Our Green Plan
As well as supporting the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) on its journey to carbon net zero, it is also a strategic priority for us as a company to tackle the climate emergency.
NTW Solutions was established by CNTW in 2017 and we are here to support better care. We provide a range of support services to CNTW and other partners, including the skills and expertise of our Sustainability Team.
Our Group Green Plan has been mapped and managed by our Sustainability team, and it sets out what we’ll do over the next three years to reduce our carbon emissions and provide more sustainable care.
By taking a more environmentally friendly approach to buying equipment, wasting less food and medicines, making our buildings more energy-efficient, and travelling smarter, we can save significant amounts of money while also cutting pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
We’re doing many of the things you might do in your own home to save energy and money – although on a much larger scale – like adding more insulation, switching to efficient LED lights, and installing air-source heat pumps.
A lot of this work, particularly upgrades to buildings and infrastructure, needs investment up-front to deliver longer-term savings. We have successfully applied for several national grant schemes, bringing in millions of pounds of funding to enable some of this work to happen, but there is still a long way to go.
There is lots to be hopeful about. We’ve already made a lot of progress – since our baseline year 2019/20, Carbon Footprint emissions have reduced by around 22%. And we all have an important part to play in delivering high-quality, sustainable healthcare.
As a Company we have committed to:
- Reduce our carbon emissions
- Raise awareness among our staff of the impact of climate change
- Make the most of our green spaces
- Minimise waste and efficiency
- Consider the environmental impact of any decisions we make
As part of our the delivery of our Green Plan here are some of the changes we have made so far:-
- Successfully secured nearly £5 million in funding to upgrade heating systems at St Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth
- Won grants to upgrade LED lighting and install now solar panels at different sites
- Visited all main hospital sites and hosted engagement forums focused on sustainability, working with over 200 members of staff on the introduction of the green plan.
- Planted 50,000 spring and summer flowering bulbs and 635 m2 of wildflower seeds designed to attract at Carlton Clinic to boost pollinator habitats and improve the aesthetic quality of the grounds.
- Installed Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) loggers on all water supplies, providing more granular data on water consumption and enable prompt responses to increase water use/leaks.
- Piloting the use of full electric and plug-in hybrid vans in the Estates Team.
- Offering a home EV charge point as part of the lease car scheme to encourage the switch to low carbon vehicles.
- Installing additional EV charge points at our sites.
- Swapping plastic straws, cutlery and coffee cups in cafes for eco-friendly alternatives.
- Promoting “bring your own container” for takeout food and hot drinks in cafes.
- Rolling out a mixed recycling scheme to community sites as well as main hospital sites.
- Managing the Warpit surplus equipment reuse system which has saved over £250,000 in 4 years.
- Purchased 100% green electricity.
- Retro-fitting low carbon heat pumps at Monkwearmouth Hospital as part of heating system upgrade.
- Planting 1,000 trees in April 2021 as part of the NHS Forest project.
Latest News
Cutting Carbon and Costs
From Steam to Clean
Wildflower Meadow for Carleton Clinic
Innovative Pharmacy Project Reduces Waste and Supports Green Plan
Read More of our Green Plan Stories Below
Our Carbon Reduction Plan
Supplier name: NTW Solutions Ltd
Publication date: June 2026
Commitment to achieving Net Zero
NTW Solutions Ltd is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions in line with the national NHS net zero targets, as set out in Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service.
For the emissions we control directly (our Carbon Footprint), our commitment remains to achieve net zero by 2040, with an ambition to reach a 47% reduction by 2028 to 2032, compared to emissions in the 2019/20 baseline year. For the emissions we can influence (our Carbon Footprint Plus), our target is to achieve net zero by 2045, with an ambition to reach an 73% reduction by 2036 to 2039, compared to emissions in the 2019/20 baseline year.
Baseline Emmissions Footprint
Baseline emissions are a record of the greenhouse gases that have been produced in the past and were produced prior to the introduction of any strategies to reduce emissions. Baseline emissions are the reference point against which emissions reduction can be measured.
Baseline Year: 2019/20 | |
Additional Details relating to the Baseline Emissions calculations. | |
1st April 2019 to 31st March 2020 is our baseline year. This includes data for scope 1 emissions from energy (293 tCO2) and travel (16 tCO2e) sources, and scope 2 emission from energy (132 tCO2e). Ongoing progress to develop data collection processes to monitor our scope 3 emission sources is being undertaken and will be reported in annual updates of this plan as data sets become available, adjusting our baseline (where possible) to enable a meaningful comparison between the reporting year and the baseline. For the baseline year, scope 3 data is only currently available for waste (1.2 tCO2e) and grey fleet travel emissions (16.6 tCO2e). | |
Baseline year emissions: | |
Emissions | Total (tCO2e) |
Scope 1 | 309 |
Scope 2 | 132 |
Scope 3 (Included Sources) | 18 |
Total Emissions | 459 |
Ongoing work continues to improve Scope 3 data completeness, with future plans to enhance reporting as data quality improves.
