CAPELLA has been named Net Zero Champion of the Year at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2026, recognising the charity’s commitment to environmental responsibility and measurable carbon reduction.
The organisation, which delivers services including Teens+ and Sleep Action, was praised for its transparent and practical approach to embedding low-carbon practices across its operations.
The award highlights Capella’s work in establishing its first emissions baseline and integrating sustainability into day-to-day activity, with a focus on benefits for service users, staff and the wider third sector.
In 2024, Capella joined the Net Zero Nation Accelerator Programme, enabling it to measure its emissions for the first time. Between April 2024 and March 2025, the charity recorded total emissions of 74.7 tCO2e, with a carbon intensity of 0.4 tCO2e per employee.
The organisation has committed to halving emissions by 2030 and achieving full Net Zero by 2050, in line with Scotland’s national targets.
To support this, Capella has introduced a range of initiatives, including energy efficiency improvements, sustainable travel schemes, ethical procurement, reduced printing, enhanced recycling systems and staff-led “Green Champion” workshops.
These efforts are supported by ongoing carbon data tracking, expanding Scope 3 analysis and investment in staff development through specialist training programmes.
Christopher McShane, Head of Corporate Services at Capella, said:
“Sustainability is woven into our purpose as a charity. We are committed to supporting young people, families and communities, and that includes safeguarding the environmental future they will inherit. This award reflects the hard work of our teams, our Green Champions and our partners. We see it not as the end of a journey, but as motivation to go further.”
Capella is also supporting other charities to begin their own sustainability journeys, sharing learning through networks including Net Zero Nation, the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Net Zero Edinburgh Project, ACOSVO and the Edinburgh Third Sector Interface.
The charity is currently developing a Third Sector Environmental Responsibility Toolkit, aimed at helping smaller organisations build their own carbon reduction capacity, with a goal of supporting at least 50 charities to begin their Net Zero journey by 2027.
A spokesperson for Net Zero Nation said:
“We are delighted to see Capella recognised as Net Zero Champion of the Year. Their approach reflects the power of collaboration across the sector, helping to share learning, inspire action and accelerate progress.”
James Napier, founder of Notch, said:
“Through robust carbon accounting and data-led insight, organisations like Capella can better understand their environmental impact while identifying opportunities for meaningful change. It’s inspiring to see this approach being used to drive real progress.”
The recognition follows a strong year for Capella, with Teens+ recently receiving an ‘Excellent’ rating from the Care Inspectorate for student wellbeing outcomes.
Capella has also published its Carbon Reduction Plan to support transparency and encourage wider action across Scotland’s charity sector.
