Commitment to achieving Net Zero

VRiMS is committed to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest for its UK operations.

VRiMS will seek to achieve this target earlier where commercially and operationally feasible and will progressively improve the quality and completeness of its greenhouse gas emissions reporting as the organisation develops.

Baseline Emissions Footprint

Baseline emissions are a record of the greenhouse gases produced before, or at the beginning of, the implementation of measures intended to reduce emissions. They provide the reference point against which future reductions can be measured.

Baseline reporting period

2026 initial reporting period

As VRiMS is establishing its first formal Carbon Reduction Plan during 2026, the figures below represent an initial organisational emissions baseline based on available activity data and reasonable estimates.

The baseline will be refined as full-year activity information becomes available. Future annual Carbon Reduction Plans will compare emissions against this baseline using consistent methodology.

VRiMS operates as a small, predominantly remote-working digital healthcare education and immersive technology organisation.

VRiMS:

• does not maintain a permanent company-controlled office;

• has no company-owned vehicles;

• has no significant company-controlled combustion sources;

• operates predominantly through remote working;

• undertakes national and international travel to deliver training, education, conferences and collaborative activities.

Baseline year emissions

Emissions sourceEstimated emissions (tCO₂e)

Scope 10.00

Scope 20.00

Scope 3 – relevant PPN 006 categoriesApproximately 14.3

Total estimated emissionsApproximately 14.3 tCO₂e

Scope 1

0.00 tCO₂e

VRiMS has no company-owned vehicles, company-controlled premises with direct combustion, or other directly owned or controlled sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

Scope 2

0.00 tCO₂e

VRiMS does not maintain company-controlled office premises and does not directly purchase electricity, heating or cooling for dedicated business premises.

Electricity and heating associated with home working are considered indirect emissions and, where material and measurable, will be considered within the appropriate Scope 3 category rather than Scope 2.

Scope 3

VRiMS currently reports the relevant Scope 3 emissions categories required under PPN 006.

Business Travel

Estimated: approximately 14.3 tCO₂e

Business travel represents the largest identifiable source of emissions within VRiMS's current operational footprint.

The initial assessment includes:

• approximately 16 individual flight sectors associated with travel between London and Vienna, Kenya, Malaysia and Brazil;

• approximately four rail journeys; and

• approximately 24 hotel nights associated with business travel.

The figure is currently an estimate based on available journey information and recognised greenhouse gas conversion factors. It will be refined as more detailed travel records become available.

Employee Commuting

Estimated: 0.00 tCO₂e for routine commuting

VRiMS operates remotely and does not maintain a permanent office to which employees routinely commute.

Business-related journeys to courses, conferences and client locations are accounted for within business travel.

Waste Generated in Operations

Currently considered immaterial

VRiMS does not operate a permanent office or manufacturing facility and generates minimal operational waste.

The organisation seeks to minimise waste through digital working, reuse of equipment and responsible recycling of electronic devices and associated equipment.

Upstream Transportation and Distribution

Not yet separately quantified

VRiMS occasionally purchases and transports immersive technology equipment, training resources and related materials.

These emissions are expected to represent a relatively small proportion of the organisation's total footprint compared with international business travel.

VRiMS intends to improve the collection of courier, freight and supplier transportation data during future reporting periods.

Downstream Transportation and Distribution

Not yet separately quantified

VRiMS may transport equipment and training materials to customers, educational institutions and training venues.

These emissions will be incorporated into future reporting where activity data are available and the emissions are material.

Additional Scope 3 Categories

VRiMS recognises that the Greenhouse Gas Protocol identifies additional Scope 3 categories beyond those specifically required under PPN 006.

Purchased goods and services are potentially material for VRiMS due to expenditure on areas such as:

• immersive technology and VR equipment;

• IT hardware;

• software and cloud services;

• professional services;

• educational resources;

• venues and event services.

Approximately £150,000 per annum is currently spent on purchased goods and services.

VRiMS is developing a more detailed spend-based and supplier-specific assessment to quantify these emissions. A numerical Category 1 figure will not be published until expenditure has been appropriately categorised and a defensible calculation has been completed.

Current Emissions Reporting

As this Carbon Reduction Plan represents VRiMS's first formal organisational carbon assessment, the baseline and current reporting period are presently the same.

Future Carbon Reduction Plans will report current emissions separately and assess progress against the baseline.