Quantification and Reporting Methodology
We have followed the 2019 UK Government Environmental Reporting Guidelines and have used 2025 UK Government’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Conversion Factors.
The following activities were considered in the calculation of the Company’s total energy consumption:
- Gas consumption
- Oil consumption
- Purchased electricity consumption
- Fuel used in Company vehicles on business use
- Fuel used in fleet vehicles which you operate on business use
- Fuel used in personal/hire cars on business use
Energy methodology – all fuel in the form of natural gas used for combustion in the operation of facilities is supplied on a pass-through basis to the parent organisation. Energy use attributable to NTW Solutions has been estimated based on space occupied by the company as a proportion of the larger CNTW estate. Purchased electricity is also supplied on a pass-through basis to the parent organisation and electricity attributable to NTW Solutions has also been estimated based on relative space occupied.
NTW Solutions has a contract to provide operated healthcare facilities to the NHS and the provision of energy is included within this supply. The energy costs are managed as a pass-through cost as part of the contract. The direct energy costs for NTW Solutions to provide its services are included in the contract also as a direct overhead cost relating to the provision of on-site services, for example on site estates management and maintenance costs or cafes for the provision of meals to patients and staff.
Transport methodology – fuel used in Company vehicles was compiled from fuel card records in the form of miles travelled which was then converted to tonnes CO2e. Fuel used in leased fleet vehicles and in personal vehicles on business use was compiled from business mileage claim records in the form of miles claimed. This was then converted to tonnes CO2e.
The Company’s chosen intensity ratio is tonnes CO2e per whole time equivalent (WTE) staff. Staff numbers for 2025/26 were 669 WTE.
Organisational Boundry
We have used the financial control approach. NTW Solutions Limited has a contractual agreement with the parent organisation the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust to provide a utilities management service for the Trust.
Current Emmissions Reporting
Reporting Year: 2025/26 | |
Additional Details relating to the Reporting Year Emissions calculations. | |
1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026 is our current reporting year. This includes data for scope 1 emissions from energy and travel sources, and scope 2 emission from energy. Ongoing progress to develop data collection processes to monitor our scope 3 emission sources is being undertaken and will be reported in annual updates of this plan as data sets become available. | |
Emissions | Total (tCO2e) |
Scope 1 | 337 |
Scope 2 | 87 |
Scope 3 (Included Sources) | 109 |
Total Emissions | 523 |
Operational Scopes
We have calculated our Scope 1 and 2 emissions for the current reporting year. We have included our waste generated in operations and employee commuting in scope 3.
NTW Solutions supports the NHS England Net Zero agenda and the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap through the implementation of its Carbon Reduction Plan, Sustainability Strategy and Green Plan commitments. The organisation is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its operations, supporting sustainable procurement, improving resource efficiency, and embedding low-carbon practices across services. Progress is monitored through established governance arrangements and annual reporting, ensuring continued alignment with NHS England’s ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 for directly controlled emissions and 2045 for wider supply chain emissions.
NTW Solutions Carbon Reduction Plan: Summary of Data
Scope 1 | ||||
| Emissions from activities for which the company is responsible including combustion of fuel & operation of facilities (Scope 1) / tCO2e | ||||
| Previous reporting year 2024/2025 | Current reporting year 2025/2026 | |||
| Measured units | tonnes CO2e | Measured units | tonnes CO2e | |
| Gas consumption (kWh) | 1,159,091 | 212 | 1,181,396 | 216 |
| Oil consumption (kWh) | 10,629 | 1 | 24,449 | 1 |
| Fuel used in company vehicles on business use calculated from distance travelled (miles) | 439,749 | 113 | 359,293 | 93 |
| Fuel used in leased fleet vehicles on business use calculated from distance travelled (miles) | 82,169 | 3 | 70,278 | 3 |
| Fuel used in personal/hire cars on business use calculated from distance travelled (miles) | 97,449 | 24 | 98,416 | 24 |
| Total Scope 1 | 353 | 337 | ||
Scope 2 | ||||
| Emissions from purchase of electricity, heat, steam, and cooling purchased for own use (Scope 2) / tCO2e | ||||
| Previous reporting year 2024/2025 | Current reporting year 2025/2026 | |||
| Measured units | Tonnes CO2e | Measured units | Tonnes CO2e | |
| Purchased electricity (kWh) | 474,008 | 98 | 492,687 | 87 |
| Total Scope 2 | 98 | 87 | ||
| Total Scope 1 and 2 | 451 | 424 | ||
| Intensity measurement | Tonnes CO2e/WTE | Tonnes CO2e/WTE | ||
| Company’s chosen intensity measurement Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in tonnes CO2e per WTE staff | 0.677 (669 WTE) | 0.633 (669 WTE) | ||
Scope 3
Scope 3 Emissions | Previous reporting year 2024/25 | Current reporting year 2025/26 | ||
Measured units | Tonnes CO2e | Measured units | Tonnes CO2e | |
Waste generated in operations | 25 tonnes | 0.1 | 39 tonnes | 0.2 |
Employee Commuting | Portion of CNTW total | 109 | Portion of CNTW total | 109 |
Total | 109.13 | 109.21 | ||
NTW Solutions Ltd is undertaking further work to developing monitoring capacity and targets specifically attributable to our company boundary in addition to the above and will disclose these in future Carbon Reduction Plans.
