Zero Carbon Forum
Zero Carbon Company runs a non-profit Forum and a paid advisory arm helping UK food and drink operators measure, reduce, and report carbon emissions across Scopes 1–3, serving 71+ members that represent one-third of the UK hospitality and brewing sector across 35,000 sites.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Zero Carbon Forum does
Zero Carbon Company is a dual-entity organization operating the non-profit Zero Carbon Forum Limited and the commercial advisory arm Zero Carbon Services, collectively serving the UK food and drink sector's transition to net zero. The Forum operates as a member-based collaborative whose 71+ members—including McDonald's, Burger King, IHG, Greene King, Whitbread, Stonegate, Mitchells & Butlers, Pizza Express, and Nando's—span roughly 35,000 sites and collectively account for an estimated 10 million tonnes of CO2, equivalent to one-third of the UK hospitality and brewing industry. Members access peer-driven Action Groups (Beef, Dairy, Waste, Regenerative Agriculture), CEO/CFO Roundtables, the Community Hub, the Zero Carbon Marketplace for low-carbon suppliers, and industry-standardized engagement toolkits (e.g., Dairy Industry Standard Interventions, Waste Management Provider Actions co-developed with Biffa and Veolia).
The technology stack centers on carbon measurement across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 using gold-standard-aligned methodologies, delivered through a tailored data dashboard, the proprietary 189-initiative carbon reduction framework, and Climate Action Plans. The April 2026 partnership with Mondra adds product-level carbon intelligence and digital-twin supply-chain modeling that lets operators simulate ingredient and menu changes before implementation. Adjacent products include a free DESNZ-funded Energy and Carbon Reduction Tool for SMEs in England and downloadable roadmaps, guides (including the Low Carbon Fit-Out Guide), and webinars.
Revenue is generated through three streams: annual Forum memberships priced from £1,035 for independents to £25,995 for enterprise operators with a revenue-based option, bespoke Zero Carbon Services engagements covering detailed carbon footprints, sustainability strategies, reduction coaching, and compliance support for SECR, TCFD, ESOS, and CSRD, and government-funded delivery programmes led by the DESNZ-funded SME energy reduction tool and carbon coaching programmes. The go-to-market is hybrid, combining direct enterprise field sales, CEO and CFO event-driven acquisition, and self-serve digital channels for SMEs. Zero Carbon Services is also broadening into hotels, experiential leisure, cinemas, and exploring European and US opportunities.
Zero Carbon Forum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zero Carbon Forum
- Legal name
- Zero Carbon Forum Limited
- Website
- https://zerocarbonforum.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Zero Carbon Company runs a non-profit Forum and a paid advisory arm helping UK food and drink operators measure, reduce, and report carbon emissions across Scopes 1–3, serving 71+ members that represent one-third of the UK hospitality and brewing sector across 35,000 sites.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zero Carbon Forum industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainability and Carbon Management Services for Hospitality and Brewing
- NAICS
- Environmental Consulting Services (541620)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scope 1–3 GHG Inventory Strategy, Data Governance & Controls (advisory) (EUABAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Decarbonization Strategy & Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) Advisory (EUABAKAC), Regulatory & Disclosure Strategy (CSRD/ESRS, ISSB/IFRS S2, SEC, TCFD) (EUABAKAH), Net-Zero Target Setting & SBTi/Net-Zero Standard Support (EUABAKAA), GHG Accounting & Net-Zero/Decarbonization Planning (Scopes 1–3) (EUAHAJAC)
Keywords
Where Zero Carbon Forum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Zero Carbon Forum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Forum Membership Fees: Annual membership fees provide the primary revenue stream. Pricing tiers range from £1,035 for independents to £25,995 for Enterprise members. Revenue-based pricing scheme also available. Membership includes carbon footprints, climate action plans, industry benchmarks, events access, and community hub.
- Advisory and Consulting Services: Paid services including detailed carbon footprinting, sustainability strategies, reduction coaching, and compliance support (SECR, TCFD, ESOS, CSRD). Services are bespoke for each business and include SECR report preparation and verification.
