Carbon Reduction Plan
Last Updated: February 2024
This is an updated carbon reduction plan produced by DigiBlu UK Limited (“DigiBlu”) or (the “Company”) Registration No.: 12015792, registered office: Co. CBHC Limited, Steeple House, Suite 3 Floor One, Church Lane, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1NH on 29 January 2024.
1. Introduction
DigiBlu is committed to reducing its carbon emissions over time with the objective of achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 31 December 2030.
DigiBlu makes its Net Zero pledge in support of the UK Government’s commitment that, with effect from 30 September 2022, “In-Scope Organisations” are required to monitor their carbon emissions’ output and comply with effective carbon reduction targets. In Scope Organisations comprise all Central Government Departments, their Executive Agencies and Non Departmental Public Bodies which, along with their suppliers of goods and or services through Crown Commercial Services (“CCS)” framework agreements, are required to comply with the UK Government’s Carbon Reduction targets.
Digiblu is pleased to report that the number of people engaged in the business has increased by 66% (from 18 to 30 direct employees and a small number of contractors) in the period from 2022 to 2024. Despite this increase in business activity.
If DigiBlu had continued to generate tCO2e as a linear increase from the 25 tCO2e generated in 2022 this would have increased the tCO2e forecast to be generated in 2024 to 42 tCO2e. We are pleased to report that the forecast tCO2e which will be generated by DigiBlu during 2024 will only have increased from 25 tCO2e to 38 tCO2e. This represents a reduction on tCO2e from 1.41tCO2e to 1.28 tCO2e which represents a reduction of 9% per worker due to the Company’s focus on reducing our overall carbon production forecast for the year ending 31 December 2024.
2. Baseline Emissions Footprint
The first step towards developing a Carbon Reduction target for the Company was to develop a “Baseline Emissions” record of the Green House Gases (“GHG”) that were produced in the baseline year 2022 directly or indirectly through DigiBlu’s business trading and were produced prior to the introduction of any strategies to reduce emissions. Baseline Emissions are the reference point against which emissions reduction (i.e. the achievement of carbon negative emissions) can be measured.
Baseline Year: Financial year 2022 (01/01/2022 to 31/12/2022) for Digiblu estimated total GHG emissions of 25.38 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent gases. This equates to 1.41 tCO2e per worker engaged by the Company during the Baseline Year.
3. Forecast tCO2e emissions for 2024
DigiBlu is focused on scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions reduction targets aligned with supporting the overall Government goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degree centigrade above pre-industrial levels.
To make valid comparisons between the GHG generated during 2022 with the forecast for 2024 we need to consider two main variables:
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What would the tCO2e generated in 2022 increase to if the 66% growth of the company had continued with that rate of GHG increasing on a linear trajectory without direct positive action by the management team to reduce the GHG emissions?
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What is the forecast tCO2e of GHG that will be produced by DigiBlu after taking account of the positive changes that are being introduced by the Company?
The carbon emissions forecast for 2024 generated by DigiBlu is divided into the following three categories. The three categories are then aggregated to extrapolate to the total tCO2e emissions, defined as the Company’s Corporate Carbon Footprint or “CCF” being generated as a result of the Company’s business trading activity during 2024. To determine whether the Company is delivering on a reduction in CCF we need to determine what its total CCF would have been after allowing for growth of the organisation in the intervening period:
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Scope 1 tCO2e direct emissions from direct operations of the business;
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Scope 2 tCO2e indirect emissions from electricity purchased;
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Scope 3 tCO2e indirect emissions from assets not directly owned by DigiBlu, that would not have been created other than for the business transactions of DigiBlu, e.g. those created by an outsourced provider of services to DigiBlu.
The principal sources of carbon and other GHG emissions in a professional services business such as DigiBlu are:
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Business travel
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Employee commuting
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Remote working
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Waste generated in operations
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Fuel and energy related activities.
Please note that tCO2e within Scope 1, 2 and 3 is measured in Metric Tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in accordance with the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Green House Gas Protocols (March 2004)[1].
It is positive to report that the forecast GHG emissions for the year ending 31 December 2024 has reduced to 1.28 tCO2e per worker making the total forecast tCO2e for the current (2024) year end to be 38.35 tCO2e.
[1] https://www.climatepartner.com/en/climate-action-insights/reducing-scopeemissions?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=17877441069&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=6131876841
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EMISSIONS TOTAL (tCO2e) extrapolated to year ending 31 December 2024
Table 1
4. Emissions reduction target
Digiblu has set a global carbon ambition to be carbon neutral by the end of 2030.
DigiBlu will update its Carbon Reduction Plan in line with this target as and when new carbon reduction projects are implemented.
To give an indication of direction of travel, we confirm that the tCO2e generated per worker has reduced by 9% when compared to the 2022 Baseline.
5. Carbon Reduction Projects
We are pleased to report that three of the four Directors that act in an Executive capacity within the business have committed to acquiring electric vehicles within the current year and will report on the outcome of this initiative in the next update.
Against the carbon emission reduction target set out above in Section 4 and taking account of organic growth in the Company’s operations, Digiblu remains committed to achieve carbon net zero by the end of 2030. Digiblu will target the following net zero projects:
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Reducing business travel emissions by 35% by the end of 2025 against a 2022 baseline and achieve net zero by the end of 2030. DigiBlu will specifically encourage employees to travel by mass transport systems wherever possible. Where individual car journeys are the only option available then peripatetic employees will be encouraged to a move to electric vehicles with zero carbon emissions at the point of use.
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Reducing office electricity use and procuring 100% renewable energy for remaining needs.
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Structuring electricity supply contracts, through virtual power purchase agreements, to introduce more electricity than Digiblu consumes into national grids.
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Providing Digiblu teams with tools that enable them to calculate and reduce the carbon emitted when carrying out client work.
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Using nature-based solutions and carbon-reduction technologies to remove, or offset, more carbon than DigiBlu emits into the atmosphere each year.
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Investing in services and solutions that help Digiblu clients profitably decarbonise their businesses and provide solutions to other sustainability challenges and opportunities.
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Requiring our 3rd party suppliers, representing 75% of our total 3rd party supplier spend to align with DigiBlu’s target for a net zero strategy by 2030.
6. 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 Green House Gases (“GHG”) Reporting Protocol corporate standard and uses the appropriate UK Government emission conversion factors for greenhouse gas company reporting.
Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have been reported in accordance with Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (“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 on behalf of DigiBlu UK Limited.
Signed on behalf of the Supplier:
Victor Gysin
CEO Digiblu UK Ltd
Date: 29 January 2024
