Net Zero
Strategy
Turn climate ambition into an operational plan that leadership can stand behind and teams can deliver. Measurable, aligned to standards, and built to withstand scrutiny.
Trusted by Leading Organisations
From Ambition to
Operational Plan
A credible Net Zero Strategy turns climate ambition into an operational plan that leadership can stand behind and teams can deliver.
Net Zero Group works with organisations to define clear targets, establish robust baselines, and identify the emissions sources that matter most. We then translate this into a practical pathway for reduction across Scopes 1, 2 and 3, ensuring your strategy is measurable, aligned to recognised standards, and built to withstand stakeholder scrutiny.
Clear Targets
Defined, measurable goals aligned to standards
Robust Baselines
Defensible foundations for target-setting
Phased Roadmap
Practical pathway with defined initiatives
Stakeholder Ready
Built to withstand scrutiny and challenge
What Is a Net Zero Strategy?
The operational plan that sits behind a climate pledge — turning a board-level commitment into measurable emissions reductions, governance and capital decisions that deliver genuine decarbonisation.
A net zero strategy is the defensible plan for how every tonne of CO₂e an organisation is responsible for will be measured, reduced, substituted or — for a small residual — neutralised. Declaring a target date is the easy part; the strategy is what makes the target credible to boards, investors, customers and regulators. Without it, a pledge is just a slogan.
A credible strategy rests on three foundations. The first is a robust baseline measured against the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard and ISO 14064-1, covering Scope 1 (direct combustion and fleet), Scope 2 (purchased electricity, heat and steam) and Scope 3 (the fifteen value-chain categories including purchased goods, business travel, employee commuting and use of sold products). The second is a set of science-based reduction targets that define the absolute percentage cut required by specific years in line with a 1.5°C pathway. The third is an emissions-reduction hierarchy that prioritises avoidance and efficiency first, electrification and fuel-switching next, and only then addresses the remaining residual through high-integrity carbon removals.
In the UK, net zero is no longer voluntary. The Climate Change Act 2008 (amended in 2019) commits the country to net zero by 2050, with an interim target of reducing emissions by 78% below 1990 levels by 2035 under the Sixth Carbon Budget. The NHS has set earlier targets of net zero for its directly controlled emissions by 2040 and net zero across its supplier chain by 2045 under the Greener NHS programme. Beyond statute, investors, customers and procurement teams now expect organisations to demonstrate a credible trajectory rather than a distant promise — and a properly structured net zero strategy is how that expectation is met.
Frameworks, Standards & UK Compliance
A defensible net zero strategy is built on the frameworks that investors, regulators, procurement evaluators and rating agencies already use to judge credibility — not a proprietary methodology invented in-house.
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
The SBTi is the most widely recognised global standard for corporate climate targets, requiring absolute near-term reductions — typically 42% by 2030 on a 1.5°C trajectory — and a validated long-term commitment to reach net zero no later than 2050. We prepare SBTi-aligned targets with the underlying data and decarbonisation modelling required for Corporate Net-Zero Standard submission, and support the validation process end to end where formal accreditation is sought.
UK Climate Change Act & Carbon Budgets
The Climate Change Act 2008, amended in 2019, legally binds the UK to net zero by 2050 and sets five-yearly carbon budgets — currently the Sixth Carbon Budget, targeting a 78% reduction by 2035 against 1990 levels. We map your organisation's pathway against these national budgets so your strategy is demonstrably aligned with the statutory trajectory, which matters increasingly for investor communications, ESG ratings and large-contract procurement.
Greener NHS & Public-Sector Targets
Organisations supplying the NHS, central government or local authorities are increasingly assessed against sector-specific net zero trajectories. The Greener NHS programme requires suppliers to publish a PPN 006 Carbon Reduction Plan and, from 2027, to have a net zero commitment aligned with the NHS targets of 2040 (direct) and 2045 (supply chain). We structure strategies that satisfy these public-sector requirements alongside commercial-sector frameworks.
