Introduction
This net zero report has been produced for Hunter Operations Ltd., a Bristol based conference accessories business, by Future Leap as part of the Bristol Business and Enterprise Support (BrisBES) programme. BrisBES is designed to deliver high quality, inclusive and sustainable support to Bristol’s entrepreneurs and businesses through 1:1 coaching, training workshops,
e-learning, networking events, and grants. BrisBES is funded by the West of England Combined Authority and Bristol City Council and is being delivered by YTKO.
Hunter Operations Ltd.’s carbon footprint has been calculated in alignment with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s (GHG) Reporting Standards and considers scope 1 (direct emissions), scope 2 (emissions from purchased electricity) emissions, and operational scope 3 (indirect emissions) relating to commute, business travel, water usage, and waste. UK Government greenhouse gas conversion factors 2023 for COâ‚‚ equivalent (COâ‚‚e) were utilised to calculate emissions.
This report represents data covering the period of April 2023 - March 2024, with the net zero pathway calculated based on a goal year of 2050. The carbonreduction opportunities discussed have been identified as having the greatestpotential to reduce Hunter Operations Ltd. carbon emissions.
Reporting Standards
Emission calculations follow the methodology outlined in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Accounting and Reporting Standard. Under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, emission sources are divided into scopes:
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Scope 1: direct emissions released by the reporting organisation
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Scope 2: emissions from electricity purchases
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Scope 3: indirect emissions
Data Inclusion
Data has been collected for the 12-month period from April 2023 to March 2024. An operational control approach has been used to account for the following emission categories:
Decarbonisation
Existing Decarbonisation Measures:
Hunter Operations Ltd. has already taken the following measures to reduce their carbon footprint:
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LED Lighting.
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Waste separation including mixed dry recycling, paper and carboard.
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Staff commute largely active travel.
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Request sustainability information from suppliers.
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Have sustainable procurement criteria.
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Provides a range of eco-friendly products.
Data Analysis Assumptions:
To complete the carbon footprint calculation the following assumptions had to be made:​
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Water data unavailable. Based usage on annual working hours of full-time equivalent employees and average person usage rates (Energy Savings Trust).
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14.4% of waste attributed to landfill fate, the remaining 85.6% incineration.
Carbon Footprint
April 2023 - March 2024
Data
Data Collection:
Data collection is crucial to reporting and validating emission reductions.
Implementing data collection processes across a business will increase the accuracy
of the carbon footprint calculation, help identify trends and points of higher
emissions intensity, and plan reductions, as well as validate and track progress on the
pathway to net zero.
Carbon Emissions Intensity:
The carbon emissions intensity of a company represents the amount of greenhouse
gas emissions produced per unit of activity, often represented as kgCO2e/£. It is
calculated by dividing a company’s annual carbon footprint by their annual revenue.
This metric helps to simplify and communicate the carbon emissions intensity of the
business and can be utilised by other companies in the calculation of their scope 3
emissions. Hunter Operations Ltd. can calculate their carbon emissions intensity for
April 2023 to March 2024 using the footprint calculated in this report.
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Scope 3 Emissions:
There are 15 scope 3 emissions categories, this report included the calculation of 4
of them (highlighted in green): fuel and energy related activities, waste generated,
business travel, and employee commuting. The table below identifies additional
categories to include in a more detailed scope 3 assessment (highlighted in yellow).
As the business grows further scope 3 categories may become relevant to the carbon
footprint calculation.
Scope 3 Emissions Categories Description Recommended
Reduction Opportunities
Business Premises, a Fabric First Approach:
A fabric first approach considers the energy efficiency of a building and
improvements that can be made to reduce heat loss and energy use before new
heating systems or on-site renewable generation is installed. As a site visit was not
completed, personalised recommendations cannot be made, the below list covers
general improvements which may positively impact the energy efficiency of the
premises:
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Double glazed windows
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Secondary window glazing
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Additional ceiling insulation
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Interior and exterior wall insulation
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Draft proofing
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Pipe lagging
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Destratification fans
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Person in room (PIR) and daylight sensors
Electricity:
Electricity as an energy source should be prioritised over fossil fuels. Over time the
national grid can be decarbonised through the addition of renewable energy sources,
whereas fossil fuels cannot be decarbonised.
Choosing a 100% renewable electricity tariff contributes to investment in renewable
electricity generation and therefore the decarbonisation of the UK’s electricity grid.
As the grid decarbonises the quantity of COâ‚‚e produced per kWh of electricity
decreases, ultimately contributing to a reduction in Scope 2 emissions.
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Electric Transportation:
To reduce emissions relating to business travel consider replacing vehicles which run
on fossil fuels with electric vehicles (EVs). EVs are more efficient than conventional
vehicles which require the combustion of fuel to create movement and can offer an
even greater carbon savings if charging can be combined with on-site renewable
energy. Grid charged EVs will continue to decarbonise overtime in line with the
decarbonisation of the national grid.
EVs can also help to reduce emissions from business travel and commute in
employee-owned vehicles. EV salary sacrifice schemes can help enable employees to
move away from petrol cars by allowing the employee to pay for an electric car from
their monthly salary before tax deductions and other contributions are made.
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Business Travel Policy:
To reduce emissions related to business travel consider developing a travel policy
that prioritises lower carbon transport methods. This could include additional travel
time to allow for train travel over short-haul plane trips as illustrated in the below
graph, the emissions intensity of train travel is significantly lower than air travel.
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Select hotels that prioritise
sustainability and have green
credentials. If the hotel has
calculated their emissions intensity
this can be used in future footprint
calculations to show the impact of
such practices.
