Carbon Reduction Plan 2024

Supplier name: Microlink PC UK Limited

Publication date: 01 October 2024

Commitment to achieving Net Zero

Microlink PC (UK) Ltd is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050.

Baseline Emissions Footprint

Baseline emissions are a record of the greenhouse gases that have been produced in the past and were produced prior to the introduction of any strategies to reduce emissions.

Baseline emissions are the reference point against which emissions reduction can be measured.

Current Emissions Reporting

Note:

From 2023 onwards, we will be publishing graphs showing our annual emissions compared to our employee headcount and annual turnover.

This year, we have included emission from our Indian and Turkish branches, which explains the increase in Scope 3 emissions. These emissions include employee consumption and up and down-stream transportation and distribution emissions for both India and Turkiye.

Emissions reduction targets

In order to continue our progress to achieving Net Zero, we have adopted the following carbon reduction targets over the long term:

• Installation of solar panels on the roof of Microlink House, with batteries on hand to store excess energy generated.
• Installation of more energy efficient insulation throughout Microlink House, which will decrease the amount of heat energy lost, especially through the winter months.
• Continuing to encourage a hybrid work system, to reduce the emissions of those working from Microlink House.
• Due to the success of the above point, the upstairs section of Microlink House will now be “shut down” with only minimal heating to prevent frost damage. Those continuing to work from Microlink House will only be permitted to work downstairs.

We project that carbon emissions will continue to decrease in line with our Science-Based Near-Term Targets at a rate of 42% from 2022 to 117 tCO2e per year by 2030, or before.

Progress against these targets can be seen in the graphs below:

The above graph shows our projected emissions compared to our actual emissions between 2021 and 2050. The blue lines show projected emissions and the red lines show actual emissions. The x axis shows the years from 2021 to 2050 and the y axis shows our emissions from 0 to 400 tCO2e. The graph figures are as follows; 2021 as baseline, both projected and actual emissions at 334 tCO2e; 2022 – projected emissions at 322, actual emissions at 202.299; 2023 – projected emissions 156.963, actual emissions at 131.75; 2024 – projected emissions at 126.870, actual emissions at 123.296. Graph trends down for projected emissions to 0 by 2050 in line with our Net-Zero Target.

Emissions Compared to Annual Employee Headcount

The above graph shows our emissions compared to employee headcount every year; employee headcount along x axis and emissions in tCO2e on the y axis. Data points are as follows: 2021 – head count of 120 and emissions of 334; 2022 – headcount of 118 and emissions of 202; 2023 – headcount of 91 and emissions of 131; 2024 – headcount of 101 and emissions of 123.

Emissions Compared to Annual Turnover (£mil) per Year

The above graph shows our emissions compared to company turnover every year; annual turnover in £millions along x axis and emissions in tCO2e on the y axis. Data points are as follows: 2021 – turnover of £10.4million and emissions of 334; 2022 – turnover of £9.1million and emissions of 202; 2023 – turnover of £10.1million and emissions of 131; 2024 – turnover of £11.4million and emissions of 123.

Carbon Reduction Projects

Completed Carbon Reduction Initiatives

The following environmental management measures and projects are being implemented since the 2021 baseline.

1. Currently running a rolling 85% hybrid working environment with the following benefits:
   1. Less commuter miles – which in turn means:
      1. Less fossil fuel consumption
      2. Less wear on transport infrastructure

• Less vehicle wear and tear or need for renewed or replacement parts (tyres etc)

1. Secure systems mean no ability for remote workers to print either at home or from home to work – reducing paper wastage.
2. Less workers in the building means that section of Microlink House can be “turned off” to save energy and gas. These sections will no longer be working sections of the building and will have only minimal heating in the winter months to prevent frost.
3. (NB – Hybrid working does not reduce power consumption – in fact it increases it. Each Hybrid worker is probably heating and lighting a larger square foot working area than they would proportionately occupy in the Office. However, there is still believed to be a net saving, after commuting is factored in)

2. Interrogating Product Supply chain to produce a Sustainability Index on all Catalogue items (Customers need to be able to buy on sustainability not price, to meet their own sustainability targets) to reduce our upstream Scope 3 footprint. This index will be created through “scoring” companies on their emissions and how driven they are to reduce their emissions, amongst other factors.
3. Researching reduced and sustainable packaging for deliveries (Recycled cardboard boxing; cardboard, paper and/or wool protective packaging). In 2022, Microlink invested in a cardboard and paper shredder which we will use to create sustainable packaging materials, reducing plastic waste and resulting in all cardboard waste being dealt with in house.
4. Switching deliveries to a provider against their undertaking to secure electric only delivery vehicles by 2025. We are currently working with DPD using their electric vehicle delivery fleet.
5. Actively pursuing an SBTi Verified Net Zero Carbon target (using 2020 as a base year to look to maintain and improve on reductions already made). We submitted our SBT Near-Term targets in October 2024, aiming for completion of target by 2030.
6. Sharing our learnings with our suppliers to encourage increased sustainability practices from them (further reducing our downstream Scope 3 footprint). This is done through our annual supplier audit, and through sharing our own processes with the suppliers, specifically with the more complex carbon emissions calculations in Scope 3. We have already seen a handful of our suppliers begin to take some initiative with calculating their emissions, albeit at a very basic standard. This is helping progress our Product Sustainability Index (discussed in point 2 above).
7. Actively researching ISO14001 with the intention to implement the standard by the end of 2024. This will assist us in ensuring we maintain high standards when it comes to emissions reductions and will keep us updated on any changes in legislation and procedures.
8. Switching all bulbs in Microlink House and the attached warehouse to LED which will reduce our overall energy consumption. Further, we are installing motion sensors on lights to reduce energy wastage from lights being left on.
9. Researching the use of AirSource Heat Pumps within both Microlink House and the attached warehouse to reduce gas consumption in the colder months.

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 standard⁷ and uses the appropriate Government emission conversion factors for greenhouse gas company reporting⁸.

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 and the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard⁹.

This Carbon Reduction Plan has been reviewed and signed off by the board of directors (or equivalent management body).

Signed on behalf of the Supplier:

Michael R Moore

Legal Counsel – Authorised Signatory

Date: 01 October 2024

Sources:

7 – https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard

8 – https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-conversion-factors-for-company-reporting

9 – https://ghgprotocol.org/standards/scope-3-standard