The new Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting framework (SECR) comes into force on 1 April this year. It contributes to the government’s Clean Growth Strategy which encourages business and industry to reduce their energy production by 20% by 2030.
Building on existing mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reporting and the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), SECR replaces the reporting element of the Carbon Reporting Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme.
Reporting is intended to encourage the implementation of energy efficiency measures in business and industry. This has both economic and environmental benefits and supports companies to cut costs and improve productivity at the same time as reducing carbon emissions.
The aim for this new framework is to simplify carbon and energy reporting and help reduce emissions and energy costs. It doesn’t intend to create additional complexity and reporting burdens.
Compared to the 4,000 organisations who report for the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, the new SECR framework will apply to an estimated 11,900 UK companies.
The businesses who will need to comply with the new reporting requirements fall into four groups:
Companies will not need to comply with the SECR framework if they meet one or more of the following exemptions:
If your organisation is eligible to start emissions reporting under this framework you will need to begin reporting at the end of your financial year. If you have never done CRC reporting before, the first important step is to start thinking about what data should be included and what data records are available. No fixed methodology is being specified for SECR, so the next step will be to determine what methodology will suit your organisation, how the figures should be calculated and what is to be reported on.
Getting ahead of this sooner rather than later will ensure that the actual reporting process goes smoothly.
Our specialists have years of experience in CRC and GHG reporting. We are defining a suite of services that will help you to fulfil SECR obligations and reduce your emissions and energy costs.
The key is understanding what is in scope based on your current business operations, and we can help you in the following ways:
If you need advice about reporting on your organisation’s greenhouse gas or guidance around the new SECR framework, contact us today or learn more about our SECR services.