Bureau Veritas UK Limited (Bureau Veritas) was engaged by WPP to conduct limited verification of its scope 1, 2 and certain scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and certain Employment and Waste data indicators reported by WPP subsidiaries for the period 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014. Stated GHG emissions, employment and waste data were included for all global operations under WPP’s control.
Scope of verification
GHG emissions
Bureau Veritas was asked to verify:
- Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from WPP’s global operations.
- Scope 3 emissions from business air travel.
Employment data
Bureau Veritas was asked to verify:
- Age and Gender data.
- Ethnicity data (UK and US).
- Health and Safety data.
Waste data
In addition, Bureau Veritas was asked to verify:
Excluded from the scope of assurance are associate companies of WPP, GHG emissions outside the defined reporting period and scope 3 GHG emissions not stated above.
Methodology
Bureau Veritas conducted the verification against the main requirements of ISO 14064-3: Greenhouse gases – Part 3: Specification with guidance for the validation and verification of greenhouse gas assertions.
WPP’s GHG emissions were calculated by WPP using its own internal methodology that applies the criteria of the WBCSD/WRI Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
As part of the assurance, Bureau Veritas undertook:
- interviews with relevant personnel of WPP responsible for GHG emissions accounting and employment data;
- a review of WPP information systems and methodology for data collection, aggregation, and analysis;
- a review of information and calculations used to determine GHG emissions;
- sampling of source data from 15 of WPP’s operations worldwide. The sample was selected based on air travel, energy consumption, geographical location and head count;
- audit visits to four of WPP’s operations: AKQA London, J. Walter Thompson São Paulo, Ogilvy & Mather Shanghai and Burson-Marsteller New York, to review underlying systems for collecting and reporting employment and emissions data; and
- a review of the consolidated 2014 data to check end of year accounting and reliable transposition.
Conclusion
Based on the verification conducted by Bureau Veritas, there is no evidence to suggest that the GHG emissions assertions shown below, and the age, gender, ethnicity, health and safety and waste KPIs as stated by WPP in its 2014/2015 Sustainability Report:
- are not prepared in accordance with WPP’s relevant internal methodologies; and
- are not materially correct and a fair representation of the GHG emissions and employment data for WPP.
Reported GHG emissions
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Reported GHG emissions
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Scope 1:
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9,747 tonnes of CO2e
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Scope 2:
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136,607 tonnes of CO2e (net of green tariff electricity)
155,367 tonnes of CO2e (gross, including green tariff electricity)
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Scope 3:
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96,577 tonnes CO2e (air travel)
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A full analysis is set out in the management report provided to WPP.
Limitations and exclusions
- A proportion of reported energy data is estimated due in part to the occupation by WPP of business premises where consumption is paid for via a service charge and is not directly metered or billed.
- One of the 15 of WPP’s locations selected for data sampling and review were omitted from the sample during the verification process due to lack of availability of data relevant to 2013/14.
- WPP estimates its other scope 3 emissions, including from leased cars, taxis and couriers, as an additional 15% of its total GHG emissions figure, added to the carbon footprint and reported as ‘other estimated scope 3 emissions’. This estimation was not subject to verification.
Statement of independence, impartiality and competence
Bureau Veritas is an independent professional services company that specialises in Quality, Health, Safety, Social and Environmental management with over 180 years’ history in providing independent assurance services. No member of the verification team has a business relationship with WPP, its Directors or Managers beyond that required of this assignment. We conducted this verification independently and to our knowledge there has been no conflict of interest. Bureau Veritas has implemented a Code of Ethics across the business to maintain high ethical standards among staff in its day-to-day business activities. The verification team has over 20 years’ combined experience in conducting assurance over environmental, social, ethical and health and safety information, systems and processes, including the verification of greenhouse gas emissions data.
Bureau Veritas UK Limited
March 2015