Our Healthy NHS SBS strategy is built around three interconnected pillars: Healthy People, Healthy Planet, and Healthy Purpose. Together, these pillars ensure that sustainability and social value are delivered through measurable outcomes, while also being embedded into how we work, how we make decisions, and how we create long‑term value.
This report sets out our key initiatives under each pillar, aligning them to the area that best reflects their primary purpose and impact.
Healthy People focuses on supporting skills, wellbeing, and access to opportunity, helping our colleagues and the communities we serve to thrive.
Healthy Planet reflects our commitment to reducing environmental impact and supporting the transition to a low‑carbon and resource‑efficient future.
Healthy Purpose ensures that sustainability and social value are embedded into our governance, decision‑making, partnerships, and long‑term organisational strategy.
In 2025, NHS SBS colleagues contributed over 4,352 work hours of volunteering, supporting 73 charities and raising £14,730 for a wide range of causes. This total includes £10,622 raised through colleague fundraising, with an additional £4,108 matched by the company.
All colleagues are gifted three paid volunteer days each year, enabling them to support causes they are passionate about and make a meaningful difference in their local communities.
Our colleagues found our volunteering programme to be a highly positive experience, improving wellbeing and enabling them to make a tangible difference. Volunteering also supports engagement and retention by strengthening connections, with 87% said it helped build relationships and teamwork, while enabling colleagues to develop valuable skills such as communication, collaboration, and adaptability.
99%
of volunteers enjoyed their experience
38%
of volunteers reported learning a new skill
96%
of volunteers made a tangible impact, reinforcing the value of our programme
While we supported a wide range of causes this year, we also focused our efforts on six Charities of the Year chosen by our colleagues, providing more targeted fundraising and support.
- Cardiac Risk in the Young — £2,323
- BUST — £1,194
- Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association — £935
- Alzheimer’s Society — £735
- Yorkshire Brain Tumour Trust — £735
- Ashgate Hospice — £429
11 colleagues taking action to reduce litter in Salford
As part of our Earth Day activities, 11 colleagues took part in an hour litter pick at Salford Quays, collecting five bags of waste.
With local reporting highlighting litter as a persistent issue in parts of Salford, the activity directly supported efforts to improve the environment and public spaces in the community where our colleagues work.
“I loved volunteering with colleagues to clean Salford’s streets. We helped to reduce local pollution while supporting the community and boosting our wellbeing as we walked in the sunshine. Thanks for organising this and to everyone else for getting stuck in”
Carol Devine
Senior Communications Manager
NHS SBS
As part of our partnership with TeenTech, we welcomed pupils from Sale High School and Our Lady’s RC High School to our North West Hub in Salford. Together with partners Sopra Steria Ltd and Shared Services Connect Ltd, we delivered interactive workshops for 16 students.
Our session, led by Danielle Harrison from our Sustainability and Social Value team, focused on carbon emissions and how to embed sustainability across businesses.
The day provided hands‑on learning and aimed to inspire future changemakers, supporting TeenTech’s mission to help young people explore careers in science, technology, and engineering.
We participate in the NHS Procurement Graduate Scheme, offering rotations and CIPS Level 4 qualifications to develop future procurement leaders. We have supported six graduates to date, with four now in permanent roles and a further two joining the scheme in September 2026.
“Since joining the NHS SBS graduate programme in 2023, I’ve gained experience across transactional procurement, customer support, sourcing, and strategic procurement delivery. The programme developed my skills in end-to-end procurement, public procurement compliance, and stakeholder management, enabling me to progress into my current role as a Procurement Manager. I now lead strategic procurement projects on behalf of NHS customers, delivering savings, embedding value, and ensuring compliant, risk-mitigated outcomes that meet their needs. It’s been a rewarding journey, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone starting their career in procurement.”
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Theo Kemper Procurement Manager NHS SBS |
“I joined the NHS SBS graduate programme in 2023, building key procurement skills across multiple teams. This experience enabled me to develop a broad skillset, including commercial negotiation, supplier relationship management, and risk and contract management, which helped me secure a Category Manager role. In this role, I’ve led the launch of a major framework under the Procurement Act and now manage critical clinical services contracts. Alongside this, I’ve progressed through my CIPS qualification. The programme accelerated my development and enabled me to deliver real impact early in my career.”
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Will Mitten Category Manager NHS SBS |
Supporting and educating our colleagues on sustainability
Helping colleagues reduce heating costs and carbon emissions at home
We partnered with an organisation to support colleagues with home heating and energy use.
What colleagues gained
- Practical guidance on reducing energy costs
- Educational webinars
- Free 1:1 home energy-efficiency consultations
Key results
- 37 colleagues signed up in year one
- Increased awareness of energy-saving opportunities
Building sustainability knowledge through digital learning
We piloted a three-month online sustainability learning platform designed for flexible, bite-sized learning.
What colleagues gained
- Improved understanding of sustainability topics
- Greater confidence in applying knowledge
Key results
- 966 training units completed
- 52 hours of learning
- Strong participation throughout the trial
We are committed to being net zero by 2040, with our targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. This means by 2040, we will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 90%, compared to our 2019 baseline, with the remaining 10% offset.
To support this long-term commitment, we have also set two near-term targets to help drive progress across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
Our net zero strategy is outlined in our three-year Green Plan, which sets out the key actions we will take to deliver emissions reductions and build resilience to climate impacts through to the end of 2026.
Annual progress on emissions reduction initiatives is detailed in our Carbon Reduction Plan, translating these commitments into practical, measurable interventions across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
Our emissions are primarily driven by our supply chain (81%) and colleague working and travel patterns (18%). Achieving our net zero goals depends on influencing meaningful reductions across these areas.