Emissions sourceCurrent estimated emissions

Scope 10.00 tCO₂e

Scope 20.00 tCO₂e

Scope 3 – PPN 006 categoriesApproximately 14.3 tCO₂e

TotalApproximately 14.3 tCO₂e

Emissions Reduction Targets

In order to continue progress towards achieving Net Zero, VRiMS has adopted the following targets.

By 2030

VRiMS aims to:

• reduce combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by at least 50% against the established baseline;

• maintain Scope 1 emissions at or close to zero;

• maintain minimal Scope 2 emissions through its remote-working operating model;

• reduce emissions associated with business travel wherever practical;

• prioritise virtual meetings, remote collaboration and digitally delivered education where these can replace unnecessary physical travel;

• increase the use of lower-carbon travel, including rail and public transport;

• incorporate environmental considerations into procurement decisions;

• improve measurement of Scope 3 emissions.

By 2035

VRiMS aims to achieve at least a 75% reduction in operational greenhouse gas emissions, where practicable, against its established baseline.

VRiMS will also seek to increase engagement with suppliers that can demonstrate credible environmental and carbon-reduction commitments.

By 2050

VRiMS will achieve Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions across its UK operations, addressing Scope 1, Scope 2 and relevant Scope 3 emissions.

Residual emissions that cannot reasonably be eliminated will only be addressed using credible and independently verified carbon-removal or offsetting mechanisms, where appropriate.

Carbon Reduction Projects and Environmental Management Measures

VRiMS has implemented, or is developing, a range of measures intended to reduce its carbon footprint.

Remote-first operating model

VRiMS operates without a permanent company office.

Remote working reduces emissions associated with:

• routine employee commuting;

• permanent office electricity consumption;

• office heating and cooling;

• office waste; and

• maintenance of dedicated premises.

Virtual and immersive education

A central element of the VRiMS model is the use of extended reality, immersive learning and digital collaboration.

Where appropriate, these technologies enable:

• remote access to surgical and medical education;

• virtual participation in training;

• shared immersive learning experiences;

• remote collaboration between educators and learners;

• reduced need for some forms of physical travel.

Business travel reduction

VRiMS recognises that international business travel currently represents its largest identifiable source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Measures will include:

• assessing whether meetings can reasonably be conducted remotely before travel is approved;

• grouping activities together where possible to reduce the number of individual journeys;

• prioritising rail over domestic air travel where practical;

• using public transport where feasible;

• selecting direct flights where appropriate;

• monitoring annual air travel emissions.

Sustainable procurement

VRiMS will progressively incorporate environmental considerations into procurement of:

• VR and mixed-reality equipment;

• computing equipment;

• electronic accessories;

• software and cloud services;

• training materials;

• professional services.

Where practical, preference will be given to suppliers that:

• provide environmental information;

• demonstrate credible Net Zero commitments;

• minimise packaging;

• support repair and reuse;

• operate equipment take-back or recycling schemes.

Equipment reuse and lifecycle management

VRiMS seeks to maximise the useful life of electronic equipment.

Measures include:

• reuse and redeployment of devices where appropriate;

• maintenance and repair rather than unnecessary replacement;

• responsible disposal of end-of-life electronic equipment;

• use of recognised electronic waste recycling routes.

Improved carbon measurement

VRiMS will progressively improve its carbon accounting by collecting:

• flight routes and travel class;

• rail mileage;

• accommodation location and nights;

• courier and freight activity;

• major purchasing categories;

• equipment purchasing data;

• supplier emissions information where available.

Carbon Accounting Methodology

VRiMS intends to collect activity data and calculate greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the principles of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard and relevant Scope 3 guidance.

Appropriate UK Government greenhouse gas conversion factors will be used wherever relevant and available.

Where primary data are unavailable, reasonable estimates may be used. Material assumptions and estimation methods will be documented and refined as better data become available.

The organisational boundary reflects activities under the operational control of VRiMS.

Monitoring and Review

This Carbon Reduction Plan will be reviewed at least annually.

Progress will include assessment of:

• total organisational emissions;

• changes in business travel;

• relevant Scope 3 categories;

• effectiveness of carbon-reduction measures;

• opportunities to improve activity-data collection;

• progress towards interim and long-term targets.

As VRiMS grows, the scope and sophistication of its greenhouse gas reporting will develop accordingly.