- Government-Funded Programs: Delivery of government-funded initiatives including DESNZ-funded Energy and Carbon Reduction Tool for SMEs and free carbon/cost cutting footprints for hospitality businesses. Government funding supports delivery of these programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Independents: Small operators and single-site businesses |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise: Large multi-site operators |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Zero Carbon Forum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zero Carbon Forum operates a dual-structure organization: a non-profit collaborative membership group (Zero Carbon Forum) and a climate tech and advisory company (Zero Carbon Services). Together they help food and drink sector businesses measure carbon footprints across Scopes 1, 2, and 3, develop personalized Climate Action Plans covering 189 reduction initiatives, deliver regulatory compliance support (SECR, TCFD, ESOS, CSRD), and drive collective industry decarbonization across the UK hospitality and brewing sectors.
Product overview
Zero Carbon Company is a dual-structure organization comprising Zero Carbon Forum (ZCF), a non-profit collaborative group, and Zero Carbon Services (ZCS), a climate tech and advisory company. Together they provide everything food and drink companies need to accelerate their carbon reduction journey. The Forum operates as a member-based collaborative platform offering peer learning, Action Groups, Community Hub access, and industry benchmarking. Services provides the operational layer with Detailed Carbon Footprints, Tailored Data Dashboards, Carbon Action Plans (covering 189 initiatives), Compliance Support (SECR, TCFD, ESOS, CSRD), and Reduction Coaching. The organization also offers free tools including an Energy and Carbon Reduction Tool for SMEs and comprehensive Roadmaps for the hospitality and brewing sectors. Additional offerings include the Zero Carbon Marketplace for supplier discovery, the Dairy Industry Standard Interventions for supply chain engagement, the Low Carbon Fit-Out Guide, and the Waste Management Provider Actions toolkit.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Zero Carbon Forum (ZCF) Membership
- Zero Carbon Services (ZCS)
- Detailed Carbon Footprints
- Carbon Action Plans
- Compliance Support (SECR, TCFD, ESOS, CSRD)
- Energy and Carbon Reduction Tool
- Net Zero Roadmap for Hospitality and Brewing
- Net Zero Roadmap for Brewing
- Dairy Industry Standard Interventions
- Low Carbon Fit-Out Guide
- Waste Management Provider Actions Toolkit
- Zero Carbon Marketplace
Quantifiable outcome
- Members recovered over £5 million in lost profits by identifying and reducing energy waste
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Zero Carbon Forum
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Zero Carbon Forum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature5 records
Zero Carbon Forum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MondracorePartnership with Mondra, sustainability intelligence platform, to deliver product-level precision and supply-chain intelligence. Integration enables ingredient-level carbon data, digital-twin technology for modeling changes before implementation, and enhanced Scope 3 analysis. Forum members can now measure true impact of collective supply-chain interventions.
- Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP)coreCCEP signed partnership to attend Forum CEO Roundtables and All Member Meetings. Will share best practice, provide insights from Ventures innovation investment arm, and collaborate on carbon measurement and net zero progress. CCEP targeting 30% GHG reduction by 2030 and Net Zero by 2040.
- British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA)coreStrategic partnership with BBPA on UK Brewing Climate Risk and Resilience report. Co-authored with 3Keel to assess climate risks to British brewing ingredients. Joint advocacy for government support and industry action on barley and hops supply chain resilience.
- BiffacoreCollaboration with Biffa and Veolia to address waste management challenges in hospitality. Created Waste Management Provider Actions toolkit - shared set of questions for operators to engage waste providers on performance, sustainability objectives, and long-term value.
- VeoliacoreCollaboration with Biffa and Veolia to address waste management challenges in hospitality. Created Waste Management Provider Actions toolkit for standardized supplier engagement on waste performance and sustainability.
- Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)coreDESNZ funding supports free Energy and Carbon Reduction Tool for hospitality SMEs in England (525 licences available). Also funding free carbon footprints, reduction plans, and coaching for 600+ SMEs through Zero Carbon Services.
- UK Hospitality (UKH)coreUK Hospitality is the leading trade body for hospitality representing over 100,000 venues. Uses collective voice to champion positive change for the industry. Supports Zero Carbon Forum as key industry partner.
- Sky ZerominorSky Zero is an approach to tackling climate change encompassing both internal efforts to reduce emissions and external initiatives to inspire positive change. Supports Zero Carbon Forum initiatives.
- The Brewers' CompanyminorThe Brewers' Company supports the brewing industry through events and grant-making activities, and acting as Trustee to a major scientific research and education grants fund. Supports Zero Carbon Forum.
