A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gases caused directly or indirectly by your business activities, from office electricity to delivery van fuel, supplier emissions to waste disposal. All emissions are measured in CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent).
Scope 1 (Direct Emissions): Company vehicles burning fuel, gas boilers in your buildings, manufacturing processes you control.
Scope 2 (Indirect Energy): Electricity you buy for offices, heating from district systems, cooling systems using purchased energy.
Scope 3 (Everything Else): Supplier emissions from goods you buy, inbound and outbound distribution, employee travel and commuting, waste disposal. Most businesses find Scope 3 makes up 70-90% of their total footprint.
UK public procurement now requires carbon reduction plans for contracts over £5 million (PPN 06/21). SECR regulations mandate reporting for large companies. Net zero roadmaps are becoming standard. Beyond compliance, measuring your footprint reveals operational inefficiencies, many businesses save 10-20% on operating costs through better carbon management.
The process involves: gathering 12 months of energy bills, fuel records, and travel data; applying DEFRA emission factors to convert activity data into CO₂e; calculating totals by scope following the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard; and producing a detailed report with emission breakdowns and intensity metrics.
A carbon footprint is the measurement. A Carbon Reduction Plan (required under PPN 06/21) goes further, it includes your baseline emissions, a Net Zero 2050 commitment, and specific reduction measures. You need a carbon footprint before you can create a reduction plan.
The total greenhouse gases a business produces from energy, transport, and supply chain activities, measured in CO₂e.
By collecting 12 months of energy, fuel, and travel data, applying DEFRA emission factors, and calculating totals across Scope 1, 2, and 3 following the GHG Protocol.
Scope 1: direct emissions from vehicles and facilities. Scope 2: purchased electricity. Scope 3: supply chain, travel, waste, typically 70-90% of total footprint.
Indicative pricing (UK SMEs, +VAT, one-off): The Carbon Stamp's Carbon Impact Report (Scope 1, 2 and material Scope 3 baseline) ranges from £895+VAT for businesses with 1–2 employees to £3,995+VAT for 151–250 employees. The Procurement-Ready Package, a PPN 006-compliant Carbon Reduction Plan delivered alongside the same Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon footprint, ranges from £1,095+VAT for 1–2 employees to £4,195+VAT for 151–250 employees. Verified Gold Standard or Verra VCS offset credits are sourced at approximately £7/tCO₂e+VAT for ISO 14068 carbon neutrality. Live pricing is published at https://thecarbonstamp.com/pricing.