The 2025 Carbon Footprint Report marks NRC’s fifth year of emissions measurement and our fourth annual report. It presents emissions data for 2025, trends over the past five years, and progress against our 2019 baseline and emissions reduction goals. The data enables us to monitor the effectiveness of carbon reduction initiatives and identify areas that may require targeted action.
Emissions were calculated across 13 categories, as defined by the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, covering all aspects of NRC’s activities, from fuel use and business travel to procured goods and programme delivery.
Main findings
- NRC’s total carbon footprint for 2025 is 138,034 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e).
- Total emissions decreased by 11 per cent compared to 2024.
- Emissions per staff member remained broadly unchanged, indicating no significant shift in underlying operational or programme delivery patterns.
- Programme-related emissions continue to account for the largest share of NRC’s footprint, driven by the materials, logistics and delivery required to support 10.6 million people affected by displacement and crisis.
- Programme emissions vary depending on the type and location of assistance provided. Changes over time reflect shifts in modality and context rather than overall scale alone.
- Core emissions from travel, energy and fleet have decreased by 41 per cent per staff member since 2019, indicating continued progress toward more carbon-efficient ways of working.
- Reductions in travel emissions in 2025 were partly driven by internal measures, and some reversal may be expected in 2026.
Looking ahead
NRC remains committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 20 per cent per staff member by 2030. Progress toward this target will depend on continued improvements in operational efficiency, alongside efforts to better understand and manage emissions linked to programme delivery.
