Executive Summary
Purpose
This summary sets out Red Equipment's current emissions position, the headline year-on-year change, and the main assumptions and limitations behind the data.
Headline result
Our direct operational emissions - from our vans and site energy - reduced from around 28 tonnes of CO2e in 2024 to 27.5 tonnes in 2025. A small but real year-on-year reduction.
What changed
- Freight emissions fell significantly. Our 2024 footprint included one unusually high air freight month, in May, which did not repeat in 2025.
- Fleet emissions reduced after we moved from six vans to four.
- Gas and electricity emissions appeared higher. We are looking into whether this reflects increased usage or better data capture before drawing conclusions.
Important caveats
- Purchased products are our largest estimated source of emissions. We currently use a spend-based methodology because we do not yet have detailed supplier or product-level emissions data.
- September 2024 data was missing from our records, so the year-on-year comparison was normalised to account for it.
- Reporting periods in earlier reports and trackers were not fully aligned and needed to be reconciled.
- This plan provides a reasonable view of the direction of our emissions, rather than a fully detailed carbon inventory.
Next steps
- Build a more accurate picture of our Scope 3 emissions, starting with our biggest suppliers.
- Strengthen the activity data we collect.
- Keep reducing freight and fleet emissions wherever practical.
- Understand the apparent increase in gas and electricity use.
1. Our Commitment
At Red Equipment, we believe adventure and responsibility should go hand in hand. We support the global ambition of the Paris Agreement to limit warming to 1.5°C and are working towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions across our operations and value chain by 2050 at the latest, measured against our 2022 baseline.
We know this is a journey and that our data is still developing. This plan sets out where we are now, the steps we are already taking, and where we need to improve next. We would rather be open about the limits of our data than overstate our progress.
2. Where we are now
We measure our carbon footprint each year in line with the GHG Protocol, using UK Government conversion factors. Our direct operational emissions - the part we control most - were around 28 tonnes of CO2e in 2024 and 27.5 tonnes in 2025.
Most of our footprint sits beyond our own operations, across the manufacture of our products, freight, delivery, and commuting. Our current estimate puts these value chain emissions at roughly 900 to 950 tonnes of CO2e a year. This is a useful indication rather than a precise total: purchased products are estimated from what we spend, rather than supplier-specific data, so the figure moves with prices and purchasing volumes as well as with actual emissions.
The direction of travel in 2025 was encouraging. Freight emissions fell materially after a one-off air freight spike in May 2024, and fleet emissions reduced as we moved from six vans to four. Energy use at our site appeared higher and needs further review before we draw conclusions.
3. The steps we are taking
- Measuring our footprint every year and improving the tracker behind it, including correcting methodology issues as we find them.
- Running a smaller van fleet than the year before.
- Avoiding air freight wherever our planning allows, with sea freight as our default.
- Buying electricity on green tariffs and gathering the certificates that support this.
- Surveying employee commuting annually, so this part of our footprint is based on real responses rather than assumptions.
4. Our Targets
We have set the following targets to keep us moving forward. They reflect our current size and data maturity, and we will refine them as our measurement improves.
| Target | By when | Led by |
|---|---|---|
| Reduce absolute operational (Scope 1 and 2) emissions by 42% against 2025, in line with a 1.5°C-aligned reduction pathway | 2035 | Operations team |
| Source 100% renewable electricity, evidenced by certificates, for all sites | 2028 | Operations team |
| Move at least half the van fleet to electric vehicles as vehicles come up for replacement | 2030 | Operations team |
| Obtain product-level or supplier-specific emissions data from suppliers covering the majority of our product spend | 2029 | Supply chain team |
| Halve air freight emissions against 2024 through planning and mode shift, recognising 2024 was an unusually high year | 2029 | Supply chain team |
| Measure and publish our footprint every year, extending coverage as data allows | Annual | Sustainability team |
| Net zero across all scopes | 2050 | Leadership team |
Progress is reviewed by the leadership team throughout the year, and this plan is reviewed at least annually.
5. What we will improve next
Better data is one of the biggest steps we can take next. It will help us focus our efforts where they can make the greatest difference. Our priorities are:
- Scope 3 methodology: move purchased products from spend-based estimates towards supplier and product-level data, starting with the suppliers that represent the largest share of our spend.
- Activity data: tighten how we collect energy, waste, and freight records so that less of our footprint relies on estimates or normalisation.
- Consistency: keep reporting periods and conversion factors stable from year to year, and clearly document any changes so comparisons remain meaningful.
- Energy: understand the apparent increase in gas and electricity use before deciding what action is needed.
6. Working with others
- Suppliers: we will ask our main manufacturing partners for emissions data and work with them to identify reductions. Real progress takes time, transparency, and partnership.
- Employees: our team helps shape this plan, from commuting choices to everyday decisions, and we will keep everyone informed about progress.
- Logistics partners: we work with our freight and delivery providers to favour lower-carbon options wherever practical.
- Customers and community: we will report our progress honestly, including the limitations, and avoid overclaiming.
7. Keeping ourselves accountable
This plan is reviewed at least annually. Day-to-day progress sits with the leadership team, supported by external sustainability advice. We will update the plan as our data and understanding improve, and clearly explain when figures have been restated and why.