Freshwater Strategy Ltd

Publication Date: August 2025

Commitment to Achieving Net Zero

Freshwater Strategy Ltd is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050 for its UK operations. As a professional services organisation operating in market research and strategic consultancy, we recognise that our activities — while lower in absolute emissions than many sectors — carry a responsibility to measure, manage, and reduce our environmental impact.

This Carbon Reduction Plan has been prepared in accordance with PPN 06/21 and the associated Technical Standard and Guidance. It sets out our current emissions baseline, reduction targets, and the environmental management measures we have in place and will apply during the performance of any government contracts.

Baseline Emissions Footprint

Freshwater Strategy Ltd commenced trading in 2022. As this represents our first formal carbon footprint assessment, the 2023/24 financial year has been used as our baseline reporting period.

Baseline Year: 2023/24

As a small professional services firm with a physical office and primarily knowledge-based output, our emissions are concentrated in Scope 2 (purchased electricity) and Scope 3 (business travel and supply chain). We have no company vehicle fleet and no manufacturing or industrial processes.

BASELINE EMISSIONS	TOTAL (tCO2e)
Scope 1 — Direct emissions (e.g. gas heating)	0.8
Scope 2 — Indirect emissions (purchased electricity)	1.2
Scope 3 — Value chain emissions (business travel, homeworking, procurement)	3.5
Total Emissions	5.5

Note: Figures represent estimated tCO2e based on available data for the 2023/24 reporting year. Scope 1 covers natural gas used for office heating. Scope 2 covers office electricity consumption. Scope 3 includes employee business travel (rail and air), home working energy use, and purchased goods and services. Figures will be refined as formal measurement processes are embedded.

Current Emissions Reporting

Reporting Year: 2024/25

CURRENT EMISSIONS	TOTAL (tCO2e)
Scope 1 — Direct emissions	0.7
Scope 2 — Indirect emissions (purchased electricity)	1.1
Scope 3 — Value chain emissions	3.2
Total Emissions	5.0

Freshwater Strategy has achieved a modest reduction in emissions year-on-year, primarily through a reduction in business travel and increased use of virtual collaboration tools for client engagement and fieldwork management.

Emissions Reduction Targets

In order to continue our progress towards achieving Net Zero, Freshwater Strategy has adopted the following carbon reduction targets:

 

• • Reduce total emissions by 10% against baseline by 2027

• • Reduce total emissions by 30% against baseline by 2030

• • Achieve Net Zero for UK operations by 2050, with an interim target of 70% reduction by 2040

We project that total emissions will decrease from the 2023/24 baseline of 5.5 tCO2e to approximately 3.9 tCO2e by 2030, representing a reduction of approximately 30%.

Carbon Reduction Projects

Completed and In-Place Initiatives

The following environmental management measures have been implemented since the 2023/24 baseline and will be in effect when performing government contracts:

• • Remote and hybrid working policy — staff are encouraged to work from home where practical, reducing commuting emissions and office energy consumption

• • Virtual-first client engagement — video conferencing tools are used as default for client meetings, project updates, and internal collaboration, materially reducing business travel

• • Rail preference policy — where travel is required, employees are directed to use rail over air travel for all journeys under four hours

• • Energy-efficient office equipment — laptops and monitors are selected on energy efficiency grounds; equipment is powered down outside working hours

• • Paperless operations — all project delivery, reporting, and client communication is conducted digitally; physical printing is minimised

• • Supplier awareness — we give preference to suppliers and subcontractors who can demonstrate environmental awareness and responsible practices

Planned Future Measures

Freshwater Strategy intends to implement the following additional measures over the coming years:

• • Formal annual carbon footprint measurement using recognised methodology (e.g. GHG Protocol) to improve data accuracy and track progress against targets

• • Assessment of office energy tariff and transition to a verified renewable electricity tariff

• • Introduction of a staff travel log to capture and report Scope 3 business travel emissions with greater precision

• • Review of supply chain emissions with key suppliers and introduction of environmental criteria into procurement decisions

• • Exploration of carbon offsetting for residual emissions that cannot be eliminated, using verified offset schemes

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 GHG Reporting Protocol corporate standard, using the appropriate Government emission conversion factors for greenhouse gas company reporting.

Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have been reported in accordance with SECR requirements, and the required subset of Scope 3 emissions have been reported in accordance with the published reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans.

This Carbon Reduction Plan has been reviewed and signed off by the director of Freshwater Strategy Ltd.