How to navigate the NHS Evergreen Assessment

What is the NHS Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment?

The Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment is the NHS's central tool for evaluating how well suppliers are aligning with its sustainability and Net Zero ambitions. It allows suppliers to evidence their progress on key issues, including carbon reduction, social value, and modern slavery, and assigns a maturity level from 1 to 4.

Evergreen is part of the NHS's wider plan to become the world's first Net Zero national health service. Suppliers are expected to demonstrate credible sustainability action, tracked consistently through the Evergreen portal. The NHS describes Evergreen as a mechanism that will apply Net Zero and Social Value requirements across procurement, including Medicines Framework tenders.

Why did the NHS create the Evergreen Assessment?

The Evergreen Assessment supports the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, which outlines how suppliers must align with NHS climate targets between now and 2030. Key milestones include:

• Net Zero and Social Value weighting applied to all procurements (from April 2022)

• Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) required for contracts above £5m (April 2023)

• CRP requirement extended to ALL new procurements (April 2024)

The roadmap's purpose is to ensure suppliers take meaningful climate action, strengthen social value delivery, and improve ethical practices across supply chains. Evergreen acts as the mechanism for NHS procurement teams to see that progress in a consistent and transparent format.

Who needs to complete the Evergreen Assessment and why does it matter?

Evergreen is becoming essential for suppliers that want to win or retain NHS contracts.

Currently required for:

• All NHS Supply Chain (NHSSC) suppliers

• NHS England Medicines Framework tenders - Evergreen used as a pass/fail mechanism

Becoming increasingly important for:

• Any SME that wants to remain competitive as sustainability weighting increases

• Suppliers whose future eligibility will depend on meeting Net Zero-aligned requirements

By 2030, suppliers will only be able to qualify for NHS contracts if they demonstrate published progress and continued carbon reporting.

How does the Evergreen Assessment work in practice?

Evergreen is a structured self-assessment with evidence uploads covering three core areas:

• Net Zero progress

• Social Value alignment

• Modern Slavery governance

Suppliers are scored at Level 1-4, with higher levels showing stronger alignment to NHS expectations.

The score:

• Is valid for 12 months

• Can be updated at any time

• Is increasingly used to differentiate suppliers in competitive tenders

Evergreen emphasises documented, evidence-backed sustainability action. Processes, policies, and reporting must be recent, measurable, and credible.

Understanding the Carbon Reduction Plan: the heart of the Net Zero requirement

This is the most important part of Evergreen and of the wider NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap.

Current requirement (April 2024 onwards)

All suppliers must publish a Carbon Reduction Plan covering:

• UK Scope 1 emissions

• UK Scope 2 emissions

• Five mandatory Scope 3 categories:

  • Upstream transportation and distribution

  • Waste generated in operations

  • Business travel

  • Employee commuting

  • Downstream transportation and distribution

The CRP must also:

• Be board-approved

• Be publicly available

• Include a commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2050 or earlier

Major upcoming change from April 2027

From April 2027, the requirement expands significantly. ALL suppliers must publish a global Carbon Reduction Plan covering:

• All Scope 1 emissions (global)

• All Scope 2 emissions (global)

• All relevant Scope 3 emissions across all 15 categories

This includes categories most SMEs do not currently measure, such as:

• Purchased goods and services

• Capital goods

• Upstream and downstream leased assets

• Use of sold products

• End-of-life treatment

• Franchises and investments

This is a major step change and requires suppliers to build robust carbon accounting systems and supply chain engagement processes.

Why this matters

The NHS has confirmed that suppliers must show they are aligning with the Net Zero roadmap milestones. Failure to meet the 2027 requirement could limit eligibility for future NHS contracts.

What are the benefits of completing the Evergreen Assessment?

1. Competitive advantage in procurement. Suppliers with stronger Net Zero plans, verified carbon data, and robust social value structures will be more attractive in tenders.

2. Clear visibility of your sustainability maturity. Evergreen gives suppliers a structured pathway to move from basic compliance to strategic leadership.

3. Reduced duplication for multiple tenders. Evergreen allows suppliers to submit evidence once and share many times.

4. Alignment with the 2027 and 2030 Net Zero milestones. Completing Evergreen early on helps suppliers prepare for full global Scope 3 reporting.

5. Increased trust and transparency. A strong maturity score demonstrates serious commitment to environmental and social responsibility, supporting long-term relationships with NHS buyers.

How we help suppliers succeed with Evergreen and the 2027 Carbon Reduction Plan

NHS Net Zero requirements are accelerating quickly. SMEs especially need support to respond proportionately while staying competitive. We help you meet the requirements of Evergreen and prepare for the major changes ahead.

1. Full carbon footprint measurement (Scopes 1, 2 and all 15 Scope 3 categories)

We measure carbon footprints in line with NHS and PPN 006 requirements, including the extended 2027 global reporting boundary. This includes mapping your value chain, identifying material emissions categories, and preparing audit-ready evidence.

2. Developing a compliant and credible Carbon Reduction Plan

We produce CRPs aligned to:

• NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap
• PPN 006 requirements
• 2027 global reporting expectations
• Evergreen maturity criteria

Our plans include measurable targets, a clear reduction pathway, and actionable steps tailored to your operations.

3. Building an Environmental Management System (EMS) aligned to Evergreen

We create simple, SME-friendly EMS structures that provide high-scoring evidence for Levels 2-4, covering:

• Governance
• Roles and responsibilities
• Monitoring
• Policy development
• Improvement cycles

4. Preparing strong Evergreen documentation

We help you assemble and upload evidence that clearly meets Evergreen requirements relating to Net Zero progress.

5. Supporting you toward higher Evergreen maturity levels

If you have an existing score, we can analyse it and prioritise improvements that give the biggest lift in the shortest time.

6. Helping you get ahead of the 2027 and 2028 requirements

We help SMEs:

• Expand carbon accounting to global Scope 3
• Engage suppliers in data collection
• Prepare for individual product carbon footprints in 2028
• Build internal systems that mature year on year