Carbon Reduction Plan
Commitment to achieving Net Zero
SMPL Research Ltd is committed to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest.
SMPL Research is a small, home-based research and evaluation consultancy with three employees. We have no permanent office premises or company-owned vehicles. Our direct operational carbon footprint is therefore low, with business travel representing our principal source of organisational emissions.
Baseline emissions footprint
Baseline year: 2025/26
This is SMPL Research’s first formal assessment of its organisational carbon emissions and will form our baseline for future reporting.
Our footprint has been estimated using the best available information and relevant UK Government greenhouse gas conversion factors.
SMPL operates entirely through home-based working and does not own or operate office premises or company vehicles. Employees do not routinely commute to a workplace. Homeworking emissions have not been included as reporting of these emissions is optional under the Carbon Reduction Plan technical standard.
Detailed historic travel records were not available for the baseline year. Business travel has therefore been estimated based on approximately 1,000 miles of car travel and 16 rail journeys (approximately 1,000 passenger miles) during the year.
Baseline year emissions
| Emissions category | Emissions (tCO2e) |
| Scope 1 | 0.00 |
| Scope 2 | 0.00 |
| Scope 3 – Upstream transportation and distribution | 0.00 |
| Scope 3 – Waste generated in operations | 0.00 |
| Scope 3 – Business travel | 0.35 |
| Scope 3 – Employee commuting | 0.00 |
| Scope 3 – Downstream transportation and distribution | 0.00 |
| Total emissions | 0.35 tCO2e |
Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions are reported as zero because SMPL does not operate business premises, company vehicles or directly purchase energy for business premises.
Waste and transportation/distribution emissions are reported as zero because SMPL is a service-based consultancy operating digitally from employees’ homes, with no operational premises, physical distribution activities or material operational waste streams attributable to the business.
Current emissions reporting
As this is SMPL Research’s first Carbon Reduction Plan, the 2025/26 baseline represents our current emissions position.
We will review our carbon footprint annually and improve the accuracy of reporting as more detailed activity data become available.
Emissions reduction targets
SMPL Research is committed to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest.
Given our small existing footprint and home-based operating model, our priority is to maintain low emissions as the business develops while reducing emissions wherever practical.
We aim to reduce emissions from business travel by 20% per employee by 2030 against our 2025/26 baseline, while continuing to ensure that decisions about remote and in-person delivery reflect the needs of research participants and clients.
Progress against this target will be reviewed annually.
Carbon reduction measures
SMPL already operates a relatively low-carbon business model. Measures currently in place include:
- Home-based working: we have no permanent office premises and employees do not routinely commute to a workplace.
- Remote delivery: online meetings, interviews, workshops and other research activities are used where appropriate.
- Efficient fieldwork planning: project visits, meetings and fieldwork are combined geographically and scheduled efficiently where practical to reduce unnecessary journeys.
- Lower-carbon travel: public transport, particularly rail, is used in preference to car travel where practical.
- Digital working: research materials, reports and project communications are primarily produced and shared electronically, minimising printing, postage and physical materials.
- Responsible purchasing: we seek to minimise unnecessary purchasing and extend the useful life of IT equipment and other business resources where practical.
Future carbon reduction measures
During 2026/27 and subsequent reporting periods, SMPL Research will:
- introduce simple recording of business travel mileage and mode of transport to improve future emissions reporting;
- continue to use remote meetings and research where appropriate and where this does not compromise the quality, accessibility or inclusivity of our work;
- plan fieldwork efficiently to minimise unnecessary journeys;
- continue to prioritise public transport where practical;
- consider environmental impact when purchasing IT equipment and other business supplies;
- extend the useful life of equipment where practical; and
- review our carbon footprint and Carbon Reduction Plan annually to monitor progress and identify further proportionate opportunities for reducing emissions.
Declaration and sign-off
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been completed in accordance with Procurement Policy Note PPN 006 and the associated guidance and reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans.
Emissions have been reported for the required Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and the specified subset of Scope 3 emissions.
SMPL Research Ltd is committed to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest. This Carbon Reduction Plan has been reviewed and approved by the Directors of SMPL Research, October 2026.
