Frequently Asked
Questions
Everything you need to know about carbon reporting, net zero strategy, and working with Net Zero Group.
Getting Started
Carbon reporting is the process of measuring and disclosing your organisation's greenhouse gas emissions. It's increasingly required for regulatory compliance (like SECR), winning public sector contracts (PPN 006), meeting supply chain requirements, and demonstrating environmental responsibility to stakeholders. Beyond compliance, it helps identify cost-saving opportunities and positions your business competitively.
Scope 1 covers direct emissions from sources you own or control (e.g., company vehicles, on-site fuel combustion). Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from purchased electricity, heat, or steam. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions in your value chain—from business travel and employee commuting to purchased goods and services. For most organisations, Scope 3 represents the largest portion of their carbon footprint.
A basic Scope 1 and 2 assessment can typically be completed within 2-4 weeks, depending on data availability. A comprehensive assessment including Scope 3 emissions usually takes 4-8 weeks. Our platform, NetScope, streamlines data collection and calculation, significantly reducing the time and effort required compared to manual approaches.
No. NetScope is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. Our platform guides you through the data collection process, automatically applies the correct emission factors, and generates compliant reports. Our team also provides onboarding support and ongoing assistance whenever you need it.
Compliance & Regulations
Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) is a UK regulation requiring large companies to report their energy use and carbon emissions in their annual reports. It applies to quoted companies, large unquoted companies, and LLPs that meet two of these criteria: £36m+ turnover, £18m+ balance sheet, or 250+ employees. We help businesses determine their obligations and produce compliant reports.
A Carbon Reduction Plan is a document detailing your organisation's carbon footprint and commitment to achieving net zero by 2050. PPN 006 (previously PPN 06/21) requires suppliers bidding for UK government contracts over £5 million to have a published CRP. We help organisations create compliant CRPs that meet the government's requirements and demonstrate credible reduction commitments.
We support NHS suppliers with the Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment and help organisations meet the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap requirements. This includes carbon footprint measurement, reduction planning, and the reporting needed to maintain or win NHS contracts as sustainability requirements tighten.
Most compliance frameworks require annual reporting. SECR reports are included in your annual accounts, and Carbon Reduction Plans should be updated annually to reflect progress. We recommend quarterly internal reviews to track performance against targets and identify emerging issues early.
Net Zero Strategy
Carbon neutral typically means balancing emissions with offsets, without necessarily reducing actual emissions. Net zero requires deep emissions reductions (usually 90%+) across all scopes, with offsets used only for genuinely unavoidable residual emissions. Net zero represents a more ambitious and credible long-term commitment to addressing climate change.
We follow a structured approach: first, we establish a robust emissions baseline across all relevant scopes. Then we model future scenarios to identify the most effective reduction pathways. We set science-aligned targets, define specific initiatives with timelines and ownership, and create monitoring frameworks. The result is a practical, defensible roadmap from pledge to progress.
We recommend targets aligned with climate science—typically 1.5°C pathways. This usually means reducing absolute emissions by around 4.2% per year for Scopes 1 and 2, and engaging with Scope 3 reduction opportunities. We help you set targets that are ambitious enough to be credible but realistic enough to be achievable, based on your specific circumstances.
Carbon Offsetting
Offsets should be used for residual emissions that cannot yet be eliminated through reduction efforts. A credible approach prioritises reduction first, then uses high-quality offsets for what remains. Using offsets without a genuine reduction strategy is often criticised as greenwashing. We help you develop a balanced approach that demonstrates real commitment to emissions reduction.
We only source credits from projects verified by leading standards such as Gold Standard and Verra VCS. We assess projects for additionality (ensuring they wouldn't happen without carbon finance), permanence, and robust monitoring. All credits are retired in your organisation's name with full documentation and transparency.
We provide access to a diverse portfolio including renewable energy, forestry and reforestation, clean cookstoves, and community-based projects. We help you select projects that align with your values and can tell a compelling story to stakeholders—whether that's local UK woodland creation or international development projects with social co-benefits.
Working With Us
We work with organisations of all sizes—from ambitious SMEs to multinational corporations. Our NetScope platform offers flexible licensing to suit different needs and budgets, and our consulting services scale to match your requirements. Whether you need basic compliance reporting or a comprehensive enterprise solution, we can help.
NetScope is offered on an annual licence basis, with pricing based on your organisation's size and complexity. Consulting services are typically scoped and quoted per project. We're transparent about costs and happy to discuss options that fit your budget. Contact us for a tailored quote.
Yes. All NetScope licences include access to our support team and regular platform updates. We also offer ongoing consulting retainers for organisations that want regular expert input, whether for annual reporting cycles, strategy reviews, or ad-hoc guidance. Many clients view us as an extension of their team.
Absolutely. We know that gathering Scope 3 supply chain data can be one of the trickiest parts of carbon reporting. That's why NetScope includes a dedicated supplier questionnaire feature—allowing you to send tailored requests directly to your suppliers and collect their emissions data straight into your account. It simplifies the process, improves data quality, and keeps everything in one place.