Net Zero & Procurement: How Red-Inc Helps
Why Net Zero Matters in Procurement
Procurement isn’t just about cost, quality, or delivery anymore, the world is demanding transparency, responsibility, and real reductions in carbon emissions. Many organisations are committing to Net Zero, and for most, more than half of their carbon footprint comes not from their own direct operations (Scope 1 & 2), but from purchased goods and services; the upstream emissions in their supply chain (Scope 3).
Why Procurement Is Central to Your Net Zero Strategy
By embedding Net Zero thinking into procurement, businesses can:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions for both direct and indirect simply by choosing low-carbon suppliers, materials and services.
- Improve resilience: suppliers with sustainable practices tend to manage risks, regulatory, reputational, supply chain disruptions much better.
- Meet regulatory and reporting requirements: as standards tighten (e.g. via the EU, UK, or frameworks such as the Science Based Targets initiative), disclosures on Scope 3 emissions are becoming more expected.
- Drive innovation: demand for sustainable products and services encourages suppliers to develop lower-carbon alternatives.
- Enhance brand value and customer trust: sustainability is a competitive advantage.
How Red-Inc Helps You Achieve Net Zero Through Purchased Goods & Services
At Red-Inc, we don’t just talk about sustainability, we build it into how we source, supply, deliver and report. Here’s how we can help you reduce your procurement footprint, especially in Scope 3:
| Area | What We Do | What It Means for You |
| Supplier Engagement & Transparency | We require suppliers to demonstrate sustainable credentials. We provide you with visibility of the lifecycle impact of products (e.g. recycled content, certification, carbon output). | You can make more informed purchasing decisions and ensure your supply chain is aligned with your Net Zero goals. |
| Low-Carbon Product Options | Offering products made from recycled or more sustainable materials; minimal-impact packaging; favouring local or low-transport supply wherever possible. | Less embodied carbon within the goods you buy; lower transport emissions; reduced packaging waste. |
| Efficient Logistics & Order Fulfilment | We work to reduce unnecessary deliveries (e.g. avoiding second drops), use reusable packaging (e.g. tote boxes), and manage transport with emissions in mind. | Fewer transport emissions, less waste, simpler delivery management, lower environmental overhead. |
| Reporting & Metrics | Regular environmental reporting of purchase impact; tracking carbon footprint associated with goods & services; helping customers integrate this data into their ESG / sustainability reports. | You gain credible data to show progress, satisfy reporting requirements, and find where the biggest wins are. |
| Continuous Improvement & Partnership | We partner with customers to identify procurement levers for emissions reduction (e.g. switching supplier, redesigning product spec, rationalising SKUs), and set improvement targets. | Over time you reduce carbon, often with cost savings and efficiency gains. |
Scope 3: Your Purchased Goods & Services
Scope 3 emissions (especially in purchased goods & services) often are the hardest to measure and control, but also where some of the biggest gains can be made. Here’s how we help turn that challenge into opportunity:
- Baseline Estimation
We help you establish a starting point: what is the carbon “embedded” in your current procurement, products, packaging, transport, etc. - Category Prioritisation
Not all purchases have the same footprint. We help you identify categories with the greatest emissions (e.g. paper, plastics, electronics, delivery), so you can focus efforts where they’ll make the biggest difference. - Supplier Strategy & Outreach
Working with suppliers to encourage or require greener practices both upstream (raw materials, manufacturing) and downstream (packaging, logistics). - Product Specification
Redesigning specs to use materials with lower carbon, longer life, or easier end-of-life recycling; reducing over-specification; consolidating orders. - Tracking, Reporting & Verification
Putting in place systems to capture data, monitor progress, and report reliably on reductions, to avoid greenwashing and ensure progress is real and measurable.
The Benefits for Our Clients
Working with Red-Inc to bake Net Zero into procurement doesn’t just help the planet, it delivers real value, including:
- Cost savings over time with lower energy, less waste and optimised delivery.
- Reduced risk from regulatory change or supply chain disruption.
- Better stakeholder approval (clients, investors, employees) as sustainability becomes table stakes.
- Competitive differentiation – being able to say credibly that you’re doing more than just “offsets”.
- Simplification – fewer suppliers, better data, streamlined purchasing.
Our Commitment
At Red-Inc we:
- Have had our Science Based Target reductions verified by the SBTi, making us the first office products globally to do so.
- Are a certified B-Corporation, putting purpose and sustainability into every decision. Dealer Support | Inspiring success+1
- Track and reduce our own supply chain (Scope 3) emissions, so we can help you do the same. Dealer Support | Inspiring success+1
- Avoid practices like constant next-day deliveries when they add carbon without proportionate benefit. We balance service and environmental impact. Dealer Support | Inspiring success
Get Started
Want to bring your procurement closer to Net Zero? Here’s how to begin:
- Request a procurement footprint audit with us. We’ll map your current emissions in purchased goods & services.
- Set targets – perhaps a % reduction in carbon per category within 12-24 months.
- Implement early wins – switch to recycled materials, reduce packaging and consolidate orders as a minimum.
- Measure & communicate your progress internally and externally with our in-depth reports
Red-Inc are considered one of the leading UK Office Products companies and are mature in the ESG space.
If you think we can help please contact us here.