- Dairy UKcoreEndorsement of Dairy Industry Standard Interventions. Dairy UK CEO Dr Judith Bryans stated the initiative helps reduce administrative burden on farmers and processors while supporting measurable progress.
- BidfoodminorWholesaler endorser of Dairy Industry Standard Interventions. Head of Sustainability Julie Owst stated the initiative reflects growing need for harmonized roadmap and shared language.
- British Institute of Innkeeping (BII)minorPartner in government-funded trial to help SMEs cut carbon and save on energy costs. Collaborating with UKHospitality and BBPA to make trial successful.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Zero Carbon Forum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Normative: Carbon accounting engine with Scope 3 supply-chain emissions analytics for enterprises. Comparable depth on supply-chain carbon modeling, a key battleground with the Mondra partnership integration.
- Greenly: Carbon accounting platform with measurement, reduction action plans, and SME-friendly self-serve tooling. Closely comparable to the Energy and Carbon Reduction Tool and Services offerings for smaller hospitality operators.
- South Pole: Global climate consultancy providing carbon strategy, footprinting, and net-zero advisory to corporates. Comparable service mix (GHG inventories, SBTi support, supply-chain decarbonization) and similar membership/community models in some markets.
- Persefoni: Climate management and accounting platform for enterprises covering Scopes 1-3, audit-ready reporting, and decarbonization planning. Comparable footprint-measurement and advisory workflow offerings, competing for similar multi-site enterprise customers.
- Anthesis Group: Global sustainability consultancy offering carbon footprinting, climate strategy, and disclosure support. Comparable end-to-end advisory services to Zero Carbon Services across multiple sectors with similar project-based delivery.
- Watershed: Enterprise carbon accounting platform offering Scope 1-3 measurement, dashboards, and disclosure. Directly competes for the same enterprise carbon-accounting budget as Zero Carbon Services with a more software-centric, multi-sector delivery model.
- EcoAct (an Accenture company): International carbon consultancy providing footprinting, strategy, and net-zero advisory. Comparable advisory services and reporting expertise to Zero Carbon Services, now backed by Accenture's global reach.
- Carbon Trust: UK-based independent climate consultancy offering carbon footprinting, target setting, and decarbonization advisory to businesses and governments. Closely comparable to Zero Carbon Services in scope (footprints, Scope 3, advisory) and UK orientation, though broader across sectors.
- Sweep: Carbon management platform targeting mid-market and enterprise with Scope 1-3 dashboards, supplier engagement, and SBTi workflows. Closely comparable on data platform capabilities and target customer profile for sustainability leads.
Others
- UKHospitality: Leading UK hospitality trade body representing over 100,000 venues and a strategic partner of Zero Carbon Forum. Not a competitor but an adjacent ecosystem player that legitimizes and amplifies ZCF's collective-action model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Zero Carbon Forum social profiles
Digital presenceZero Carbon Forum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zero Carbon Forum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Zero Carbon Forum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zero Carbon Forum M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zero Carbon Forum
What does Zero Carbon Forum do?
Zero Carbon Forum operates a dual-structure organization: a non-profit collaborative membership group (Zero Carbon Forum) and a climate tech and advisory company (Zero Carbon Services). Together they help food and drink sector businesses measure carbon footprints across Scopes 1, 2, and 3, develop personalized Climate Action Plans covering 189 reduction initiatives, deliver regulatory compliance support (SECR, TCFD, ESOS, CSRD), and drive collective industry decarbonization across the UK hospitality and brewing sectors.
Is Zero Carbon Forum a public or private company?
Zero Carbon Forum is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Zero Carbon Forum founded?
Zero Carbon Forum was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Zero Carbon Forum based?
Zero Carbon Forum is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Zero Carbon Forum make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Forum Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are advisory and Consulting Services and government-Funded Programs.
Who are Zero Carbon Forum's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Normative, Greenly, South Pole, Persefoni, Anthesis Group, Watershed, EcoAct (an Accenture company), Carbon Trust and Sweep. UKHospitality is listed as an others.
Does Zero Carbon Forum have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zero Carbon Forum.
What industry is Zero Carbon Forum in?
Zero Carbon Forum's product category is Sustainability and Carbon Management Services for Hospitality and Brewing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAKAD, Scope 1–3 GHG Inventory Strategy, Data Governance & Controls (advisory), with a secondary code of EUABAKAC, Decarbonization Strategy & Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) Advisory. Its NAICS code is 541620 and its SIC code is 8731.