Supporting the Channel Islands Coop from baseline footprint to SBTi validation
Understanding the baseline
Since 2024, Simply Sustainable has partnered with the Channel Islands Cooperative (“the Society”) to measure and manage its carbon emissions. Our expert consultants have calculated two consecutive carbon footprint assessments (FY 2023/24 and FY 2024/25), establishing the Society’s FY 2023/24 baseline for net-zero target setting.
The impacts and benefits
Using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, we defined the organisational boundary using the operational control approach and followed a five-step approach:
Operational review and activity mapping
Boundary definition and materiality assessment
Data collection and verification
Footprint calculation aligned with best practice
Hotspot identification and benchmarking
This provided a robust foundation for strategy development and target setting.
Working with Simply Sustainable has been invaluable in shaping our net-zero journey. Their expertise and collaborative approach helped us build our emissions baseline and develop science-based targets that are both ambitious and achievable. They’ve been a trusted partner, guiding us through complex challenges and ensuring our approach to net-zero is grounded in best practice. This partnership has given us confidence that we’re taking meaningful steps toward a sustainable future for our islands and communities.”Carl Winn Head of Community & Sustainability, Channel Islands Coop
The story
Reducing emissions: Direct operations
Building on the emissions analysis, Simply Sustainable developed a Direct Emissions Reduction Plan targeting Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Working collaboratively with the Society’s Property and Finance teams, we identified efficiency measures, modelled asset transitions, and quantified actions against a net-zero trajectory. Where existing measures were insufficient to meet the Society’s emissions reduction targets, the team at Simply Sustainable modelled the additional interventions required, the investment required and predicted savings.
The Society has now committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 90% by 2035, consistent with the BRC’s Climate Action Roadmap and SBTi guidance.
Setting Ambition: SBTi validation
To formalise its net-zero ambition, Simply Sustainable guided the Society through target modelling and engagement with its senior leadership team. We developed top-down and bottom-up reduction pathways that formed the basis of its successful Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validation.
Approved targets
Overall Net Zero: Achieve net-zero GHG emissions across the value chain by FY 2040
Near-term: Reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions 90% by FY 2035 (from FY 2023 base year)
Scope 3: Reduce use-phase fossil fuel emissions 90% and all other Scope 3 emissions 97% per million GBP value added by FY 2040.
FLAG: Reduce Scope 3 FLAG emissions 72% by FY 2040.
Turning ambition into action: Net-zero transition planning
With validated targets in place, the focus now shifts from ambition to action. Simply Sustainable is supporting the Society in developing a Net-Zero Transition Plan, a detailed roadmap outlining the practical steps, investments, and governance needed to deliver its long-term Net Zero goals.
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