Carbon Manager tool to 'simplify fleet emissions reporting'

Alphabet (GB) has introduced a new web-based Carbon Manager tool to help support its UK fleet customers with managing and reducing their carbon emissions.

The platform, developed in partnership with corporate carbon accounting and environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting specialist Plan A, is designed to help fleets streamline sustainability reporting, comply with regulatory requirements and implement their future decarbonisation strategies.

The launch of Carbon Manager for UK customers, which has been in development for the past two years, comes in response to growing regulatory and corporate demands for accurate emissions reporting, particularly as the UK Government’s Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) has already mandated large corporations to disclose their climate-related risks since 2022.

Alphabet estimates there are around 1,300 large UK corporates that must actively report their carbon emissions.

From 2026, this requirement could be extended to a wider range of businesses, which would bring more fleets into looking for an emissions reporting solution.

Caroline Sandall-Mansergh, consultancy and channel development manager at Alphabet (GB), highlighted the increasing complexity of carbon reporting for fleets. “The burden of emissions reporting is only increasing, and fleets need a practical way to assess their carbon footprint and take meaningful steps towards sustainability,” she said.

“Fleet operators can upload and analyse their data, test different scenarios to help them make informed decisions on fleet decarbonisation.”

Fleets can input data from various sources, including odometer readings, fuel and energy usage, workplace charging records and telematics data.

Sandall-Mansergh confirmed the system can accommodate incomplete datasets so fleets can put in as much data as they have access to.

As additional data becomes available, users can refresh historical records, improving accuracy over time.

She said: “The more data you have, the better, as it can help with the accuracy of modelling and predictions you can be presented with.

“But we can work and support whatever level of data you might have.”

Sandall-Mansergh said it was important to create something dedicated to vehicle fleets, but also to create something that is conscious of how time poor many fleet, procurement or HR managers can be.

She explained: “We’ve designed the tool to provide professionals with a detailed understanding of their fleet’s efficiency without the need for a significant time investment.”

Scenario-based forecasting and actionable insights

Carbon Manager can model different fleet strategies and predict their impact on emissions.

It means fleet managers can explore standard scenarios, such as transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) for all new orders or implementing eco-driving initiatives to reduce fuel consumption.

The system also allows for custom scenario creation so fleets can test bespoke strategies, such as modifying trip or mileage patterns.

“The tool allows users to test the outcomes of various fleet decisions before committing to them,” explained Sandall-Mansergh.

“Whether it’s electrification strategies, driver training programs, or mileage reduction initiatives, we wanted Carbon Manager to be able to provide insights to help organisations make strategic choices around their sustainability and cost-reduction goals.”

The output from all the data crunching can be in suggestions directly from Carbon Manager, drawing on a library of fleet insights, as well as a more hands on consultative approach with the Alphabet team.

Businesses can interact with Carbon Manager through a dashboard that can track and analyse emissions trends over time.

Sandall-Mansergh said the platform is adaptable to various fleet structures, from large multinational corporations to smaller businesses preparing for future sustainability regulations.

Pricing is based on three tiers where fleets can just use the tool (with training and guidance first) or can increase the levels of service and support if they wish.

Alphabet’s experts can provide guidance on data interpretation, strategy development, and long-term fleet sustainability planning.

“For companies with limited internal resources, we provide hands-on consultancy to help them baseline their emissions, monitor progress and build effective decarbonisation programs,” said Sandall-Mansergh. 

“Some businesses may simply require the software, while others may need a deeper level of strategic support.”

Immediate relevance for large corporations, with growing importance for SMEs

At launch, Carbon Manager is aimed primarily at the larger corporate fleets currently required to disclose their carbon emissions under TCFD regulations.

However, Sandall-Mansergh noted that the tool is useful for SMEs that are looking at electrifying their fleet, as well as getting ahead of legislation or progressing their ESG strategies.

She said: “Even fleets without current reporting obligations are keen to use the tool to understand and reduce their emissions proactively.”

The tool is not limited to a UK outlook, with fleets able to add their global fleet operations as part of the Carbon Manager tool if they choose to do so or would like a company-wide outlook.