Cabinet Office publishes Carbon Reduction Contract Schedule containing sustainability T&Cs for public contracts
The Cabinet Office has published a Carbon Reduction Contract Schedule to assist all central government departments, their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies with integrating sustainability goals into public procurement contracts. The Schedule has been accompanied by a new Procurement Policy Note (PPN 01/24).
The primary purpose of the Schedule is to reduce contract-level GHG emissions to support the UK government’s commitment to achieve net-zero by 2050. As such, it includes T&Cs that support decarbonisation goals, cover reporting of GHG emissions, set targets for suppliers or mandates them to develop reduction plans to actively monitor and mitigate GHG emissions during the contract's duration.
Part B of the Schedule includes sector specific paragraphs for technology, IT hardware asset management and cloud services:
|
Sector |
Paragraphs |
|
Technology |
1. The Supplier shall comply with the EU Data Centres Code of Conduct (the “Code of Conduct”). The Supplier shall ensure that any data centre used in delivering the Services is registered as a “Participant” under this Code of Conduct or provide evidence that the best practices therein have been adopted. |
|
IT hardware asset management |
1. The Supplier shall ensure that IT Assets procured for the delivery of the contract shall as a minimum comply with Government Buying Standards (“GBSs”) where those standards exist for the asset type concerned i.e. laptops, desktops, workstations, scanners and printers. |
|
Cloud Services |
1. When hosting the Services in the cloud, all data centres used either by the Supplier [or by its Sub-contractors] in provision of the Services, must be operated with due regard for energy and cooling efficiency and in accordance with the EU Data Centres Code of Conduct (the “Code”). |
The decision to include any of the T&Cs in contracts is at the discretion of the in-scope organisations. Before incorporating the Schedule or applying it to existing contracts through contract variation, it has been recommended that they evaluate their own understanding of carbon reduction initiatives, the supplier's maturity, the contract's value and estimated carbon emissions, and its criticality.
We recommend all techUK members involved in public contracts or interested in public procurement to familiarise themselves with the Schedule and its implications.
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Weronika Dorociak
Weronika Dorociak
Weronika joined techUK as a Programme Manager for Sustainability in October 2023.
Her role involves advocating for the tech sector in front of key policymakers and stakeholders. Weronika also leads the environmental and sustainability efforts within the Data Centres Group.
Prior to joining techUK, Weronika worked in public affairs and government relations in the legal sector, focusing on innovation and ESG within financial services. She also spent 2 years working as a Caseworker at Parliament. She holds a BA in Politics & International Relations from Queen Mary University of London.
Outside of work, Weronika can be found on a tennis court, at the gym, practicing yoga, or indulging in her love for Taylor Swift's music as a dedicated Swiftie.
- Email:
- [email protected]
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- https://www.linkedin.com/in/weronikaedorociak/
Craig Melson
Craig Melson
Craig is Associate Director for Climate, Environment and Sustainability and leads on our work in these areas ranging from climate change, ESG disclosures and due diligence, through to circular economy, business and human rights, conflict minerals and post-Brexit regulation.
Prior to joining techUK he worked in public affairs and policy has an avid interest in new and emerging technologies. Craig has a degree in Ancient History from King’s College London and spends his time watching Watford FC and holding out hope for Half Life 3.
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Lucas Banach
Lucas Banach
Lucas Banach is Programme Assistant at techUK, he works on a range of programmes including Data Centres; Climate, Environment & Sustainability; Market Access and Smart Infrastructure and Systems.
Before that Lucas who joined in 2008, held various roles in our organisation, which included his role as Office Executive, Groups and Concept Viability Administrator, and most recently he worked as Programme Executive for Public Sector. He has a postgraduate degree in International Relations from the Andrzej Frycz-Modrzewski Cracow University.
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Visit our Climate Action Hub to learn more or to register for regular updates.
By 2030, digital technology can cut global emissions by 15%. Cloud computing, 5G, AI and IoT have the potential to support dramatic reductions in carbon emissions in sectors such as transport, agriculture, and manufacturing. techUK is working to foster the right policy framework and leadership so we can all play our part. For more information on how techUK can support you, please visit our Climate Action Hub and click ‘contact us’.
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Contact the team
Weronika Dorociak
Weronika Dorociak
Weronika joined techUK as a Programme Manager for Sustainability in October 2023.
Her role involves advocating for the tech sector in front of key policymakers and stakeholders. Weronika also leads the environmental and sustainability efforts within the Data Centres Group.
Prior to joining techUK, Weronika worked in public affairs and government relations in the legal sector, focusing on innovation and ESG within financial services. She also spent 2 years working as a Caseworker at Parliament. She holds a BA in Politics & International Relations from Queen Mary University of London.
Outside of work, Weronika can be found on a tennis court, at the gym, practicing yoga, or indulging in her love for Taylor Swift's music as a dedicated Swiftie.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/weronikaedorociak/
Craig Melson
Craig Melson
Craig is Associate Director for Climate, Environment and Sustainability and leads on our work in these areas ranging from climate change, ESG disclosures and due diligence, through to circular economy, business and human rights, conflict minerals and post-Brexit regulation.
Prior to joining techUK he worked in public affairs and policy has an avid interest in new and emerging technologies. Craig has a degree in Ancient History from King’s College London and spends his time watching Watford FC and holding out hope for Half Life 3.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2172
- Twitter:
- @techUK,@techUK
- Website:
- www.techuk.org,www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://uk.linkedin.com/in/craig-melson-25479936,https://uk.linkedin.com/in/craig-melson-25479936
Lucas Banach
Lucas Banach
Lucas Banach is Programme Assistant at techUK, he works on a range of programmes including Data Centres; Climate, Environment & Sustainability; Market Access and Smart Infrastructure and Systems.
Before that Lucas who joined in 2008, held various roles in our organisation, which included his role as Office Executive, Groups and Concept Viability Administrator, and most recently he worked as Programme Executive for Public Sector. He has a postgraduate degree in International Relations from the Andrzej Frycz-Modrzewski Cracow University.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2006
- Twitter:
- @techUK
- Website:
- www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-banach-50139650
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