NHS Evergreen

Supplying the NHS? Don’t let changing sustainability requirements put your NHS contracts at risk.

The NHS is placing increasing importance on sustainability across its supply chain. If you supply goods or services to the NHS, understanding what is expected – and being able to demonstrate what you are doing – is becoming increasingly important.

NHS Evergreen is the NHS’s online sustainability assessment and reporting tool for suppliers. It allows businesses to share sustainability information with the NHS and receive a maturity level showing their current position against NHS sustainability priorities.

The assessment covers areas such as carbon reduction, emissions reporting, net zero targets, environmental performance and modern slavery. Suppliers are recommended to complete Evergreen annually, with the maturity score valid for 12 months.

For many organisations, understanding what the NHS expects, what they already have in place and what still needs to be done can be difficult – particularly as requirements continue to develop.

Here’s where BSUK can help.

Working with BSUK on Evergreen

BSUK can assess your current position, work through the relevant NHS requirements with you and help put the right information, evidence and actions in place.

Our support can include:

• Reviewing what you already have – including policies, emissions data, Carbon Reduction Plans, targets, reporting and existing sustainability credentials.
• Identifying what is required – so you understand which NHS requirements are relevant to your organisation.
• Building the evidence – helping create or improve the policies, plans, reporting and supporting information you need.
• Improving your sustainability position – where the work required goes beyond documentation and evidence.
• Preparing for Evergreen and future NHS requirements – bringing the relevant information together and helping you demonstrate your position clearly.
• Ongoing support – helping you keep your information current as your organisation and NHS requirements develop.

You may already have much of what you need.

BSUK starts with what you have, identifies what is relevant and helps you build from there.

Be ready for what the NHS expects

NHS sustainability requirements are continuing to develop, with suppliers facing increasingly detailed requirements through the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap.

From April 2027, new requirements will apply to relevant NHS procurements covering Carbon Reduction Plans and reporting of relevant global Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Further requirements around carbon footprinting for individual products are planned from April 2028.

There are already specific situations where Evergreen is required. Suppliers bidding for future NHS Supply Chain frameworks will need to complete Evergreen and achieve at least Level 1, while NHS England medicines tenders require a valid Evergreen assessment.

If you cannot demonstrate the sustainability information, evidence and plans required by the NHS, you could find your business at a disadvantage when competing for NHS opportunities. Where specific requirements apply, failure to meet them could also put existing NHS work at risk.

Supplying the NHS? Find out where you stand.