Why councils ask, when PPN 006 doesn't apply
The PPN 006 Carbon Reduction Plan rule is written for central government departments, their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Councils aren't in scope, and neither is PPN 002, the central government social value model, although PPN 002 says other contracting authorities may choose to use its approach. Councils ask about carbon for three other reasons:
- The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012. Before buying services above the procurement thresholds, a council must consider how the contract might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of its area.
- The National Procurement Policy Statement. Every contracting authority must have regard to it under the Procurement Act 2023. It asks them to make sure suppliers are actively working to tackle their environmental impact, "including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimising waste in their operations".
- Their own climate targets. The goods and services a council buys are part of its own Scope 3 footprint. Monmouthshire County Council, for example, reports on the footprint of its purchased goods, services and works each year, so its suppliers' emissions show up in its own figures.
What councils actually ask for
Because each council sets its own rules, requirements vary. Two published examples show the range:
- Manchester City Council gives 10% of the score in its tenders to environmental impact, on top of 20% for social value, so 30% of the score rests on the two together.
- Monmouthshire County Council reported in October 2024 that since March 2024 all its tenders over £5 million include a requirement for a Carbon Reduction Plan, following guidance adopted by all ten councils in the Cardiff Capital Region.
Depending on the council and the contract, carbon can come up in one or more of these forms:
| Ask | Typical form | What to have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon Reduction Plan or net zero commitment | Pass or fail, often for larger contracts | A published plan with your Scope 1, 2 and some Scope 3, and a net zero year |
| Environmental or climate method statement | Scored, within an environmental or social value weighting | Contract-specific commitments with numbers and dates |
| Policies and certifications | Selection questions | Your environmental policy, and any certification you hold |
| Reporting during the contract | Contract KPIs | A way to measure the contract's fuel, energy and waste each quarter |
A worked example: the figure they'll ask for first
A small supplier works out its Scope 1 and 2 emissions for its last financial year, using the 2026 government factors:
| Source | Quantity | Scope | tCO2e |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office electricity | 18,000 kWh | 2 | 2.36 |
| Office gas heating | 22,000 kWh | 1 | 4.01 |
| Two diesel vans | 24,000 miles | 1 | 9.93 |
| Scope 1 and 2 | 16.30 | ||
The vans are 61% of the total, so a council contract that adds van mileage will add to it, and a credible plan for the vans is the commitment most worth making. On the scoring side, the arithmetic is simple: with a 10% environmental weighting, an answer scored 8 out of 10 rather than 4 is worth 4 percentage points of the whole tender.
Getting ready for council work
- Measure a full year of Scope 1 and 2, and the Scope 3 categories PPN 006 lists, so one plan serves every buyer.
- Publish a short Carbon Reduction Plan, signed by a director, even if the next tender doesn't ask for one.
- Look for each council's procurement strategy or social value policy on its website: where published, it tells you what the council scores.
- Keep two or three contract-level reduction ideas ready to quantify, such as route planning or electric vans.
Our posts on writing the climate section of a tender and social value under PPN 002 cover the scored answer in more detail.
How Carbon Recycling helps
Carbon Recycling turns your bills, fuel cards and mileage into Scope 1, 2 and 3 figures with the right year's government factors and produces a PPN 006 format Carbon Reduction Plan, ready to sign and publish, which covers councils that ask for one in that format. Not sure what a particular contract needs? The free Carbon Reduction Plan checker asks about the buyer and the contract, and the free template is there if you'd rather write it yourself.