Overview

Arch already had strong environmental practices in place, and a preliminary estimate of their carbon footprint. They needed a more robust, consistent way to turn the data they were tracking into carbon outputs, and to develop a Carbon Reduction Plan for public sector tenders that could stand up to scrutiny.

“We’ve now got a well-evidenced Carbon Reduction Plan which we trust, and we’re confident sharing with clients.”  

About Arch

Arch provides expert drainage solutions across South Wales and the West of England, supporting residential, commercial, and industrial clients.

“Our services include emergency unblocking, CCTV surveys, septic tank maintenance, sewer repairs and no dig technology. We support residential, commercial, and industrial clients and we’re available 24/7.”  

Sustainability has been a focus from early on, with Arch making practical improvements that match the realities of a hands-on, operational business.

“We’ve been dedicated to environmental sustainability since we started, and we’ve made huge progress – for example, in 2021 we achieved ISO 14001; we recover and re-use at least 95% of overall waste; and we’ve installed on-site water recovery systems to treat and re-use at least 50% of wastewater. This has been a big step forward within our industry.”  

Alongside internal motivation, Arch has also seen how quickly expectations are changing in procurement and supply chains, with clients increasingly asking for evidence of carbon management.  

The Objective

Arch’s goal was to strengthen their carbon reporting, so that it was built on a complete, comprehensive picture of emissions, and was ready to share with clients when requested.  

“We’d put together a Carbon Reduction Plan to share with clients in the past, but we hadn’t completed a full, comprehensive assessment of all emission sources as part of this.”  

In practice, that meant moving from “we have lots of sustainability activity and operational tracking” to “we have carbon outputs we trust, can explain, and can use to evidence progress and prioritise next steps.”  

The Challenge

For Arch, the barrier wasn’t tracking data, it was the translation step between operational data and credible carbon outcomes.

“We were tracking all the right metrics (energy usage, waste etc) but needed help to turn that data into action.”  

That’s a familiar challenge for operational teams. Data often exists across different people, systems, and formats, and it can be difficult to know what “good” looks like when converting those inputs into emissions, especially when you need a result that’s robust enough for external stakeholders.

“We were also conscious of the complexity of our business and the physical processes we deal with – and the need for a robust, accurate carbon footprint to account for these nuances.”

They needed a footprint accurate enough to reflect reality, not an over-simplified estimate that misses important detail or creates uncertainty when clients ask follow-up questions.  

Why Arch Chose Seedling

Arch chose Seedling because they needed to handle complexity without the process becoming overwhelming, and because timelines mattered. They were looking for a solution that combined easy-to-use software with one-to-one guidance, so they could move quickly and feel confident in the outputs.

“The platform made it simple to manage and input complex data, and meant that we could complete an accurate carbon footprint within just a few days – meeting our tight client reporting deadlines with time to spare! The expertise from the Seedling team was also really helpful when it came to understanding what we could do to reduce our emissions, on top of the many things we’re already doing.”  

How Seedling Helped

Seedling helped Arch to go from detailed tracking to a clear carbon baseline and client-ready reporting, without creating extra workload for the team.

1. Turned “inputs” into clear, calculated outputs

Arch already tracked meaningful operational metrics. Seedling helped structure that information so it could be converted into emissions outputs consistently, giving Arch a baseline they can use year-on-year, and a clearer view of their key emissions hotspots. Consolidating the data into one platform means the Arch team can easily review and update their data each year, as emissions change.

2. Produced a Carbon Reduction Plan built on stronger evidence

The Seedling platform allowed Arch to easily and automatically convert their data into actionable reports in line with required standards – specifically PPN 006. Because the Carbon Reduction Plan they produced was grounded in a more comprehensive assessment of emissions sources, Arch gained confidence in both the quality of the outputs and their ability to share them externally when asked.

3. Made it easier to communicate their work transparently

Arch also used Seedling’s Impact Page to strengthen website and stakeholder communications, a practical way to share progress publicly and “show the numbers,” not just the intent. Seedling’s Impact Pages are designed to be shareable and transparent, including key footprint data, reduction targets/initiatives and downloadable reporting outputs.

“We’ve also made great use of the impact page – it’s a great addition to the ESG page on our website, helping us to put solid numbers behind the things we’ve done and are planning to do.”  

Looking Ahead

With a clearer baseline in place, Arch can now focus carbon management effort where it will have the biggest impact, using calculated emissions outputs to guide priorities, not just operational inputs.  

“Before, we were tracking inputs in lots of detail, but now that we have the outputs – calculated emissions – we can really prioritise our carbon management on the areas that matter most.”  

Next, Arch plans to keep building on the environmental initiatives already underway (including expanding waste and wastewater recovery), with a stronger measurement foundation to track progress over time and respond to client expectations with confidence.  

Arch's Advice to Other Businesses

Arch’s advice is straightforward: don’t let complexity delay action. Start, get a baseline, and improve it over time.

“For other businesses, we’d recommend getting started as soon as possible, even if your data feels complex or overwhelming. It’s better to start small with an imperfect calculation and improve over time, rather than allowing perfection to be the enemy of “done”.”  

Once a baseline exists, it becomes far easier to build momentum, because teams can prioritise clearly, track progress credibly, and answer stakeholder questions without scrambling each time a request comes in.