GHG Protocol & ISO 14064
Every credible strategy is built on a baseline measured using the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard and, where required, verified to ISO 14064-1. These standards define the reporting boundaries, consolidation approach, activity-data requirements and emission-factor conventions that underpin an auditable carbon account. Our NetScope platform operationalises these standards so your baseline — and every subsequent reporting cycle — is consistent, defensible and aligned by default.
Ready to develop your Net Zero Strategy?
0161 457 0146 Grounded in
Real-World Delivery
Our approach prioritises interventions that achieve meaningful emissions cuts while reflecting your technical, operational, and commercial context.
Assess Current Footprint
Comprehensive analysis of your emissions across all scopes to establish a robust, defensible baseline.
Model Future Scenarios
Explore different pathways and their implications to identify the most effective route to net zero.
Prioritise Interventions
Identify and rank reduction opportunities based on impact, feasibility, and alignment with your context.
Deliver Phased Roadmap
A clear plan with defined initiatives, impact estimates, governance, and timelines for sustained progress.
MCC at Lord's
Cricket Ground
Net Zero Group was commissioned to develop a tailored Net Zero Strategy for MCC at Lord's Cricket Ground—one of the world's most iconic sporting venues.
The programme focused on building a credible baseline, identifying priority reduction opportunities across venue operations and value chain, and setting out a clear, deliverable roadmap to net zero. It demonstrates how a well-structured strategy can provide clarity, accountability, and a practical route from pledge to progress.
View the Lord's Net Zero StrategyLord's Cricket Ground
Home of Cricket
The Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050
A net zero strategy is only as useful as the roadmap it produces. We structure delivery into three phases — each with defined interventions, estimated emissions impact, capital requirement and governance checkpoints — so progress can be tracked, reported and course-corrected at board level every year.
Near-Term: Quick Wins & No-Regrets Actions
The first three years focus on interventions that reduce emissions now, with short payback periods and no technology risk: switching to REGO-backed renewable electricity, LED lighting upgrades, HVAC controls and plant optimisation, fleet transitions to EVs where duty cycles allow, and rigorous energy management across buildings. For most organisations, these actions deliver 20–40% Scope 1 and Scope 2 reductions while generating utility savings that help fund later capital works. We also use this phase to stabilise data collection across all fifteen Scope 3 categories, so mid-term targets can be set with confidence.
Mid-Term: Capital Decisions & Value-Chain Engagement
This phase tackles the harder emissions: replacing gas boilers with heat pumps or connecting to heat networks, installing on-site solar PV, specifying low-carbon materials in refurbishment and new-build projects, and engaging the top-20% of suppliers by spend and emissions to secure Scope 3 reductions. Mid-term success depends as much on procurement policy, contract clauses and supplier scorecards as it does on capital projects, which is why our carbon consulting team builds the governance frameworks, board reporting cadence and supplier-engagement playbooks alongside the technical roadmap.
Long-Term: Deep Decarbonisation & Residual Removals
The final phase addresses technology-dependent emissions — process heat in manufacturing, aviation and freight in complex supply chains, and sectoral emissions where low-carbon alternatives are still maturing. Strategies set out the technology pathways being tracked (green hydrogen, industrial electrification, sustainable aviation fuel, next-generation battery chemistry) and the decision points at which the strategy will be revisited. For the small residual that cannot be eliminated by 2050, the roadmap specifies a credible plan for high-integrity carbon removals — typically UK woodland creation, soil carbon and, later, engineered removals — rather than avoidance-based credits that no longer meet investor or regulator expectations.
What Your Strategy Delivers
A comprehensive strategy that supports confident decision-making and sustained progress year on year.
Defined Initiatives
Clear, actionable reduction initiatives prioritised by impact and feasibility.
Impact Estimates
Quantified emissions reduction potential for each intervention.
Governance Framework
Clear accountability structures and decision-making processes.
Phased Timelines
Realistic milestones and delivery schedules aligned to your operations.
Standards Alignment
Strategy aligned to recognised frameworks and best practice.
Stakeholder Presentation
Board-ready materials that communicate your commitment credibly.
Discuss Your Strategy
Speak with our strategists to explore how we can support your net zero journey.