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Environmental Sustainability

Cobalt has been certified with ISO 14001 since 2021 and we were re-certified with the environmental standard in September 2025, after evidencing our commitment to a culture of continual improvement in this area.

We have developed a Carbon Reduction Plan with Spring Environmental and are in the process of going through the annual reassessment of our Carbon Footprint. We have embarked on the new NHS Sustainable Suppliers Assessment, Evergreen and are working towards improving our score by setting Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions targets.

The Evergreen Assessment is one of the initiatives the NHS has designed to support their net zero goals, it requires us to complete an annual assessment that looks at the level of our environmental initiatives and provides us with a sustainability maturity score. This score can then be used as evidence of our sustainability level to the NHS to secure contracts. In March 2026, we were awarded a Level 2 Evergreen score evidence of our continued improvements in sustainability.

 

As members of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) we have been given the opportunity to join forces with other independent provider to achieve net zero goals. 

The IHPN recognises the climate emergency and has proposed an earlier target date of 2035 for our emissions and 2045 for our supply chains emissions. 

We have pledged our commitment to these targets and are busy working towards achieving these goals.

One key change that we have made to reduce the impact of our gas and electric usage is to move to a sustainable energy supplier. 

We have also tackled reducing our usage of fossil fuels where possible through multiple improvement projects including:

  • Upgrade lighting to LED bulbs throughout Cheltenham base.
  • Improvement to insulation in CIC building.
  • Trialling hybrid generators to power the mobile fleet.
  • Installing software to switch scanners to low power mode during out of service times.
  • Reprogramming of the BMS at Cheltenham base to better utilise heating periods.

Cobalt has committed to achieving Net Zero Emissions (Scope 1 & 2) by 2035 and Supply Chain by 2045

SBTi Validated Net Zero Targets

Cobalt commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions 42% by 2030 from a 2022 base year, and to measure and reduce its scope 3 emissions. We commit to reach net-zero by 2045. As part of this, we commit to reduce scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions 90% by 2045 from a 2022 base year.

We have submitted out greenhouse gas emission reduction targets to SBTi Services for validation and following their review our targets have been approved. Gaining this external validation ensures our targets are credible and aligned with climate science. 

The Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) have developed standards, tools and guidance which allow us to set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions targets in line with what is needed to keep global heating below catastrophic levels and reach net-zero by 2050 at latest.

 

New Objectives for 2025/26

In line with our SBTi Net Zero targets we have set our ISO 14001 Targets as the below.

Short Term Goal 2030 – we have a target of a 42% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions and to calculate our relevant scope 3 emissions. We are already calculating our scope 3 emissions so that’s one tick! and our well underway to hitting our 42% reduction. read our carbon reduction plan to find out more.

Long Term Goal 2045 – absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions reduction target

Scope 1 
Carbon emissions are emitted from owned or controlled sources. For most organisations, including Cobalt, this means emissions from burning fuels (transport and building) and refrigerant releases from air conditioning. 
Scope 2
Emissions are indirect emissions that result from the generation of purchased energy - for most organisations, this is solely electricity, but can occasionally include purchased energy vectors such as steam.
Scope 3
Emissions are indirect emissions in the company's value chain, such as business travel and purchased goods etc. These are typically harder to measure than scope 1 or 2 because no physical consumption unit exists.

For Cobalt Scope 3 indirect activities that fall under downstream activities don't apply to Cobalt as we don't provide products that cause use emissions or end of life processing emissions.

SBTi Validated Net Zero Targets

Cobalt commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions 42% by 2030 from a 2022 base year, and to measure and reduce its scope 3 emissions. We commit to reach net-zero by 2045. As part of this, we commit to reduce scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions 90% by 2045 from a 2022 base year.

We have submitted out greenhouse gas emission reduction targets to SBTi Services for validation and following their review our targets have been approved. Gaining this external validation ensures our targets are credible and aligned with climate science. 

The Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) have developed standards, tools and guidance which allow us to set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions targets in line with what is needed to keep global heating below catastrophic levels and reach net-zero by 2050 at latest.

You can see our validated commitments on the SBTi target dashboard by clicking the link below.

 

New Objectives for 2025/26

In line with our SBTi Net Zero targets we have set our ISO 14001 Targets as the below.

Short Term Goal 2030 – we have a target of a 42% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions and to calculate our relevant scope 3 emissions. We are already calculating our scope 3 emissions so that’s one tick! and our well underway to hitting our 42% reduction. read our carbon reduction plan to find out more.

Long Term Goal 2045 – absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions reduction target

Scope 1 
Carbon emissions are emitted from owned or controlled sources. For most organisations, including Cobalt, this means emissions from burning fuels (transport and building) and refrigerant releases from air conditioning. 
Scope 2
Emissions are indirect emissions that result from the generation of purchased energy - for most organisations, this is solely electricity, but can occasionally include purchased energy vectors such as steam.
Scope 3
Emissions are indirect emissions in the company's value chain, such as business travel and purchased goods etc. These are typically harder to measure than scope 1 or 2 because no physical consumption unit exists.

For Cobalt Scope 3 indirect activities that fall under downstream activities don't apply to Cobalt as we don't provide products that cause use emissions or end of life processing emissions.