Sustainable procurement
Sustainability is fundamental to achieving the NHS’s long-term strategy to deliver high-quality healthcare while minimising its environmental impact and promoting social responsibility. We want to reduce carbon emissions, conserve resources, and ensure that goods and services are procured in a way that supports both environmental and social goals.
Our net zero and transparency commitments
The NHS has committed to reaching net zero by 2040 for the emissions we control directly, and by 2045 for the emissions we influence, through the goods and services we buy from our partners and suppliers.
The NHS is also committed to transparency across the supply chain to eliminate modern slavery and facilitate local economic growth in-line with the social value model.
Our supply chain is crucial to delivering these commitments and we will work collaboratively with our suppliers to enable and drive action.
Net zero and sustainable procurement
Our mission is to create world-leading responsible procurement practices, achieve net zero targets for the supply chain and drive transparency and social value through NHS spend.
To do this, the NHS has set the following objectives:
- Net zero – achieve the targets set on the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap and net zero targets for the supply chain.
- Social value – ensure NHS procurement is a force for good that helps local economies and improves wider determinants of health.
- Modern slavery – eliminate modern slavery in the NHS supply chain both domestically and abroad.
Meeting these objectives will mean working collaboratively with our suppliers.
Since announcing our Delivering a net zero NHS report, we have developed a roadmap to help suppliers align with our net zero ambitions between now and 2030. This approach builds on UK Government procurement policy (PPN 002 and PPN 006).
Net zero supplier roadmap
Roadmap showing the objectives and timeframes for net zero commitments in the NHS by 2030:
Net zero supplier roadmap objectives:
- From April 2022: All NHS procurements include a minimum 10% net zero and social value weighting. The NHS Social Value Playbook helps to unlock health-specific outcomes (building on PPN 06/20 and new PPN 002 published in February 2025). Net zero and social value will be applied via the Evergreen assessment for NHS England medicines tenders.
- From April 2023: for all new contracts above £5 million per annum, the NHS requires suppliers to publish a Carbon Reduction Plan for their UK scope 1 and 2 emissions and a subset of scope 3 emissions as a minimum (aligning with PPN 06/21) and now newly published PPN 006).
- From April 2024: The NHS has proportionately extended the Carbon Reduction Plan requirements to cover all new procurements.
- From April 2027: The NHS will implement new proportionate requirements for suppliers to publicly report targets, emissions and publish a Carbon Reduction Plan for all of their relevant global scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
- From April 2028: New requirements will be introduced overseeing the provision of carbon footprinting for individual products supplied to the NHS. The NHS will work with suppliers and regulators to determine the scope and methodology.
The Net Zero and Sustainable Procurement Programme
To help deliver these targets, the Net Zero and Sustainable Procurement programme has developed policies and tools to drive action at both a corporate and contract level across our procurement activities.
Driving net zero and sustainability initiatives in procurement is crucial for maximising environmental and social benefits. It gives suppliers an opportunity to effectively demonstrate their commitment to achieving net zero, delivering meaningful social value outcomes and eradicating modern slavery.
For more information on individual policies and tools, please visit:
- Carbon reduction plans and net zero commitments – providing details on the implementation of our April 2023/24 NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap milestones.
- The NHS Social Value Playbook – provides details on the implementation of our April 2022 NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap milestones.
- Evergreen sustainable supplier assessment – enabling suppliers to engage with the NHS on their sustainability journey.
- The NHS approach to tackling modern slavery including safeguarding is set out in the NHS modern slavery statement. New regulations came into force 17 May 2026, supported by guidance on Tackling modern slavery in NHS procurement.
Contact the programme
If you are a supplier interested in learning more about the latest developments, opportunities and initiatives, please register your interest via our online form.
Sustainable supplier accelerator
The ‘sustainable supplier accelerator’ is a schedule of free webinars, activities and supporting resources that supports suppliers on their sustainability journey. The topics and scheduled activities align to the objectives of the NHS Sustainable Procurement programme and the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap. Watch sessions on demand here.
Notification of all programme activities and links to available resources will be communicated via NHS England’s Commercial bulletin and Greener NHS monthly bulletin.
The Net Zero and Sustainable Procurement team also run regular webinars. Find out more details and register here.