Our 2023–24 Carbon Report: What We Measured, What We Learned

At Hiyield, we’re committed to building a sustainable digital future, not just for our clients, but for the planet. Each year, we share our carbon data, celebrating our progress and owning our challenges. This year, we’ve taken a big step forward in understanding our carbon impact.

A New Way to Measure: In-House Reporting with Notch

In previous years, we’ve partnered with the brilliant team at the University of Exeter to compile our carbon reports. But this year, they trained our team and gave us access to the Notch platform, enabling us to generate the report ourselves for the first time.

This move has not only deepened our internal understanding of carbon reporting, but it also means we can now track data more regularly, not just once a year. A big thank you to the University of Exeter for setting us up for long-term success in carbon reporting.

More Accurate = More Emissions

Our total reported emissions increased from 31.8 tCO2e last year to 51.8 tCO2e this year. At first glance, that might seem like a step backwards, but it represents progress.

Why? Because we’ve broadened the scope of what we measure, particularly in Scope 3. We’ve included categories such as training, insurance, and advertising for the first time, as well as emissions from working from home, an essential part of how we operate as a hybrid team.

This shift gives us a clearer and more honest baseline to work from. We can’t reduce what we don’t fully understand and this year, we understand a lot more.

Scope 1 Is Now Zero

Previously, our electric company vehicle was included in Scope 1 emissions. This year, we’ve moved it to Scope 3 to better reflect reporting best practices. As a result, our Scope 1 emissions are now zero, more accurately reflecting how we operate.

Scope 3: Still the Biggest Slice

As with many service-based businesses, Scope 3 remains the largest part of our footprint – now at 51.5 tCO2e. However, this year’s increase is largely due to improved data collection, not increased consumption. It also reflects a more detailed understanding of our supply chain and operations.

A standout figure: emissions from working from home totalled 12.5 tCO2e, a category we hadn’t measured before. As we continue to support flexible and sustainable working, this will be an area we keep a close eye on.

Food, Drink, and Face Time

Our food and drink emissions nearly doubled, up from 1.5 tCO2e to 2.9 tCO2e. This increase is due to spending more time together in person this year, with more team days and events.

We see this face-to-face time as essential for collaboration, creativity, and culture. While we’ll continue to make mindful decisions about catering and travel, we won’t compromise on maintaining those vital connections.

Offsetting: Shifting from Volume to Meaning

Last year, we offset through Ecologi, which funds global reforestation and carbon avoidance projects. This year, we’ve adopted a more blended approach.

We’ve continued supporting Ecologi, but we’ve also partnered with Plant One, a local CIC focused on tree planting and habitat restoration here in Cornwall. While Plant One doesn’t provide official offsetting figures, we value the immediate, visible impact of their work and the chance to get personally involved. It’s local, tangible, and meaningful.

Leading the Change, Not Just Reporting It

We’re proud of the steps we’ve taken this year to deepen our understanding and take greater ownership of our carbon impact:

• Generating our own carbon reports using Notch
• Training seven team members in carbon literacy
• Moving into new offices powered by 100% renewable electricity
• Maintaining a client base that’s 70% purpose-led

What’s Next?

Carbon reporting isn’t just an annual task, it’s a mindset. We’ll continue working to reduce what we can, measure what matters, and make conscious choices that support people and the planet.

You can download the full carbon report here if you’d like to explore the details.

And as always, if you’ve got questions or ideas, we’re all ears.