The road to net zero: an opportunity to lead

The NHS has formally adopted two targets, set as the earliest possible credible dates for the NHS to achieve net zero emissions:

• for the NHS Carbon Footprint (emissions under NHS direct control), net zero by 2040, with an ambition for an interim 80% reduction by 2028-2032, and;
• for the NHS Carbon Footprint Plus, (which includes the wider supply chain), net zero by 2045, with an ambition for an interim 80% reduction by 2036-2039.

The target dates adopted by the NHS present a more ambitious decarbonisation timetable than the UK government’s overall goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

With organisations like the NHS showing strong leadership to tackle the climate emergency, other public and social sector organisations are now following closely behind.

Research findings

In a forthcoming Mazars report, Demystifying ESG: a pathway to enhance social value in the public and social sector, we find that the sector has bold decarbonisation ambitions. 95% of the leaders surveyed agree that public and social sector organisations must play a leading role in tackling climate change.

Although their ambition to lead is evident, far fewer of the organisations surveyed have so far translated this ambition into a clear decarbonisation strategy. Just 41% of those surveyed say their organisation has committed to become carbon net zero. A further 25% say they have not yet committed to become net zero, but their organisation is considering it.

Our research finds a clear gap emerging between the intent to enhance environmental outcomes and the focus being placed on climate change within a broader set of social value goals. For example, when asked to rank social value outcomes in order of importance, just 10% of those surveyed ranked ‘green stewardship – improving environmental sustainability’ as their number one priority.

Unlocking the desire to lead

Mazars’ forthcoming report will highlight how public and social sector organisations can unlock this latent desire to lead. It will explore:

• How organisations can accelerate their decarbonisation ambitions, including the importance of goal setting and leadership strategy.
• The game-changing activities that public and social sector organisations can prioritise to address carbon emissions.
• The importance of data and reporting to track progress and demonstrate accountability against climate goals.

Read the report

Please click the button below to download a copy of the report.

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_{Demystifying ESG: a pathway to enhance social value in the public and social sector was released on 13 October 2021.  It is based on research among 60 senior leaders in the Public and Social Sector organisations, and will showcase a mix of research findings, industry perspectives, and Mazars' insights.}