The UK Carbon Data Benchmark 2026

We asked 502 decision-makers how their company currently uses carbon data, what it's helped them achieve, which problems they've encountered, and what role it should play in business decisions.

Guide

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October 13, 2026

Carbon data is now part of how UK businesses win work. Customers, procurement teams and investors ask for credible emissions figures when businesses bid for contracts, answer tenders and apply for financing. Credible carbon data was required for two in five of the opportunities UK businesses pursued last year.

The figures are not always ready when they are asked for. Nearly two thirds of businesses say problems with their carbon data have contributed to an opportunity being lost or delayed, and once emissions have been measured it takes 9.1 days on average for a credible figure to reach the person who needs it.

The UK Carbon Data Benchmark 2026 is independent research from Zevero, based on a survey of 502 senior decision-makers at UK companies with 100 or more employees. It looks beyond the sustainability team to the job functions that rely on carbon data, and gives UK businesses a benchmark to measure their own position against.

What you will find in the report

From this survey of 502 senior UK decision-makers, you will get insights on:

Demand. How often carbon data is now required for tenders, contracts and financing, and how much more is expected.
How it is used. How carbon data is collected and who owns it, and how that differs across job functions.
When it falls short. The problems businesses have run into, the value of the opportunities lost or delayed, and how long a credible figure takes to reach a decision-maker.
Confidence and investment. How far businesses trust their figures, and where they plan to invest over the next two years.

Here's a few highlights of UK decision-makers told us:

About the report

The UK Carbon Data Benchmark 2026 is independent research commissioned by Zevero. It is based on a survey of 502 decision-makers at UK companies with 100 or more employees, carried out by Censuswide between August and September 2026.

The survey covers a wide range of sectors and job functions, from sustainability and operations to procurement, commercial and executive leadership. The report sets out what they told us about carbon data in their business and gives UK companies a benchmark to measure their own position against.