Carbon Reduction Plan
Supplier name: DIRECT LINK CARE LTD
Publication date: 23 June 2026
Review Date: 22 June 2027
Policy Review Schedule: Every 12 months (as a minimum)
Commitment to achieving Net Zero
DIRECT LINK CARE LTD is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 01/12/2040. We are registered under the Care Quality Commission, among other bodies to provide health and social care. We specialise in recruitment of health and social care staff and supply them to clients who are in need of them and we take pride in placing the perfect individuals in roles where their skills and experience can be seen and appreciated. Our overall aim is to provide outstanding care and service to all our clients and workers to continuously excel in satisfying and exceeding customer needs whilst achieving environmental guides.
Baseline Emissions Footprint
Baseline emissions are a record of the greenhouse gases that have been produced in the past and were produced prior to the introduction of any strategies to reduce emissions. Baseline emissions are the reference point against which emissions reduced can be measured. DIRECT LINK CARE LTD undertook a comprehensive carbon accounting exercise for its business activities for the first time. This encompassed a full screening, and subsequent calculation of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions sources, in line with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Value Chain Standard.
Baseline Year: 2026
Additional details relating to the Baseline Emissions Calculations
As a recruiter of healthcare professionals for temporary roles in the NHS and the private sector across UK, it was identified that the main emissions we occur if from energy consumption in our office and for our travel for both our agency staff and internal office employees to and from work
Baseline year emissions: 2026
Current Emissions Reporting
Reporting Year: 2026
As 2026 is the baseline year emissions for reporting year 2026.
Emissions reduction targets
We have adopted the following carbon reduction targets to set our course to achieve
Net Zero:
Carbon Intensity Reduction Targets
We have set medium to long-term carbon intensity reduction targets per £1,000 of company turnover to address potential increases in service demand in the coming years.
DIRECT LINK CARE LTD aims to reduce carbon emissions from a baseline of 35 kgCO2e per £1,000 turnover in 2025:
- To less than 23.5 kgCO2e per £1,000 revenue in 2027, a reduction of 35%
- To less than 17.5 kgCO2e per £1,000 revenue in 2030, a reduction of 50%
Absolute Emissions Reduction Targets
CARBON REDUCTION PLAN
We have also set a longer-term absolute emissions reduction target, aligned to the NHS’ “Carbon Footprint Plus” absolute emissions reduction target for Scope 1, 2 and 3. We will reduce our total Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions by 70% by 2036 to 2039 to less than 23 tCO2e from a baseline of 200 tCO2e in 2022. Updates will be provided in regards to these emissions’ reduction targets on an annual basis on Carbon Reduction Plans.
Carbon Reduction Projects
Completed Carbon Reduction Initiatives
Sustainable practices we already follow at DIRECT LINK CARE LTD and actions we have taken to reduce carbon emissions include the following:
- Our staff utilise public transport and therefore already work in a low-carbon, sustainable model of care.
- Our staff draw on assets outside the healthcare system, such as family relationships, local spaces and community groups. Often undertaking support to service users to access local gardens and public transport.
- We will work in an integrated system, collaborating with multiple organisations, MDTs, to ensure that service users receive timely medical and social input to prevent unnecessary care and support breakdowns.
- We know care needs change when at home – our staff can support to prevent over prescription of equipment
- DIRECT LINK CARE LTD care/support staff are in service users’ homes we ensure the service users are able to access adequate and appropriate nutrition and hydration which will help to prevent ill health and improve wellbeing
- Our care/support staff can provide care and support service users after hospital discharge
- We undertake tree-planting initiatives, recognising the importance of the natural world in our future health, supporting biodiversity, cleaner air and carbon sequestration.
In 2022 we planted a tree for every member of staff as well as planting trees as part of our Environmental Improvement Opportunities program.
- We are working towards a ‘paper free’ company to reduce its inherent environmental impacts – currently we are 70% paper-free.
- We purchase bio-degradable PPE aprons for use in the delivery of our services.
- DIRECT LINK CARE LTD has introduced mandatory training on Environmentally
Sustainable Healthcare available through the NHS England eLearning portal, which encompasses the modules ‘Building a Net Zero NHS’ and ‘Environmental Sustainability in Quality Improvement’.
- Over 68% of all internal and client meetings are held virtually.
- Public transport is the ‘automatic choice’ for all corporate travel.
- Rail is used in place of air-travel for all long-distance travel.
- Smart routing (backed by Google technology) for our community teams ensures that travel between patients is minimised.
- We request our supply chain to report their environmental policy as part of annual re-evaluation.
- DIRECT LINK CARE LTD IT systems are cloud-based, which will be 100% renewable energy powered by 2025, water positive by 2030 and zero waste by 2030.
These measures will be in effect when performing contracts any contract.
Future Carbon Reduction Initiatives
We plan to implement environmental management and direct carbon reduction measures within the next 12 months:
- We began developing an environmental management system in early 2026 and aim to achieve ISO 14001 certification by the end of 2027
- The company is introducing a policy to ensure all future vehicles are low or ultra-low emissions, with the goal of becoming zero emissions vehicles by 2028.
Development of an incentive scheme to encourage community-based care teams to use electric vehicles where vehicles are required and start to encourage staff car sharing again, post COVID.
Increased stakeholder engagement is being conducted to identify collaborative strategies to decrease inefficiencies, waste, and carbon emissions in Integrated Care Systems.
In the future we hope to implement further measures such as:
- reduce car use for service user visits and promote active travel, utilising public transport when feasible.
- Incentives schemes will be implemented to encourage active travel and increased use of public transport.
- Regional procurement and environmental and carbon reduction targets are integrated into our supplier selection processes.
- Waste audits and in-depth carbon reduction training will also be implemented to understand disposal methods and carbon impact.
Declaration and Sign Off
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been completed in accordance with PPN 06/21 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 standard1 and uses the appropriate Government emission conversion factors for greenhouse gas company reporting-2.
Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have been reported in accordance with SECR requirements, 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-3.
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been reviewed and signed off by the board of directors (or equivalent management body
Signed on behalf of the Supplier:
Elizabeth Gonera
Date: 24/06/2026