Emissions reduction targets
As a wholly owned subsidiary of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, our company emissions reductions targets align with national net zero carbon targets and the interim targets committed to in the joint CNTW/NTWS Green Plan.
Progress against our Carbon Footprint targets is shown on the graph and table below (combined data for NTWS and CNTW). Since the baseline year 2019/20, Carbon Footprint emissions have reduced by over 2200 tCO2e (22%).
Scope 1
For company vehicles mileage has reduced in 2025/26 compared to the previous reporting year, reflecting a decrease in operational travel. As a result, associated carbon emissions have also decreased. The continued transition towards lower emission and electric vehicles is supporting this reduction and will contribute to further improvements over time. This shows our strategy here is working and helping to reduce our footprint.
For leased fleet vehicles both mileage and carbon emissions have remained broadly stable compared to the previous year. This indicates consistency in vehicle usage and fleet composition. The ongoing replacement of vehicles with more environmentally friendly options remains a priority and is expected to deliver further carbon reductions in future reporting periods.
For personal and hire cars mileage has remained broadly consistent, with carbon emissions unchanged compared to the previous year. This suggests that travel demand in this area has stabilised, with no significant change in vehicle efficiency or usage patterns. Data quality continues to improve, providing greater confidence in reported figures.
Gas consumption has increased slightly in 2025/26 compared to the previous reporting year, resulting in a small increase in associated carbon emissions. This may reflect seasonal variation, estate changes, or fluctuations in building usage. The best available data has been used at the time of reporting, including some estimated consumption based on supplier invoices.
Oil consumption also increased compared to the previous reporting year, although overall usage remains low. This reflects limited reliance on oil-based systems across the estate
Scope 2
Carbon emissions from purchased electricity are calculated by applying the UK Government’s annual greenhouse gas conversion factors to total electricity consumption. These factors vary year on year depending on the national grid fuel mix and the level of imported electricity.
In 2025/26, electricity consumption has increased slightly compared to the previous reporting year; however, associated carbon emissions have decreased. This reflects a reduction in the carbon intensity of grid electricity. The carbon intensity of grid electricity continues to fluctuate annually, and reported emissions reflect the most up to date conversion factors available at the time of reporting.
Scope 3
An operational waste dataset has been used to apportion waste by stream using the same NTW Solutions occupancy ratio. This provides an indicative breakdown of NTW Solutions associated waste across actual service waste streams, complementing the ERIC reporting categorisation. All waste data was provided by our Waste contractor.
Employee commuting emissions for NTW Solutions have been apportioned using a workforce headcount methodology and employee travel data obtained through the Mobilityways staff commuting survey. NTW Solutions employed 856 staff compared with a total CNTW workforce of 7,727, representing 11.08% of the total workforce. As a result, 11.08% of CNTW employee commuting emissions have been attributed to NTW Solutions for reporting purposes. This approach provides a proportionate and consistent method for allocating commuting emissions where organisation-specific commuting data is not available. This figure is from 2025 to 2026 as we are currently in the process of re-evaluating our employee commuting footprint.
Carbon reduction targets
Completed Carbon Reduction Initiatives (at March 2026)
The following environmental management measures and sustainability improvement projects have been implemented since the 2019/20 baseline and remained in place during 2025/26.
Buildings and Infrastructure
- £240,000 of capital funding was allocated specifically to sustainability projects, primarily focused on energy efficiency improvements.
- Loft insulation upgrades were completed across multiple buildings at St Nicholas Hospital.
- LED lighting upgrades and Building Management System (BMS) heating control improvements were delivered across several sites.
- Concept design work to remove steam infrastructure at St Nicholas Hospital was commissioned, supporting submission of a £4.85m application to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (Phase 4).
- £820k of funding was secured through the NHS Energy Efficiency Fund, enabling large-scale LED upgrades at Walkergate Park and Carleton Clinic, BMS improvements across Cumbria sites, and additional building-level sub-metering.
- Continued use of Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) technology has supported improved monitoring of water usage, enabling earlier identification of leaks and reducing unnecessary consumption.
