We Care About People
And the Planet They Live On.
Sustainability isn't separate from care it's part of it. At Special People Ltd, we're committed to reducing our environmental footprint while delivering the compassionate, high-quality support our communities depend on.
total 2025 footprint
commitment year
supported
reduction measures
Small Footprint.
Big Responsibility.
As a staffing and recruitment organisation in the care sector, we know that every action however small has an impact. That's why we've formalised our commitment to reaching Net Zero by 2050.
Special People Ltd places approximately 250 care and support workers across our communities. The vast majority use public transport a meaningful advantage over many organisations of our size and we operate without a company vehicle fleet.
Our most significant emissions come from the journeys our workers make in service of the people they support. Rather than ignore this reality, we're measuring it, reporting it transparently, and actively working to reduce it.
This Carbon Reduction Plan is published in accordance with PPN 06/21 requirements and signed off at CEO level. It isn't a box-ticking exercise it's a genuine roadmap we review, update, and publish every year.
We use the UK Government's official GHG Conversion Factors and the GHG Protocol framework to calculate and report our emissions across all three scopes.
Download Our 2025 Carbon Reduction Plan (PDF)What we measured this year
Transparency is the starting point for genuine progress. Here's exactly where our 2025 emissions came from and why each number matters.
Direct Emissions
Electricity
Business Travel
Commuting
Waste
A Clear Path.
Measured Milestones.
We don't believe in vague promises. Our reduction targets are time-bound, specific, and reviewed annually alongside our published data.
Building the Foundation
Introducing rota optimisation, digital-first onboarding, verified energy data from our landlord, and standardising how we record and report all emissions year-on-year. Getting the data right is the bedrock of everything else.
Smarter Journeys, Better Data
A 10% reduction driven by clustering care worker visits geographically, strengthening our travel policy, and expanding digital administration to eliminate avoidable journeys. Annual commuting surveys will give us clearer data to act on.
Low-Carbon by Design
Embedding low-carbon thinking into how we plan, roster, and manage care delivery — not as an add-on, but as standard practice. More local staffing, virtual supervision, and verified office energy efficiency improvements.
Half the Footprint
Sustained travel demand reduction through optimised service delivery and workforce localisation. High data quality enables targeted interventions where they'll have the greatest impact — both for the planet and for care continuity.
The Goal
Net Zero for our UK operations — achieved by consistently reducing emissions year-on-year, prioritising travel elimination where practicable, and addressing any residual emissions through credible, evidence-based approaches aligned with best practice and procurement requirements.
Actions, Not Just Ambitions.
Every target needs a plan behind it. Here are the specific measures we're taking and their current status. No greenwashing, just honest progress.
Geographic Rota Clustering
Matching care workers to clients in their local area reducing the distance travelled per shift and improving continuity for the people we support.
In ProgressLocal Worker Allocation
Prioritising workers who live closest to the people they support. Fewer miles, stronger relationships, better care.
In ProgressLow-Carbon Commuting Scheme
Season ticket loans, cycling guidance, and travel incentives to help our team choose greener ways to get to work.
Planned Q3 2026Office Energy Housekeeping
Switch-off policies, LED lighting in tenant-controlled areas, and PC power-saving defaults simple steps that add up.
In Progress — Q2 2026Green Energy Tariff
Engaging our landlord to confirm and evidence a renewable electricity tariff for our office space moving to market-based reporting.
Planned Q3 2026Sustainable Procurement
Purchasing rules that prioritise longer-life IT equipment, reduced deliveries, and reuse-before-replace for office supplies.
Planned Q3 2026Paperless Onboarding
E-signatures, digital contracts, and online training modules replacing paper-heavy induction processes across the board.
In Progress — Q2 2026Virtual Meetings as Standard
Supervision sessions, team briefings, and recruitment meetings moved online wherever travel isn't essential to quality.
In Progress — Q2 2026Waste Reduction Programme
Improving office waste segregation, requesting landlord data on tonnage and disposal routes, and reducing residual waste through paper-light processes.
Planned Q2 2026Annual Staff Travel Survey
Capturing how our team commutes mode, distance bands, frequency to improve the accuracy of our Scope 3 data and identify where we can support greener choices.
Planned Q3 2026Staff Sustainability Programme
Quarterly reminders, guidance on low-carbon options, and tools to help staff understand their own contribution to our shared goals.
Planned Q3 2026Standardised Travel Recording
Consistent mode-of-travel recording across expense systems, booking tools, and rota platforms so our data improves year-on-year without guesswork.
In Progress — Q2 2026Annual Evidence Pack
Retaining source files, conversion factor sets, and assumptions documentation building an audit-ready record that meets procurement and compliance needs.
In Progress — annuallyVerified Electricity Data
Working with our landlord to replace estimated consumption with actual kWh meter data moving from transparent estimates to primary evidence.
PlannedWe've done it.
Now we can help you do it too.
Building and publishing a Carbon Reduction Plan is no small task especially for small and medium care organisations without a dedicated sustainability team. We've been through it, and we can guide you every step of the way.
Carbon Footprint Measurement
We'll help you identify, calculate, and report your Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions using the correct UK Government conversion factors clearly documented and audit-ready.
CRP Writing & Publication
A fully compliant Carbon Reduction Plan, written clearly, signed off by your leadership, and ready for your website and tender submissions in line with PPN 06/21.
Reduction Target Planning
We'll work with you to set realistic, meaningful targets aligned to your operations, not just numbers on a page, but a roadmap your team can actually deliver.
Annual Review & Update Support
Sustainability reporting isn't a one-off. We offer ongoing support to update your CRP annually, improve data quality, and demonstrate year-on-year progress to commissioners.
Staff Engagement & Training
Workshops and resources to help your team understand your sustainability goals and play an active part in achieving them, from commuting choices to digital-first working.
Tender & Compliance Readiness
Preparing your sustainability evidence pack for NHS and local authority tender submissions, structured, evidenced, and aligned to current procurement expectations.
Discovery CallWe learn about your organisation and operations
Data CollectionWe gather your emissions data across all scopes
CRP DraftingWe write your plan in plain, compliant language
Sign-off & PublishYour leadership reviews, signs, and publishes
Annual SupportWe help you review and update every year
Is your care organisation ready for sustainability compliance?
Whether you're starting from scratch or need to improve an existing CRP, we're here to help.