Carbon Reduction Plan

Reporting period: 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026

Publication date: September 2026

Version 2 (supersedes Version 1, July 2026)

NET ZERO COMMITMENT
Dot Collective is committed to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

Prepared in accordance with Procurement Policy Note PPN 006 and the associated technical standard for Carbon Reduction Plans.

VERSION 2: WHAT CHANGED

This version replaces the July 2026 Carbon Reduction Plan. Positive Planet reissued the underlying Emissions Report and Carbon Reduction Plan on 1 September 2026, following direct engagement with Dot Collective’s top suppliers. That engagement returned primary emissions data from three suppliers, which has been incorporated into the 2025-26 Purchased Goods & Services and Fuel & Energy figures. This revision increases reported total emissions for 2025-26 from 242.66 tCO2e to 253.41 tCO2e, and the year-on-year change from a 1.1% decrease to a 3.3% increase against baseline. No other emissions categories have changed.

Executive summary

This year’s position reflects two things happening at once. The Dot Consulting Collective Limited grew substantially, nearly tripling headcount and growing revenue by a third, and, for the first time, engaged directly with its supply chain to collect real supplier emissions data rather than relying solely on spend-based estimates. That improved measurement is the main driver behind an increase in total reported emissions this year, from 245.36 to 253.41 tCO2e. Measured against the business’s growth, however, carbon intensity fell significantly: down 60.0% per employee and 23.2% per £m of revenue, meaning emissions grew far more slowly than the business itself. The sections that follow set out this year’s position in full, alongside the actions planned to bring Scope 3 emissions back onto our reduction trajectory.

Commitment to achieving Net Zero

The Dot Consulting Collective Limited (trading as Dot Collective) is committed to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. This target is earlier than the UK Government's 2050 Net Zero target.

Our pathway is to reduce absolute emissions by at least 90% from the 2024-25 baseline and neutralise any residual emissions through verified, high-quality carbon removals or offsets. We will prioritise direct emissions reductions within our operations and value chain.

Reduction targets

• Reduce Scope 3 emissions by 42% by 2030 against the 2024-25 baseline.
• Maintain Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions at 0 tCO2e, while continuing to review the organisational boundary and data availability.
• Measure all relevant Scope 3 categories by 2027 and improve the quality of activity-based supplier, travel, asset, and waste data.
• Reduce total emissions by at least 90% by 2040 and neutralise residual emissions using verified mechanisms.

PROGRESS THIS YEAR

Total measured emissions rose from 245.36 tCO2e to 253.41 tCO2e, a 3.3% increase against the baseline year, missing the year-one Scope 3 milestone of 224.70 tCO2e by 28.7 tCO2e.

Organisational boundary and methodology

The footprint uses a financial control approach. Dot Collective does not own or operate any vehicles, on-site fuel combustion equipment, or other direct emissions sources, and Scope 1 is therefore reported as 0 tCO2e. Dot Collective operates from managed office space and does not directly control the building utilities; relevant gas and electricity emissions available for the reporting period are therefore reported within Scope 3 upstream leased assets, and Scope 2 is therefore reported as 0 tCO2e. Emissions were calculated in line with the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard and appropriate UK Government greenhouse gas conversion factors, with calculation support provided by Positive Planet.

Baseline emissions footprint

Baseline emissions are the reference point against which emissions reductions are measured.

PPN 006 required Scope 3 categories - baseline

Current reporting year emissions

PPN 006 required Scope 3 categories - current year

Note: The total Scope 3 figure also includes purchased goods and services (143.67 tCO2e), fuel- and energy-related activities (0.71 tCO2e), and upstream leased assets (1.23 tCO2e). Values may not sum exactly due to rounding.

Purchased Goods & Services now includes supplier-specific emissions data for three suppliers, following a Supplier Carbon Reporting Survey issued to Dot Collective’s top 15 suppliers by spend in July 2026. The survey received 11 responses; of these, three suppliers (Softcat PLC, Lewis Silkin, and Barclays Bank PLC) provided complete enough data to calculate a supplier-specific emissions figure, apportioned by Dot Collective’s share of each supplier’s turnover. A fourth respondent, JMG Group, could not be included due to missing spend and turnover data. The remaining spend continues to be estimated using spend-based factors.

Emissions reduction progress

The current year result is an increase against the baseline and is off track versus the linear trajectory required to achieve the 2030 target, missing the year-one milestone by 28.7 tCO2e. Purchased goods and services remain the largest emissions source, while business travel increased. The reduction programme therefore prioritises continued supplier engagement, higher-quality procurement data, and lower-carbon travel choices.

Against the 2024-25 baseline of 245.36 tCO2e, the 42% Scope 3 reduction target equates to approximately 142.31 tCO2e by 2030. Progress will be reviewed annually, and the plan updated at least every 12 months.

Carbon intensity metrics

Dot Collective’s workforce grew from 48.5 FTE to 124 FTE, and revenue grew from £8,474,079 to £11,371,953, over the reporting period. Carbon intensity per employee fell by 60.0% and per £m of revenue fell by 23.2%, indicating that emissions have grown more slowly than the business, even though the absolute total has increased.

Completed carbon reduction initiatives

Planned carbon reduction measures

The following measures are expected to be available and applied, where relevant, when performing contracts for customers including public-sector and framework clients.

These measures will be monitored through the environmental management and governance arrangements of Dot Collective. The emissions footprint and this plan will be reviewed annually, with actions refined as data quality improves.

Declaration and sign-off

This Carbon Reduction Plan has been completed in accordance with PPN 006 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 and uses the appropriate government emission conversion factors for greenhouse gas company reporting.

Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have been reported in accordance with SECR requirements (where required), 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.

This Carbon Reduction Plan has been reviewed and signed off by the board of directors (or equivalent management body).

Board approval is confirmed by completion of the authorised sign-off below on behalf of The Dot Consulting Collective Limited.

References

• PPN 006: Taking account of Carbon Reduction Plans in the procurement of major government contracts
• GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard
• GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard
• UK Government greenhouse gas conversion factors for company reporting

Document owner: Head of Operational Governance

Review cycle: At least annually; next review due by September 2027