Sectors → Manufacturing
Carbon consultancy for UK Manufacturing
UK manufacturers face SECR, EU CBAM from 2026 and increasingly aggressive supplier scorecards from automotive, aerospace and defence OEMs. Get the verified Scope 1, 2 and 3 data your customers and regulators are now demanding.
Why manufacturing can no longer ignore carbon measurement
These are the regulatory and commercial pressures already landing on businesses in your sector. Carbon measurement is no longer a marketing project, it is a procurement and compliance requirement.
SECR is mandatory above the threshold
If you have 250+ employees, £36m+ turnover or £18m+ balance sheet, you are legally required to disclose UK energy use and Scope 1 + 2 emissions in your Directors' Report. Non-compliance is a criminal offence under the Companies Act 2006.
GOV.UK – SECR guidanceEU CBAM hits exporters from 2026
If you export iron, steel, aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen or electricity products to the EU, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism requires you to declare embedded emissions and (from 2026) buy CBAM certificates. UK exporters are not exempt.
European Commission – CBAMOEM supplier scorecards (JLR, Rolls-Royce, BAE)
Jaguar Land Rover's Climb to Zero, Rolls-Royce's Net Zero supplier programme and BAE Systems' supplier sustainability code all require verified Scope 1 + 2 footprints, reduction targets and (increasingly) ISO 14064 verification from Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers.
ISO 14064 – GHG quantificationTypical emissions hotspots in manufacturing
Manufacturing emissions are typically dominated by purchased electricity for production, fuel for process heat, and Scope 3 Category 1 (raw materials and components). Getting this right requires meter-level data and supplier engagement, not estimates.
Scope 1: direct
Natural gas for furnaces, ovens and process heat; LPG for forklifts; refrigerants in chillers and AC; diesel for on-site generators.
Scope 2: purchased energy
Grid electricity for production lines, compressed air, lighting and HVAC. Often the largest single line item.
Scope 3: value chain
Raw materials and components (Cat 1); inbound and outbound freight (Cat 4 and 9); business travel (Cat 6); employee commuting (Cat 7); end-of-life of sold products (Cat 12).
Read our full guide to Scope 3 emissions for UK businesses.
How we help manufacturing companies
Carbon Footprint Assessment
Full Scope 1, 2 and 3 measurement to GHG Protocol and ISO 14064 standards, the foundation OEMs and CBAM declarations require.
Carbon Footprint AssessmentSECR-ready disclosures
We produce SECR-compliant figures and narrative for your Directors' Report, including intensity ratios and energy efficiency actions taken.
Carbon Reduction PlanSupplier emissions for Cat 1
Use the Supplier Engagement Portal to collect verified emissions data from raw material and component suppliers, essential for accurate Cat 1 reporting.
Supplier Engagement PortalRecommended tool
Supplier Engagement Portal
Manufacturing Scope 3 Cat 1 typically accounts for 60–80% of total emissions. The portal gets you primary data from suppliers instead of spend-based estimates.
Explore the Supplier Engagement PortalOr explore our full toolkit for SMEs working towards net zero.
Manufacturing clients we've worked with
Real manufacturing achieving measurable carbon reductions and net zero compliance with our expert carbon consultancy.
Advanced Coated Products
Moventi
Office furniture manufacturer that rebuilt its carbon reporting foundations from an outdated footprint to a GHG Protocol-aligned Scope 1, 2 and 3 baseline in 4 weeks, with 88.6% of supplier spend covered by suppliers providing emissions data, exceptional for a first-year recalculation.
Manufacturing carbon FAQs
SECR is mandatory if you meet two of three criteria: 250+ employees, £36m+ turnover or £18m+ balance sheet total. Below that, SECR is voluntary, but most Tier-1 OEMs now require equivalent Scope 1 + 2 disclosures from suppliers regardless of size.
The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism applies to UK manufacturers exporting iron, steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen and electricity products into the EU. From 2026 you must report embedded emissions per tonne of product and buy CBAM certificates for the difference between the EU ETS price and any carbon price already paid in the UK.
Practically, this means you need product-level emissions data, not just an annual company footprint, to keep selling into the EU.
We produce footprints aligned to ISO 14064-1 and the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard. We are not an accredited verification body, but we deliver the footprint and supporting evidence pack in the format that UKAS-accredited verifiers (LRQA, BSI, SGS, NQA) accept for third-party assurance.
For most manufacturers, the answer is no, Scope 3 Category 1 (raw materials and components) typically accounts for 60–80% of total cradle-to-gate emissions. Process heat (gas) is usually the second biggest. Grid electricity tends to be third, especially as the UK grid decarbonises.
We deliver the Carbon Footprint Assessment and a complete evidence pack (raw data, calculations, conversion factors, methodology) so your customer's procurement or sustainability team can either accept our figures directly or pass them to a UKAS-accredited verifier. Our blog on verification vs assurance explains where each one is needed.
A consultant-led approach for manufacturing
We work with UK SMEs across manufacturing on consultant-led Carbon Footprint Assessments, PPN 006-aligned Carbon Reduction Plans and ISO 14068 carbon neutral certification, every output reviewed by our team, not auto-generated.
Ready to Start Your Carbon Journey?
Contact our team today and join hundreds of organisations already reducing their carbon footprint and achieving net zero compliance with expert guidance.