We are focusing on reducing emissions in these key hotspots by:
- Educating suppliers through our Supplier Emissions Reduction Programme
- Educating colleagues through training and knowledge sharing
These initiatives are reflected throughout the Healthy People, Healthy Planet and Healthy Purpose sections.
* heating and cooling our offices, the electricity we purchase, and the waste we produce
4,841
tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted
15.7%
emissions reduction since 2019
83.6%
emissions increase since 2024
Near-term 2030 target
54% reduction compared to 2019
Long-term 2040 target
90% reduction compared to 2019
Scope 1 and 2 covers our emissions associated with heating and cooling our offices, and the electricity we purchase.
Since 2019, emissions reduction has largely been driven by the relocation of our Leeds, Salford and Southampton offices to more energy-efficient buildings.
Between 2024 and 2025, the emissions increased by 10 tCO2e due to a leaking air conditioning unit identified during a maintenance check. The issue was resolved immediately once discovered.
In 2026, we expect to see continued emissions reductions through our energy efficiency programme.
Near-term 2030 target
37.5% reduction compared to 2019
Long-term 2040 target
90% reduction compared to 2019
Scope 3 covers key emissions hotspots associated with the products and services we buy, the way our employees work and travel and the waste we generate.
Since 2019, we have worked to raise awareness of the carbon impacts associated with business travel, homeworking and commuting through educational webinars, workshops, competitions and training activities. As a result, we have achieved a 50% reduction in business travel emissions since 2019.
In 2025, we strengthened this approach by launching our first Sustainable Travel and Homeworking Practices Policy, providing clear guidance on low- and zero-carbon ways of working and travelling. The introduction of this policy contributed to a 2% reduction in related emissions between 2024 and 2025.
Between 2024 and 2025, reported scope 3 emissions increased by 2,194 tCO2e. This increase primarily reflects changes in estimation methodology rather than a real-world rise in emissions. The change was driven by updated emission factors used to estimate emissions for key suppliers where primary data was unavailable, resulting in a higher reported footprint. We are working closely with Sopra Steria UK and our auditors to refine our methodology and improve the accuracy and consistency of our scope 3 reporting in future years.
Key initiatives delivered in 2025
Reducing energy intensity by 12% year-on-year
We identified opportunities across the estate and strengthened ongoing energy monitoring to drive efficiency improvements.
Key results
- 12% reduction in energy intensity per full-time employee
- Improved visibility of energy performance across the estate
Achieving 0 market-based emissions from purchased electricity
All purchased electricity is backed by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificates.
Key results
- 100% renewable electricity purchased
- Zero tCO2e across scope 2 market-based emissions
Reducing IT waste while delivery social value
Through a partnership with DSA Connect, legacy IT equipment is managed responsibly, supporting reuse, recycling and skills development for people preparing to re-enter employment.
Key results
- 1,100 kg of redundant IT assets recycled
- 55% reused and 45% recycled
- Social value delivered through skills development programmes
Cutting business travel emissions by 50% through better decision-making
Business travel emissions are tracked quarterly alongside a shadow carbon cost, helping improve understanding of environmental and financial impacts.
Key results
- 50% reduction in business travel emissions vs. baseline
- Increased adoption of lower-carbon travel choices
- Integration of carbon data into decision making
Our sustainability and social value governance ensures clear accountability, oversight, and integration across NHS SBS.
Responsibility for delivery sits within business areas, supported by central expertise and reporting lines.
Strategic oversight ensures that sustainability and social value inform decision-making, investment and partnership activity.
This governance framework enables consistent delivery while supporting long-term organisational purpose and value.
Our partnership with Lighthouse Futures Trust supports young neurodivergent people to develop the skills and confidence to move into sustainable, paid employment.
In 2025 we supported our third cohort of interns in our Leeds office. We were proud to see 1 intern move into a further education opportunity and welcome another as a full-time member of staff at NHS SBS.
“The supported internship gave me experience in the workplace and the confidence to move forward in my career. The team were really welcoming and supportive and I’m really happy that I was able to secure a full-time position with them.”
Hayden Hollis
E-Invoicing Process Assistant
NHS SBS
In 2025, we reviewed and strengthened our Reporting Suspected Modern Slavery Standard Operating Procedure, clarifying roles and responsibilities for employees, suppliers, and stakeholders—from risk identification to confidential reporting.
As a result, trained employees successfully identified and escalated suspected cases of modern slavery, including incidents in Ghana involving illegal immigration. Although these cases were outside our direct supply chain, employees followed the correct procedures and worked with authorities to prioritise the safety of potential victims.
Key initiatives delivered in 2025
Reducing emissions through more sustainable travel and homeworking
We launched our first policy providing colleagues with clear guidance on zero- and low-carbon ways to travel and work. Key results
- 2% reduction in travel-related emissions between 2024 and 2025
- Increased adoption of lower-carbon travel and homeworking practices
Driving emissions reduction across our supply chain
We continued our supplier engagement programme to better understand emissions management maturity and identify opportunities to accelerate progress. Key results
- 19 suppliers engaged, covering 80% of total spend
- 42% of suppliers reporting emissions reduction targets in place
- Improved visibility of supply chain emissions maturity
Embedding sustainability into digital and AI decision-making
We strengthened sustainability governance by embedding it into the AI Governance Board and introducing a sustainability checklist for all new AI-related project submissions. Key results
- Environmental impacts considered from design through deployment
In 2026, we will continue to drive energy-saving initiatives across our offices, scale sustainability training to all colleagues through a new online learning platform and embed sustainability capability across our organisation and supply chain.
We will continue to be vigilant around modern slavery working to influence suppliers and strengthen our existing mitigations by focusing on our existing products and work.
We will also look to increase our impact supporting education establishments and preparing the next generation to join the workforce.
Explore our policies