Nottingham Trent University launches pioneering Net Zero Carbon Supplier Tool to HE sector

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has developed a pioneering tool to enable higher education institutions to meet Net Zero Carbon targets.

Developed in-house and in collaboration with NETpositive Futures, the Net Zero Carbon Supplier Tool not only provides an institution with more accurate supply chain (scope 3) carbon emissions data but also proactively targets and influences its suppliers to reduce their own carbon emissions.

Following a successful pilot with NTU’s own suppliers, the Tool has been rolled out to five universities ahead of the official launch in September; University of Birmingham, University of Manchester,

University of Lancaster, University of Bath and Anglia Ruskin University.

The Tool was developed in response to two issues:

The need to better calculate supply chain emissions as existing methodology didn’t reflect sustainable decisions put in place, or a growing institution

• The need to influence and educate suppliers to reduce their own carbon emissions in a way that captured the volume of suppliers as well as the size (the majority being SMEs)

The resulting Net Zero Carbon Supplier Tool addresses the first issue by producing more accurate carbon emissions data.

In addition, suppliers are provided with an estimated carbon footprint and a bespoke carbon reduction plan free of charge. Where businesses supply multiple universities, their profile will be shared with those institutions. Therefore, the Tool not only helps HE institutions reduce their carbon emissions but helps their suppliers in turn to work towards meeting the UK’s target to reduce carbon emissions by half by 2030. For institutions looking to find out more about the Net Zero Carbon Supplier Tool they can register to attend the official launch Webinar on 20 September. https://www.eauc.org.uk/shop/ mms_single_event.php?event_id=8468