Collaborating to achieve PAS 2080

Nature Positive supported three RSK Group water companies to successfully achieve Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2080 compliant carbon management systems, which have had formal third-party verification by the BSI. This demonstrates Nature Positive’s unwavering commitment to driving down carbon emissions across the entire life cycle of infrastructure projects, from design and construction to operation and decommissioning.

What is PAS 2080?

PAS 2080 is a specification developed by BSI for carbon management in infrastructure and the built environment. It provides a framework for reducing whole-life carbon emissions across the entire value chain, from design and construction to operation and decommissioning. Key features include:

• a whole-life carbon focus: encourages consideration of carbon impacts throughout the life cycle of assets
• systems thinking: promotes integrated decision-making to support net zero goals
• collaboration: emphasises early engagement and shared responsibility across stakeholders
• nature-based solutions: supports climate resilience and carbon reduction
• cost and carbon efficiency: aligns sustainability with economic value
• carbon hierarchy: frames carbon reduction through avoid–switch–improve.

Why is PAS 2080 important?

PAS 2080 is becoming an increasingly important means of promoting decarbonisation. It is a crucial framework for managing and reducing carbon emissions in the built environment, including buildings and infrastructure. By embedding PAS 2080 principles into an organisation’s way of working, its projects and its programmes of work, it demonstrates commitment to carbon management, climate mitigation and the journey to net zero. It can also give a competitive edge when bidding for tenders, especially with government and major infrastructure clients, which are increasingly requiring compliance. Adopting the PAS standard improves an organisation’s reputation and shows leadership in the sector.

Nature Positive supported the RSK Group companies by undertaking a gap analysis to understand their current level of carbon maturity, identify where they could demonstrate compliance through existing carbon reduction processes and management procedures and present ideas for future improvements.

The standard is not a one-off checklist; it’s a process. It requires organisations to set carbon reduction targets, establish baselines, monitor performance and continuously seek opportunities for improvement, at systems level, within a company’s frameworks and in its projects. This iterative process ensures that carbon management is embedded in an organisation’s DNA and that performance improves over time. Our approach involved engaging with the three companies in a collaborative process so that learning and innovation could be shared as they embarked on their PAS 2080 journey together. Nature Positive provided structured feedback and expert guidance throughout the process to assist with embedding PAS 2080 into the companies’ projects, systems and procedures, achieving a successful audit result.

How can Nature Positive help? 

Our expert team can support on the whole PAS 2080 process, collaborating with you to embed best practice into your governance, processes, systems and ways of working. We can help with data collection, contractor liaison and facilitating workshops to help relevant teams upskill on carbon management. Our support can help you to implement carbon management systems that conform to key standards and planning requirements, such as the PAS 2080 standard. If you want to discuss your journey to PAS 2080 carbon management compliance, please get in touch!