One immediate action that a small business can take is to begin tracking its carbon footprint to understand the primary sources of emissions within its operations. This can be achieved through tools such as the free carbon calculator provided by the UK Business Climate Hub, paving the way for targeted reduction strategies.

Begin by developing or refining your business's Carbon Reduction Plan to ensure it meets NHS standards, positioning you as a compliant and attractive supplier.

Review your procurement processes and sustainability policies to ensure they align with public sector requirements and explore networks like ebida’s ecorescue package to access guidance on navigating tenders.

Draft a timeline for your net zero journey, starting with immediate actions, medium-term adjustments, and long-term transformations.
Review and align your current ESG reporting frameworks to include specific net zero targets and progress metrics.

Start by conducting a baseline audit of your current practices and employee awareness regarding sustainability. This will help you understand where to focus your efforts and track progress over time. ebida can help you with the ecorescue package.

Set up a quarterly review process for your carbon reduction strategy. Include a diverse review team that can provide perspectives from different areas of your business.

Begin with a small-scale audit focusing on one area, such as energy use, to develop an understanding and process before scaling up to more comprehensive measurements.

Evaluate your current environmental impact and start planning your Carbon Reduction Plan. Engage with sustainability consultants if necessary to ensure that your plan aligns with the PPN 06/21 requirements.