SECR is a replacement for the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme and requires organisations to report energy and carbon emissions in their annual report. Where the CRC applied to around 4,000 businesses, the SECR regulations will apply to an estimated 11,900 companies across the UK, increasing awareness further through the need to gather energy data.
In addition, the SECR guidelines say that businesses are required to comment on any energy efficiency projects and provide a narrative description of the principal measures taken to increase energy efficiency during the relevant financial year. This means that an organisation’s action or otherwise is the area of energy efficiency implementation will now be public and must be meaningful, informative and be commensurate with the size and level of energy use of the business.