100% ZEV target, FCDO Services are developing a transition plan aligning normal vehicle replacement schedule, security and operational need and optimising the embedded carbon from the existing assets |
| Reduce total waste generation by 15% |
92 tons |
82 tons |
Total waste decreased by 11% compared to baseline. Actively campaigning to reduce waste as part of efficiency drive – waste less, spend less |
| Achieve 70% recycling of overall waste stream |
53% |
65% |
On track to achieve target supported by staff awareness and training campaign |
| Reduce paper consumption by 50% (based on reams A4 equivalent) |
5,830 tons CO2e |
619 tons CO2e |
Paper usage decreased by 89% compared to baseline, more than achieving target |
| Reduce water consumption by 8% |
8,432m3 |
7,922m3 |
Water usage decreased by 6% in compared to baseline |
| Report international (passenger) flights. No target set under GGC, but aim to reduce |
4,557 tons CO2e |
4,490 tons CO2e |
Very dependent on delivery to meet global customer demand but seeking to reduce through people and freight flight aggregation and modal shift |
Carbon reduction initiatives
FCDO Services is a Trading Fund of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and is part of the FCDO departmental footprint under the Greening Government Commitments Framework. It operates under FCDO’s ISO 14001 certified Environmental Management System (certification renewed in 2023).
FCDO Services has policies and processes to ensure compliance with environmental regulations, assess environmental impact and risks and regularly monitor environmental performance. It has an Environmental Policy Statement covering all FCDO Services employees, contractors, suppliers, and partners.
FCDO Services sources and sells with integrity through an ethical, sustainable supply chain. It delivers as efficiently as possible and respects the interests of its customers, staff, and stakeholders. The organisation continuously strives to improve and increase its environmental and social sustainability.
Sustainability vision
FCDO Services’ vision is to be ‘secure, safe and sustainable’ in everything we do to support our customers in diplomacy, defence and development. Sustainability delivers a range of strategic benefits.
It helps drive efficiency, encourages upskilling and innovation, and creates new business opportunities.
With continued inflationary pressure during 2023/24, we have sought to drive closer collaboration between efficiency, continuous improvement and sustainability.
Sustainability strategy
Our ‘Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan 2022-25’ has five key objectives:
- Ensure compliance with environmental regulations
- Reduce operational carbon footprint and deliver against 2025 Greening Government Commitment targets
- Optimise the synergy of sustainability and efficiency
- Embed a culture of sustainability and associated capability uplift to make FCDO Services ‘net zero-capable’
- Build greener and more efficient customer-supplier frameworks and deliver products and services that help improve customer sustainability
FCDO Services has an active, dedicated Environment and Sustainability Team which is running the cross-organisation Sustainability Action Plan, reviewing the application of sustainable ways of working, standards and skills across the organisation.
Recognising the importance of behavioural shift and staff training in driving sustainability improvement, we have compiled an introductory sustainability training course for all staff, and we run regular internal campaigns, for example, on better waste management.
Energy
The bulk of FCDO Services’ emissions reported under the Greening Government Commitments are from direct fuel use, electricity consumption and international flights.
Emissions from energy utilisation are being reduced through a combination of ongoing initiatives, such as, on-site renewable energy generation, energy efficiency measures and the heating of the Hanslope Park site with biodiesel from waste and second-generation oils as well as low sulphur fuel oil.
Logistics
International flights are critical to FCDO Services global business and respond to customer demand. The organisation is working with customers to reduce its flight footprint, using approaches such as regional project aggregation, flight schedule optimisation, modal shift from air to surface routes and virtualisation / remote delivery.
FCDO Services’ fleet is critical to its UK and global operation. The organisation is committed to reducing the footprint of its HGV, van and car fleet. Vehicles under 3.5 tons are being replaced in phases with at least ULEV standard vehicles emitting less than 50g CO2e/km, if not ZEV.
By 2027 the organisation is committed to a 100% EV fleet (for vehicles under 3.5 tons) and a transition plan is being developed to achieve this. Technologies for the HGV fleet are being assessed but older trucks are being replaced with at least Euro VI compliant vehicles.
Procurement
FCDO Services adopts UK government best practice in sustainable procurement. The sustainability credentials of suppliers are examined and assessed using the relevant provisions of the Social Value Model (Public Procurement Notice 06/20) and the requirement for a Carbon Reduction Plan (Public Procurement Notice 06/21) for larger contracts.
Where suitable Crown Commercial Service framework contracts are available, FCDO Services makes use of these to source products.
FCDO Services is committed to making opportunities accessible to a wide range of suppliers, particularly small and medium enterprises. SME suppliers form 25% of the supply base. Procurement staff hold the CIPS Corporate Ethics certification.
Information technology
FCDO Services is guided by the improvement targets in the Greening Government IT and Digital Services Strategy 2020-25.
FCDO Services’ award-winning Containerised Data Centre (CDC) has very efficient performance credentials (a maximum PUE = 1.3, which equates to very efficient, with a utilisation of free air cooling 95% of the time).
Waste
FCDO Services ensures that its IT waste is handled according to the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) standards and the WEEE Regulations, with plastics shredding and extraction of rare minerals.
During 2023/24, FCDO Services implemented a Waste Management Action Plan to drive improvement. This included introduction of a new staff training course, new staff induction manuals and online guidance, more rigorous waste contractor management with an improved waste management information system, and a Recycling Campaign with staff events and displays. Staff feedback demonstrated significantly increased awareness and compliance.
FCDO Services has continued to make excellent progress in reducing the footprint of our logistics packaging, while also phasing out single use plastics.
We have now largely stopped using bubble wrap, foam padded envelopes, plastic adhesive tape and nylon strapping. These have been replaced with paper-based products, including the significant re-use of our own cardboard waste which is shredded for padding.
We have replaced cling film type plastic pallet wrap with re-usable, lidded boxes saving over 100km of wrap so far. These boxes can be stacked too, reducing the storage space needed. The number of forklift journeys has also decreased, reducing our forklift truck emissions. To reduce emissions further, we are in the process of phasing in the use of electric forklift trucks.
We continue to manufacture bespoke shipping crates to minimise weight, volume and shipping costs, as well as reduce our carbon footprint. Where possible, we use 100% recyclable robust, honeycomb-structure, cardboard boxes for our shipments.
Our waste wood is sold and enables us to help raise money for charity in the process, while also being sent to community projects or recycled.
We wash and re-use our cotton-based Diplomatic Bags, using the laundry service provided by HM Prison and Young Offenders Institute Bullingdon in Oxfordshire. In 2023/24, prisoners laundered 22,182 bags for us.
Read full detail of FCDO Services’ sustainability performance in its Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24.
Declaration
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 uses 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 Executive Board.
Signed on behalf of the Supplier: Mike Astell, Chief Executive Officer
Date: 11 September 2024