Climate action and urban resilience

Global carbon emissions and net zero performance

This section details our carbon disclosure for the year 2022. Globally, we are tracking Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Our global goal is for our operations (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) across our global portfolio of workplaces to be net zero by 2040, with a 50% reduction by 2030. We’ve been recording data back to 2016 and have previously set 2019 as a baseline year. It is possible due to improvements in data collection we will calibrate our data and set 2022 as our new baseline year.

We have captured limited Scope 1 emissions data which is de minimis. We do not own any fleet vehicles.

Emissions scopes: explained

Scope 1

Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources (e.g. natural gas used to heat buildings, fuel for the organization’s fleet).

Scope 2

Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy.

Scope 3

All other indirect emissions that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions.

Our global net zero strategy

We have focused our attention on capturing data and putting in place better data collection processes and software to capture consumption data relating to our buildings. In scope is data for 110 locations across our global portfolio, we occupy all buildings under lease from building owners.

A summary of initiatives undertaken in 2022 to support our net zero strategy since launching our commitment a year ago, include:

  • Introduction of a sustainability data platform, Measurabl, in North America, which has improved data collection, quality and reporting.
  • Consolidating office space when moving locations to match occupancy requirements and through better utilization of space.
  • Developing a global occupancy standard to govern the building search and selection, design and fit out and ongoing operation of our workplaces.

In the near term, we plan to:

  • Onboard a new travel system with improved carbon emissions tracking and behavioural prompts to encourage low-carbon travel. This will enable tracking of our Scope 3 travel emissions globally.
  • Measure occupancy of our workplaces to understand utilization patterns and to improve energy efficiency e.g. adjusting heating and cooling demands where technology allows.
  • Understand and record renewable energy tariffs globally – directly procured and where the building owner procures it on behalf of tenants.
  • Introduce green clauses to improve data sharing from landlords.
  • Apply our occupancy standard to relocation and office moves or lease renewals.

Global carbon emissions categories year on year

GHG Emissions
Scope 1
Scope 2*
Scope 3 (U.K. only)
2019 TC02e Baseline
4.89
3,741.00
11,622.70
2020 TC02e
0.78
1,995.00
7,591.02
Change from previous year
-84.05%
-46.67%
-34.69%
2021 TC02e
0
4,461.80
9,434.54
Change from previous year
-100.00%
123.65%
24.29%
2022 TC02e
6.06
5,639.88
12,017.82
Change from previous year
100.00%
26.40%
27.38%

*Global electricity and purchased heat

Carbon intensity (tCO2e/m2) by region

Intensity
m2
Scope
tCO2e
tCO2e/m2
United Kingdom
13,663.31
1
6.06
0.00044
13,663.31
2
656.45
0.04804
Euro Zone
2,297.00
1
0.00
0.00000
2,297.00
2
72.17
0.03142
North America
118,544.90
1
0.00
0.00000
118,544.90
2
4,911.26
0.04143
Global
134,505.21
1
6.06
0.00005
134,505.21
2
5,639.88
0.04193

Comments

  • 2020 data is lower than 2019 as expected due to the global pandemic
  • 2021 saw an increase due to some return to office but also due improvement in data collection, specifically from North America
  • 2022 has again increased over all previous years due to the return to office and significantly improved data collection and analysis. Particularly due to the roll out of the North American data platform that is able to extrapolate and estimate data with greater reliability with access to wider building stock data.
  • It is yet to be finalised, however, 2022 is likely to be established as the baseline year for our global 2040 net zero aspirations. This will be constantly reviewed and amended as historical data is located and data analysis processes improve. All changes will be clearly detailed to ensure transparency and trust in our reporting.
  • Please refer to the Assumptions and estimations section of Appendix A to understand the data assumptions and estimations made in these calculations.

This article is part of our 2022 Impact Report

Download the full report