The FORS Standard version 7.1

Requirement

To develop, maintain, and implement a decarbonisation strategy that sets out long-term, planned emissions performance improvements.

Purpose

To ensure that the negative environmental impact of fleet operation can be reduced over time.

Demonstration

FORS Operators shall develop, implement and maintain a decarbonisation strategy. This shall be a development on the emissions action areas outlined at requirement S3 and include:

• An emissions baseline using the total well-to-wheel emissions data calculated as part of requirements O2 and S2
• Self-defined emissions performance targets for years: 2028, 2030, 2035 and 2040
• The planned actions to achieve these targets

The decarbonisation strategy shall use well-to-wheel emissions to set and measure performance targets. Where an emissions baseline and decarbonisation strategy is already maintained this can be used, although shall be updated, if necessary, to include well-to-wheel emissions data.

The decarbonisation strategy shall be actively maintained and updated to include:

• An annual record of the actions taken and an assessment of their impact
• Demonstration that progress has been made toward emissions performance targets
• Justification of any actions that have not been progressed and explanation of how the decarbonisation strategy has been revised to reflect lessons learned from this

The decarbonisation strategy shall include a commitment to ensure the accuracy of environmental performance data gathered.

This shall be a development on the emissions calculating and reporting elements at S2 including, but not limited to:

• Actions to investigate the typical lifecycle emissions of vehicles in their fleet
• Making efforts to understand Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scope 3 emissions or indirect environmental impacts of their fleet operations

FORS Operators may demonstrate leadership in decarbonisation by enhancing their targets to achieve Net Zero by 2050 (or earlier).
Where FORS Operators are unable to meet the above requirement in full, this shall be fully justified at audit, explaining why the requirement cannot be met and providing a plan that outlines a pathway to achieve it.