NHS Evergreen Assessment Support for Suppliers
NHS Evergreen Assessment Support for Suppliers
If your business supplies, or is planning to supply, goods or services through NHS Supply Chain, the Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment is now an important part of demonstrating your sustainability readiness for procurement.
What Is the NHS Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment?
The Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment is NHS England’s sustainability assessment for suppliers. It provides a consistent way for organisations to report their sustainability maturity and demonstrate progress against NHS Net Zero and wider sustainability expectations.
For suppliers, the practical significance is increasing. Evergreen is no longer simply useful sustainability information. It is becoming an important part of demonstrating sustainability readiness when pursuing NHS procurement opportunities.
The assessment should therefore be considered alongside your wider procurement preparation. If your organisation does not yet have a suitable Carbon Reduction Plan or reliable emissions data, these requirements may need to be addressed before an upcoming tender deadline.
From 6 April 2026, suppliers submitting tenders to NHS Supply Chain are required to have achieved Evergreen Level 1 by the point of tender close. Level 1 establishes a baseline for carbon reporting and Net Zero commitments, including a published PPN 006-compliant Carbon Reduction Plan, a commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050, and reporting of UK Scope 1, Scope 2 and relevant Scope 3 emissions.
Carbon Neutral Group helps UK businesses put these foundations in place, from measuring emissions and developing Carbon Reduction Plans to preparing the carbon information and evidence needed to support Evergreen readiness.
Check Your Evergreen ReadinessWhy Choose Carbon Neutral Group for NHS Evergreen Support?
Practical Evergreen Support
We help businesses understand the carbon and sustainability requirements relevant to their Evergreen assessment and identify what needs to be addressed before submission.
Carbon Reduction Plan Expertise
We can prepare a PPN 006-compliant Carbon Reduction Plan and help ensure the required emissions information and Net Zero commitments are properly documented.
Scope 1, 2 and 3 Support
We help organisations measure and report Scope 1, Scope 2 and relevant Scope 3 emissions, providing the carbon data needed to support Evergreen readiness.
NHS Tender Readiness
If you have an NHS procurement deadline approaching, we can review your current position, identify carbon-related gaps and prioritise the actions required.
Support Through Submission
We can support you with the carbon measurement, reporting, Carbon Reduction Plan and supporting information required for Evergreen, including the sustainability elements of the submission.
Do You Need Evergreen Level 1 to Tender for NHS Contracts?
For NHS Supply Chain tenders, the requirement is clear: from 6 April 2026, organisations submitting tenders must be at Evergreen Level 1 at tender close. This replaced the previous approach under which any Evergreen submission level was accepted.
Requirements can differ across NHS procurement routes, so businesses should always check the documentation for the specific opportunity they are pursuing rather than assuming every NHS tender operates in exactly the same way.
Where Evergreen Level 1 is a mandatory requirement, leaving carbon reporting and your Carbon Reduction Plan until the final stages of a bid can create an avoidable procurement risk.
Check Your Evergreen ReadinessWhat Do You Need for Evergreen Level 1?
NHS Supply Chain describes Evergreen Level 1 as the essential baseline sustainability standard. To reach Level 1, suppliers must:
- Demonstrate a commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050
- Publish a PPN 006-compliant Carbon Reduction Plan
- Report UK Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions
- Report relevant Scope 3 emissions.
A compliant Carbon Reduction Plan must also include the required emissions information and Net Zero commitment, be approved at board or director level, be updated annually and be published on the supplier’s website.
For organisations that have never completed a Carbon Audit or formally measured their carbon footprint, this can involve considerably more than completing an online assessment. Reliable emissions data and appropriate supporting documentation need to be established first.
Tell us your tender deadline, current Evergreen status and what carbon reporting you already have in place. We can review your position and identify the carbon-related gaps that may need addressing.
Carbon Reduction Plans for NHS Evergreen Level 1
A Carbon Reduction Plan is one of the central requirements for Evergreen Level 1. It needs to do more than state that your organisation intends to reach Net Zero. It must present the required emissions information, include a clear Net Zero commitment, receive appropriate organisational approval, be updated annually and be publicly available.
For businesses pursuing NHS opportunities, the Carbon Reduction Plan therefore becomes both a sustainability document and an important part of procurement readiness.
Carbon Neutral Group can develop or review PPN 006-compliant Carbon Reduction Plans, helping businesses establish their emissions baseline, document their Net Zero commitment, identify practical carbon reduction measures and prepare the information required for publication.
What Carbon Emissions Do NHS Suppliers Need to Report?
Evergreen Level 1 requires UK Scope 1, Scope 2 and relevant Scope 3 emissions reporting.
Scope 1 covers direct greenhouse gas emissions from sources owned or controlled by your organisation, such as fuel used in company vehicles or onsite combustion. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions associated with purchased energy, principally electricity. Scope 3 covers indirect emissions elsewhere in the value chain and can include areas such as business travel, employee commuting, waste and transportation and distribution.
