Greening the UK Government

Rio's very own Charlotte Goodbody outlines key learning's for UK Government Bodies, and how they prepare their Greening Government Commitment disclosure

Understanding the Greening Government Commitments (GGC)

The UK Government has made its position on sustainability crystal clear: it’s committed to reducing its environmental footprint — and expects its departments and partner organisations to do the same.

One of the key tools driving this effort is the Greening Government Commitments (GGC), a framework of sustainability pledges overseen primarily by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

What Are the Greening Government Commitments?

First introduced in 2011, the GGC sets clear climate-focused targets for:

• Central government departments and executive agencies
• Non-ministerial departments
• Executive non-departmental public bodies

Each five-year cycle establishes measurable objectives across areas like greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water, and transport. Progress is tracked and reported quarterly.

The current cycle (FY 2025/26 – FY 2029/30) is underway, with final targets soon to be confirmed. These commitments are helping to transform high-level net-zero ambitions into practical, measurable action across the public sector.

Quick note: Some departments are exempt from GGC reporting based on specific criteria, such as their size or scope of operations.

Why GGC Reporting Matters

By tracking GGC targets, departments can:

• Show measurable progress toward net-zero
• Align operations with UK-wide sustainability goals
• Improve resource efficiency and reduce costs
• Build accountability and transparency for taxpayers

GGC reporting ensures environmental responsibility is embedded into everyday operations — not just a line in an ESG report.

How Rio Simplifies GGC Reporting

At Rio, we work with multiple high-profile government departments to make GGC reporting smarter, faster, and more accurate.

• From Data to Dashboards, our platform aggregates data from multiple sources (energy, water, waste, transport) into one place — no matter how many suppliers or formats you work with.
• Easy Data Uploads through our intelligent uploader to map columns across different file types or leverage our ready-made templates.
• Clear Dashboards help to visualise performance against departmental baselines, filter by PO, location, or time period, and identify areas for improvement instantly.
•  Audit-Ready as every emission factor and data change is logged, ensuring full traceability for internal and external audits.

Why It Matters

Our solution saves sustainability managers hours of manual work every reporting period, reduces errors, and ensures compliance with Defra’s guidance — all while helping teams stay focused on driving real environmental impact.

GGC vs. the GHG Protocol: What’s Different?

• While both GGC and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) address emissions and sustainability measurement, there are key differences:
• GHG Protocol GGC
• Global standard for calculating &
• reporting Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions UK-specific framework for reducing environmental impact
• Corporate-focused, used worldwide Designed for UK government departments
• Emissions-centric Covers emissions plus waste, water, and broader sustainability metrics

Key Takeaways

1. GGC reporting goes beyond carbon — it includes waste, water, and other environmental impacts.

2. Reporting runs in 5-year cycles, with progress tracked quarterly and annually.

3. Rio provides a managed service and bespoke dashboards that make GGC reporting seamless and audit-ready.

Ready to Measure with Rio?

Let’s turn sustainability commitments into measurable action — together.

Discover how Rio AI combines expert insight with technology to help businesses embed sustainability for the long term. Book a demo today