The Scottish Government has set a target for Scotland to be net zero by 2045: many public sector bodies have set 2030 as their own net zero target.  

Emissions from the purchase of goods, services, and works fall into Scope three indirect emissions which are not the direct responsibility of the public body. However, as these emissions can account for over 70% of a public body’s overall greenhouse gas emissions, they’re important things to address in the journey to net zero. 

The public sector has a significant amount of buying power, which can be used to influence suppliers. Sustainability and net zero targets and policies can be built into procurement, which sends a strong message to suppliers to decarbonise their business. Although supply chains can be far removed from your organisation, the public sector can have a strong influence on supply chain decarbonisation.  

This section looks at why public bodies should decarbonise transport within their supply chain. This includes:  

• freight transport for purchased goods 

• transport emissions produced by suppliers in their business-as-usual activities (such as company cars) 

• outsourced services such as taxis and buses 

We will look at how public bodies can tackle their supply chain emissions with resources available from the Scottish Government and provide case studies highlighting good practice in sustainable procurement.