Carbon Neutral Group can help organisations identify relevant emissions sources, collect and assess the required data and establish a credible carbon footprint that can support both Evergreen preparation and longer-term carbon reduction.
How Carbon Neutral Group Can Help With NHS Evergreen
George’s View: Why NHS Suppliers Should Act Before the Tender Deadline
George Curtis, Managing Director, Carbon Neutral Group
For any organisation looking to supply the NHS, compliance is the first gateway to engagement. Meeting Evergreen and wider NHS sustainability requirements demonstrates that your business takes its commitments seriously, operates responsibly and is moving beyond basic box-ticking. It shows that sustainability is being embedded into how you work, helping to build trust and credibility.
“Be better by acting better.”
From my experience working with NHS suppliers, one of the biggest mistakes businesses make is leaving compliance until the moment a tender appears. When organisations rush their emissions data or Carbon Reduction Plan, the result can be inaccurate or incomplete reporting, which can create problems further down the line. A credible Carbon Reduction Plan takes longer than many businesses expect, and it should form part of your wider business approach rather than becoming a last-minute exercise.
If you find an NHS opportunity but have no Carbon Reduction Plan in place, you essentially have two options: produce one internally or work with an external specialist. If you choose external support, I would recommend working with someone who understands NHS requirements. The process can depend on information from third parties, such as landlords providing energy data, and those dependencies can take time to resolve. This is why preparation needs to begin well before a tender deadline.
The benefits of Evergreen and carbon reporting also go beyond compliance. Undertaking an Evergreen-aligned project can highlight operational efficiencies, identify opportunities for progressive change and reveal risks that might otherwise be missed. Done properly, it becomes a strategic tool that can strengthen your business and improve your readiness for NHS procurement, rather than simply another hurdle to clear.
How Do You Complete the Evergreen Assessment?
The Evergreen assessment is completed through the NHS procurement environment. The supplier is responsible for its own assessment and NHS England remains the authoritative source for the Evergreen framework and maturity level.
CNG’s Carbon Reduction Consultants can help businesses prepare the underlying carbon measurement, reporting, Carbon Reduction Plan and supporting information, and provide assistance around the sustainability information required for submission.
The Evergreen maturity score is valid for 12 months. NHS Supply Chain states that submissions should be updated annually and suppliers are encouraged to update them when significant changes occur.
What Are Evergreen Levels 1, 2, 3 and 4?
Evergreen uses maturity levels to show how far a supplier has progressed against NHS sustainability expectations. Level 1 provides the essential baseline, including a suitable Carbon Reduction Plan, Net Zero commitment and the required UK emissions reporting. Higher levels reflect increasingly developed sustainability and carbon management.
For businesses currently preparing for NHS Supply Chain tenders, achieving the required Level 1 baseline is the immediate priority. However, suppliers should also understand that NHS carbon requirements are continuing to develop.
Rather than treating Level 1 as the end of the process, businesses that expect NHS contracts to remain important should use it as the foundation for more comprehensive carbon measurement, reporting and reduction.
What Changes for NHS Suppliers in 2027?
NHS Supply Chain states that more advanced emissions reporting requirements arrive in 2027. These include publicly reported emissions targets and globally scoped Carbon Reduction Plans covering Scope 1 to 3 emissions.
This means businesses should consider not only what is required for their next NHS tender, but how their carbon measurement and Carbon Reporting capabilities will need to develop as NHS requirements become more comprehensive. Carbon Neutral Group can support existing NHS suppliers preparing for these next-stage requirements by improving emissions measurement, expanding Scope 3 reporting and developing the carbon reduction strategy and reporting needed for continued progress.
Evergreen and the NHS Supply Chain Five Supplier Asks
Evergreen is one part of the wider sustainability requirements NHS Supply Chain expects from suppliers. Its Five Supplier Asks are:
Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP)
A Carbon Reduction Plan sets out your organisation’s emissions, Net Zero commitment and planned carbon reduction measures.
Social Value
NHS procurement considers how suppliers can deliver wider social, economic and environmental value through their contracts.
Evergreen Assessment
The Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment measures a supplier’s progress against NHS sustainability expectations.
Horizon Scanning
Suppliers should understand developing sustainability requirements and prepare for changes that may affect future NHS procurement.
Modern Slavery Prevention
Suppliers need to understand and address modern slavery risks within their organisation and supply chain.
Achieving Evergreen Level 1 does not replace these other obligations. Suppliers should review the requirements of each procurement carefully to understand what applies to them.
Carbon Neutral Group can support organisations with the carbon measurement, reporting, Carbon Reduction Plan, Net Zero and sustainability elements relevant to their procurement preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Help Preparing for NHS Evergreen?
If you are preparing for an NHS procurement opportunity and need support with your Evergreen assessment, Carbon Reduction Plan, emissions measurement or carbon reporting, Carbon Neutral Group can help.
Tell us your tender deadline, current Evergreen status and what carbon reporting you already have in place. We’ll help you understand what needs addressing and put a practical plan in place.
Check Your Evergreen Readiness