Delivering Sustainability:
PAS 2060 Carbon Neutral Business
We are delighted to have achieved the PAS 2060 Certification, declaring us a Carbon Neutral business as of 2023.
The climate crisis is one of the greatest existential threats we face today. Human activity has given rise to extreme temperatures, intense floods, storms, forest fires, unsafe drinking water and poor air quality. These environmental changes threaten human life and natural ecosystems around the world. Scientists warn that the time for small adjustments to our carbon-emitting behaviours is running out. [1] Instead, a bold and drastic overhaul of our current energy systems is required to curb climate change and avoid exceeding the 1.5°C tipping point. [2] The urgency of the climate crisis has made transitioning to more sustainable practices and reducing emissions one of the main priorities of individuals and businesses alike.
As a medical device company, supplying into one of the largest healthcare services in the world (the NHS), we recognise our critical responsibility to support the Greener NHS campaign. The campaign began with the publication of the ‘Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service.‘ The report lays out the organisation’s ambition to become the world’s first net zero health service by 2045.[2]
It notes that the ‘drivers of climate change are also the drivers of ill health and inequality.'[4] Pollution and contaminated water, for example, are leading to a significant increase in conditions such as asthma and heart disease. The effects of these changes disproportionately affect people from disadvantaged communities.[5] This makes climate change a public health emergency that we all have a collective responsibility to address and tackle.
We pride ourselves in creating value through innovation by delivering high-performance and dependable patient solutions. Our values of innovation, quality and transparency have cultivated widespread clinical and patient confidence in our company and our products. Our commitment to innovation can now be seen in our development of climate smart solutions for wound care, procedure packs, urology and IV securements.
Achieving net zero not only depends on product development, but also on innovating and adapting our manufacturing processes and logistics. We have set up a taskforce to assess our business operations and our carbon footprint. These findings have led to the publication of our ambitious, yet realistic, carbon reduction plan that outlines the key areas we will be focusing on improving to secure a greener future.
As part of our decarbonisation strategy, we are working to:
- Ensure that all our packaging comes from FSC assured sources.
- Reduce plastic in our packaging.
- Use more sustainable materials in our products without compromising on quality.
- Improve forecasting to ensure that less than 5% of stock is sent for incineration.
- Implement a more carbon-friendly travel policy.
While we work on reducing our operational carbon emissions, we are committed to achieving and maintaining our carbon neutral status.
What is the PAS 2060 Certification?
Following the UK government’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, the British Standards Institution (BSI) published the PAS 2060 standard. PAS 2060 is an internationally recognised standard of carbon neutrality.
The PAS 2060 certification provides a pathway for companies to declare and verify their carbon neutral status. Once a company’s emissions are calculated and verified by an independent third-party auditor, it is allowed to purchase credits to offset any residual emissions. Aside from purchasing credits, the framework also supports a company’s long-term decarbonisation and net zero strategy.
What are the four basic principles of the PAS 2060 certification?
Measure
- Calculate a company’s baseline Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions using GHG protocols. These emissions need to be verified by an independent third party.
- Verifications are valid for one year. The following year, emissions need to be recalculated and reverified.
Reduce
- Produce a carbon reduction plan with a realistic timescale for achieving each goal.
- Demonstrate a reduction in carbon emissions for the following year’s evaluation.
Offset
- Ensure that a company’s residual emissions are offset by investing in carbon offset projects that comply with international standards (i.e., The United Nations).
Documentation
- Once the emissions are calculated and verified, both the findings and an explanatory statement must be made publicly available.
What carbon offset projects have we invested in?
As part of our PAS 2060 certification, we have invested in three carbon offset projects that have been validated and verified by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
- Ripple Africa fuel-efficient cookstove project in Malawi. The project provides safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional three-stone fire.
- A gas based combined power project in Hazira. The project develops renewable energy sources and employment opportunities in the region.
- Developing a composting facility in Okhla in Delhi. This project aims to increase soil productivity that has been impacted due to the use of chemical fertilisers.
References
- The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Tipping Elements: Big Risks in the Earth System, (https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/output/infodesk/tipping-elements/tipping-elements)
- Ibid
- The NHS. Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service, 2020.
- Ibid: 8
- Ibid: 8
Disclaimer:
Please note that while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the content presented, it is purely for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.