As a global Cyber Security and software resilience business, decarbonisation means we need to transition our energy consumption towards cleaner, renewable sources where we can, while optimising how we operate to reduce our overall carbon footprint.
Why this matters to NCC Group
While we are considered a low carbon business, the biggest impact occurs in our business travel, both for client and non-client related travel, and our leased office spaces. For this reason, this is the focus of our reporting.
Our progress
For the reporting period 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024 our total annual Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions were 1,686.8 tCO2e. This was an increase of 41% due to the increased data we are now able to collect.
Leased buildings
We continue to proactively review our leased office space requirements, considering client and colleague needs. For any new leases, considerations are given to collaboration, health, safety and security, personal wellbeing and the impact emissions have on the local environment. We also take into account commuting options for colleagues and the accessibility of reliable and safe public transport networks.
During 2024 we closed ten offices. While some will still require rent to be paid due to lease requirements, they are now closed from an emissions reporting perspective.
Our square footage of leased buildings in operations is now c.50,000 square feet, a 40% reduction of active office space. The benefits of GHG emission reductions will flow through in the next reporting period, although this is not guaranteed as new office spaces might be required depending on business needs.
Our office usage is reviewed monthly as part of the executive team operations review, which, alongside colleague feedback and engagement, and consideration of client needs, informs the real estate agency.
Travel
A new travel provider was appointed in 2024 to improve how we manage client and non-client related travel. This will provide us with improved emissions reporting, and importantly inform how we respond and support colleagues in response to any social or climate-related issues that might arise.
Our new Travel Policy and procedures, which launched in 2024, have provided improved management oversight of non-client related travel. The focus was on improving the health, safety and wellbeing of colleagues, while continuing to consciously consider our impact on the local communities in which we are located, and our broader commitment to reducing GHG emissions.
Domestic flights within the UK and European countries are by exception only, with rail travel the preferred option. As a result, any train journey more than three hours in duration in total is travelled by first-class to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of colleagues.
Our future and ambition
We will continue with our current focus, and look forward to identifying further opportunities and setting targets as part of creating our carbon reduction plan working in partnership with Positive Planet.
We are adding carbon literacy to our mandatory on-boarding and annual compliance training programme from this year. This will include collecting commuting data from every colleague to underpin our commitment to quality of measurement of data. We are exploring options on this training content with Positive Planet as part of our overall planning.