Efforts to secure further capital funding for estate decarbonisation continue, with additional solar installation proposals developed, although not all bids were successful.
Waste and Resources
- A renewed waste contract has been implemented, with ongoing work to improve recycling rates in partnership with the new contractor.
- Reusable sharps containers were piloted at Walkergate Park, reducing single-use plastic waste, and have now been permanently implemented at this site.
- Continued use of the Warp-It platform has supported the internal reuse of furniture, reducing procurement demand and waste generation.
Green Spaces and Biodiversity
- Over 350 trees were planted across six sites through the NHS Forest scheme.
- Baseline ecological surveys were completed across multiple sites, providing data to support future biodiversity improvements.
- Wildflower meadows have been established to support pollinators.
- Areas were designated for “No Mow May” to enhance biodiversity.
- Mapping of green spaces has been completed to identify opportunities for enhancement.
- A questionnaire has been developed to assess and improve the use of green spaces, supporting both biodiversity and wellbeing objectives.
Supply Chain and Procurement
- The Procurement Plan has been developed to align more closely with sustainability priorities, including consideration of social value within procurement processes.
- Sustainability and Net Zero principles, including alignment with the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, are now incorporated into tendering processes.
- Analysis of Trust expenditure has been completed to estimate Scope 3 emissions associated with procured goods and services.
Travel and Transport
- Continued decarbonisation of the fleet, with 66% of vehicles now ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) and 41% fully electric.
- Reduction in organisational travel emissions, supported by reduced fleet mileage and business travel activity.
- Participation in a regional North East Combined Authority (NECA) project to better understand staff commuting behaviours.
- A staff travel survey was completed to inform future interventions.
- Ongoing work to promote active travel and support staff wellbeing
Medicines and Models of Care
- Progress in this area has been impacted by workforce changes; however delivery has continued through staff led initiatives.
- A sustainability group at Castleside Day Hospital has introduced practical measures to reduce environmental impact including reducing single-use items, improving energy awareness and supporting reuse through Warp-It (an in house upcycling platform).
- Pharmacy teams have developed a “Return for Reuse” initiative to reduce medicines waste, with plans for wider implementation.
Planned Carbon Reduction Initiatives (2026/2027)
As set out in our Company Strategy, we are committed to continuing to implement further sustainability improvements across all areas of the organisation.
During 2026/27, we will continue to progress estate decarbonisation through the development and delivery of energy efficiency projects and the transition to low carbon heating solutions. This will include pursuing external funding opportunities to support capital investment in energy infrastructure and renewable generation, alongside expanding sub-metering and data monitoring capabilities to improve energy management and performance tracking.
We will continue the transition towards low and zero emission fleet vehicles and build on the findings of the staff travel survey and regional North East Combined Authority (NECA) project to inform both local and Trust-wide travel planning. Site-specific travel plans will be developed to support modal shift and reduce reliance on single-occupancy car travel, complemented by the promotion of active travel and the use of digital alternatives to business travel where appropriate.
Staff engagement will remain a key enabler of delivery. We will continue to engage colleagues across services to support implementation of the Green Plan and build on existing staff-led initiatives to embed sustainable practices within operational settings.
We will further develop our approach to biodiversity and green space management by using the findings from ecological surveys and estate mapping to implement targeted improvements. This will support both biodiversity enhancement and the health and wellbeing benefits associated with access to high-quality green spaces. This will also look to promote new areas being established in which patients and visitors can spend time.
Work will also continue to minimise waste and improve resource efficiency. This includes ongoing collaboration with waste contractors to improve recycling rates and reduce reliance on higher carbon disposal routes, alongside expanding initiatives to reduce single use plastics, improve waste segregation, and increase the reuse of equipment and materials through platforms such as Warp-It.
Finally, we will further align procurement processes with the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, ensuring that social and environmental impacts are considered in decision-making. Building on initial Scope 3 emissions analysis, we will continue to develop our approach to supplier engagement and identify opportunities to reduce the carbon impact of the goods and services we procure.
Declaration and Sign Off
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been completed in accordance with PPN 06/21 and associated guidance and reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans.
Emissions have been reported and recorded in accordance with the published reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans and the GHG Reporting Protocol corporate standard[1] and uses the appropriate Government emission conversion factors for greenhouse gas company reporting[2].
Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have been reported in accordance with SECR requirements, and the required subset of Scope 3 emissions have been reported in accordance with the published reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans and the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard[3].
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been reviewed and signed off by the board of directors (or equivalent management body).
Signed on behalf of the Supplier:
Tracey Sopp
Managing Director
Date: 9th June 2026
[1]https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard
[2]https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-conversion-factors-for-company-reporting
[3]https://ghgprotocol.org/standards/scope-3-standard
If you would like this or any other information on our website in another format please email NTWSolutions@ntw.nhs.uk
