How Crown Plus Built a Clear Roadmap to Reduce Carbon Emissions

Crown Plus Case Study

Crown Plus is a specialist drainage and civil engineering contractor supporting clients across highways, utilities and local authorities. The company delivers services including high-pressure water jetting, CCTV drainage surveys, drainage maintenance and repairs, GPS asset referencing and vegetation clearance.

A key part of Crown Plus’ approach is delivering work in the most environmentally responsible way possible. Wherever practical, the team focuses on repairing and restoring existing assets rather than replacing them, helping to minimise waste, reduce disruption and lower environmental impact. Materials recovered on site are reused wherever possible, further supporting the company’s commitment to sustainable operations.

Crown Plus' Challenges

While Crown Plus already operated with strong environmental practices, the business wanted to formalise its approach to carbon management and reporting. They needed a clear understanding of their emissions and a structured way to reduce them.

Key challenges included:

• Establishing a credible carbon footprint baseline
• Understanding where emissions were generated across the business
• Improving consistency in environmental reporting
• Creating a practical system teams could follow in the field

Our Approach

Tunley Environmental's PhD-level scientist, Dr Anusha Nawoor conducted a Business Carbon Assessment (BCA) covering their baseline year from 1st January to 31st December 2024. The assessment, carried out in line with ISO 14064-1 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, provided a complete picture of emissions across Scopes 1, 2 and 3. It also delivered a clear roadmap to net zero, with practical carbon reduction initiatives tailored to Crown Plus’ operational realities.

The Impact

The assessment gave Crown Plus a data-driven understanding of where their emissions originate, particularly across fleet and operational activities. With a verified baseline in place, the business can now prioritise improvements, track progress over time and demonstrate meaningful environmental action to clients and stakeholders. The impact has been great for Crown Plus, as mentioned by James, the Policy and Sustainability Manager: 

“It’s turned carbon reduction into something practical and trackable, rather than just an ambition.” - James Plant | HSEQ & Fleet

The Results

The Business Carbon Assessment quantified Crown Plus’ 2024 baseline emissions at 1,191.5 tCO₂e, with the following breakdown:

• 25.8% Scope 1 (primarily fleet and operational fuel use)
• 0.5% Scope 2 (purchased electricity)
• 73.7% Scope 3 (employee commuting, waste generated, business travel, capital goods and purchased goods and services)

Based on the identified reduction initiatives, Crown Plus now has a roadmap to achieve a 52% reduction in total emissions by 2040.

Planned initiatives include:

• Transitioning to renewable energy
• Implementing a zero-landfill policy
• Optimising and upgrading the fleet
• Working with lower-carbon suppliers
• Encouraging more sustainable employee travel

With a verified baseline and a clear reduction plan, Crown Plus can now track progress, prioritise the most impactful actions and demonstrate measurable carbon reduction over time. When asking James if he would recommend other companies to follow in their footsteps, he states:

If you’re serious about reducing your carbon impact, you need a proper baseline first. The assessment gives you a clear picture of where you are and the practical steps you can take next. - James Plant | HSEQ & Fleet