Your partner in ESOS compliance
We’ll help you make the Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme a winning opportunity for your business, from cutting costs and avoiding penalties to advancing your net-zero goals and getting ahead on Phase 4.
Does my business need to comply with ESOS?
If your business meets at least one of these criteria then it must comply with the scheme:
- 250 or more employees
- Annual turnover exceeding £36 million
- Balance sheet total over £18 million
These rules apply to companies, partnerships, trusts, and other corporate bodies. Most public sector bodies are exempt. However, businesses in mixed ownership or part of a larger corporate group must assess eligibility at a group level. If your entire organisation is ISO50001 certified, congratulations—you’re already compliant, although you’ll still need to check that the boundary covers an adequate proportion of the business, and you’ll still need to register and declare ISO as the route taken to compliance.
Your ESOS timeline
The ESOS process can be streamlined into 6 key steps:
Step 01
Determine eligibility based on the previous year’s data.
Step 2
Collect data for 12 months of energy usage.
Step 3
Conduct an energy audit to identify savings opportunities.
Step 4
Submit compliance notification by the 5th December deadline.
Step 5
Implement an action plan to reap the benefits.
Step 6
Conduct ongoing monitoring, keep records handy and prep for future phases.
Data collection and profiling of a year’s worth of your energy data, to spot usage trends.
Site surveys for a close examination of energy use, data validation, and identification of waste.
An energy management review of current policies, practices, and habits that impact consumption.
Energy use analysis, studying patterns, identifying peak usage times, and spotting areas of waste.
Identifying energy-saving opportunities such as upgrading equipment, improving insulation or optimising processes: we’ll include estimated energy savings and payback times.
Transport assessment, reviewing vehicle energy use and recommending efficiencies such as route optimisation or shifting to electric vehicles.
Reporting findings with prioritised energy-saving recommendations, signed off by a lead assessor.
Implementation guidance to help you start saving energy (though implementing these steps isn’t mandatory under the compliance programme).
Download our ESOS checklist
Simplify your path to ESOS compliance — and significant potential savings — by downloading our useful guide.
Your ESOS lead assessor
A lead assessor is essential to the ESOS process, and engaging a qualified one early on helps you maximise audit value and stay compliant. When you partner with Trident we allocate you an assessor to help you manage the entire process, reviewing your energy use, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and overseeing the compliance report submitted to the regulator.
What to include
After submitting your compliance notification for the third compliance date, it’s time to map out your action plan. This should cover:
Your energy goals, outlining your planned steps to reduce energy usage.
Timing, establishing when you plan to implement these measures.
ESOS recommendations, stating whether your audit recommended each action.
Expected savings, forecasting the energy savings you aim to achieve over the four years of the action plan.
Savings calculations, describing how you arrived at these estimates.
Submit your ESOS action plan by 5th March 2025, with approval from a board-level director or senior equivalent.
Change 01
Annual Action Plans:
Businesses must now create and report on energy-saving plans annually.
Change 02
Enhanced reporting:
Demonstrating a closer alignment with net-zero targets.
These new updates could save the UK £1.12 billion in energy costs over 14 years.
How ESOS supports your net-zero journey
ESOS is more than just a compliance requirement; it’s a meaningful step toward your net-zero targets. Through its structured audits, it helps you spot real, actionable energy-saving opportunities that make tangible reductions in your carbon footprint.
ESOS also ensures you see the full picture of your energy usage, an excellent chance to assess how and where you're using energy and to find ways to cut down.
ESOS fits seamlessly into your carbon strategy, ensuring compliance and long-term growth. It provides insights that save money, reduce emissions, and keep you on target with regulations and climate goals.
Who are we
Missed the Phase 3 deadline? We can help.
If your business didn’t complete ESOS Phase 3 we can help you minimise the consequences if you act fast. While the deadline has passed, starting your compliance journey now is essential to avoid potential or any extra fines and get back on track.
We’re here to guide you through the steps to compliance—no pressure, just practical advice to help you make informed decisions moving forward. Let’s tackle this together and keep your organisation’s energy goals on course.
Why partner with Trident?
In-house expertise
We were one of the first UK consultants to offer ESOS lead assessors, helping businesses meet requirements quickly.
Guaranteed success rates
In Phase 2, 63% of evidence packs reviewed by The Environment Agency were only partially compliant and required changes. We’re proud to declare that with our help, 100% of our customers achieved compliance.
Beyond compliance
We can help you implement sustainable solutions that reduce energy costs and optimise energy efficiency.
Start saving now
Act today so you can reap the benefits sooner from your energy-saving opportunities. With energy prices high, this makes good sense for your profits as well as the planet.
Reporting for action, for Abri
Working with Trident has been invaluable when navigating the complexities of carbon accounting. They’ve facilitated thought-provoking workshops which have enabled us to clearly define our carbon reduction pathway, and have supported and guided us to do this in a science-based, methodical and co-ordinated way. Trident have been a true partner throughout the process, making this a genuinely collaborative experience tailored to the requirements and aspirations of Abri.”
Interim Executive Director of Assets and Sustainability, Abri
Trident have been a true partner throughout the process.”
Contact us
Chat with one of our compliance experts
Let’s discuss how you can optimise your energy spend, cut costs, get future-ready and achieve your sustainability objectives, with our support. Fill in the query form and we’ll be right on it.
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