A carbon footprint can change where a business directs its attention. For Unigloves UK, measuring emissions showed that the greatest opportunity lay in its products and supply chain. That finding is now informing supplier assessment, material development and the way sustainability enters commercial decisions.

The hand protection business’s submission to The SHE Show Inspiring Change Awards 2026 describes B Corp certification in 2025 as a starting point for further work. Responsibility for environmental, social and governance matters is reflected in its Articles of Association and European business strategy, with a programme intended to reach beyond the sustainability function.

Working with Greenly, Unigloves established a footprint of approximately 74,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, with more than 99% arising from Scope 3 emissions in its wider value chain. The supporting report identifies product purchases as the largest source. Improvements to offices and vehicles could therefore address only a small share of the total footprint.

The findings prompted a more detailed review of suppliers. Unigloves is collecting information on governance, business ethics, human rights, environmental management and carbon reduction. Its supplier questionnaire asks for evidence such as emissions data, material traceability and working conditions. A developing prioritisation framework is intended to direct engagement towards areas where it can have the greatest effect.

The company is also reviewing supply contracts and its Supplier Code of Conduct, building on the Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code. Clearer expectations around carbon management are intended to support ongoing improvement. Unigloves reports that 89% of products purchased are covered by forced labour assessments, providing broader visibility of potential sourcing risks rather than a guarantee that every risk has been eliminated.

Product development is another focus. Unigloves is developing cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessments to examine environmental impacts from materials through to disposal. Colleagues at manufacturing facilities in Malaysia are using this approach to explore alternative glove materials alongside requirements for protection, quality and performance. At the time of the submission, the resulting product was undergoing performance testing before launch.

End-of-life options remain a research challenge. Through iCAST, the Innovation Centre for Applied Sustainable Technology, Unigloves is supporting a funded PhD project exploring chemical recycling. The work investigates potential routes to greater material circularity; it is not presented as an established recycling service or a completed solution for used gloves.

Employee development supports these changes. Since B Corp certification, the team has completed 671 hours of training across subjects including human rights, modern slavery, discrimination, whistleblowing and cyber security. Employees have also completed 15 Greenly greenhouse gas training modules. This broadens the knowledge available to colleagues whose purchasing, product and operational decisions affect ESG performance.

The emissions results need to be read in context. Greenly’s report, labelled 2024 and covering July 2024–June 2025, shows an 11% reduction in emissions per unit of revenue alongside 22% revenue growth. It also records a 9% increase in absolute emissions against its 2023 comparison. The intensity improvement therefore represents progress in relative efficiency, while reducing the total footprint remains a continuing task.

Unigloves has set a target to reduce Scope 3 emissions to 67,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030. It also reports improvements across two EcoVadis assessment cycles, with its overall score rising from 66 to 79 and its Sustainable Procurement score from 60 to 83. These measures help track development of its approach alongside the emissions data.

For the SHE community, the useful lesson is to let evidence influence priorities. Unigloves’ footprint has directed attention towards supplier relationships and product choices, where most of its impact sits. Building better information into those decisions, while keeping research, targets and achieved results distinct, gives the business a clearer basis for its next stage of improvement.

Based on Unigloves UK’s submission, Greenly greenhouse gas report and supplier questionnaire for The SHE Show Inspiring Change Awards 2026. Programme progress is as reported in September 2026.