Pickfords is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050.
Our carbon reduction plan
There are four categories of carbon dioxide reductions we have considered whilst setting targets:
- Passive Reductions - these are carbon reductions that would happen without any action needed e.g. the de-carbonisation of the electricity grid will gradually reduce the carbon emissions associated with the electricity we purchase
- Market-Based Reductions - these are achieved by selecting and paying for energy tariffs that have lower emissions e.g. buying a green electricity tariff.
- Active Reductions - these are achieved by making technological, behavioural and operational changes within the business. e.g. choosing to reduce the number of mi les driven in cars; choosing to put a limit on the number of flights people make; investing in new technology to reduce energy consumption etc.
- External Reductions - carbon compensation/offsetting to reduce emissions external to Pickfords’ footprint to reduce Net emissions.
Emissions reduction targets
- To expand Pickfords’ Carbon Neutral Organisation status to include scope 3 emissions offsetting.
- To reduce emissions per thousand moves by 75% by 2050.
The Active Reductions assume
- Site energy audits occur at the four largest sites causing 5% reductions in energy
use at each site between 2023 and 2026.
- Air freight distance is reduced by 5% per year to sea freight distance (with a multiplier
of 1.4 as sea freight is less direct) until distance is 55% of what it was, on top of passive reductions. This is likely to be a larger reduction than can be achieved, making this the best-case scenario.
- Lorries are transitioned to renewable alternatives by 2026 ahead of passive
assumptions.
- Vans are transitioned to green alternatives by 2026.
- All utilities to swap to renewable energy tariffs in 2025
The Passive Reductions assume
- Electricity Grid emissions will reduce linearly to zero by 2035 (which is the UK’s target
to achieve Net Zero emissions). Note: the grid emissions have reduced by approximately 50% over the last 5-6 years on a tCO2e per kWh basis. This affects site and home-worker emissions.
- Vans will transition to be 100% renewable by 2036. In the assessment we assume renewable vans will require the same amount of energy as those powered by internal combustion engines based on the litres of fuel burned by Pickfords in the 2019/20 data period.
- Lorries will transition to renewable from 2045 to 2055, assuming that by this point, lorries powered by batteries, hydrogen or other renewable advances will be readily available.
- Air freight emissions will begin to reduce by 2035, assuming that aircraft with improved efficiency and using green fuels will become available for cargo.
- Sea freight emissions have no passive reductions associated with them, as technological advances for container ships are not yet clear. However, as ships get larger, they become more efficient. It is likely that these emissions will decrease.