Joining Lean & Green puts CHEP Ireland on track to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% within five years
Faced with advancing climate change, new regulations and possible financial penalties, companies around the world are tackling head-on, the challenge of reducing their emissions in a verifiable manner. This is the aim of the Lean & Green Programme, which brings together more than 600 companies and organisations in 14 countries from across Europe with the goal of recognising and rewarding their emissions reductions in a consistent and transparent way. Joining Lean & Green puts CHEP Ireland on track to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% within five years.
Environmental Strategy
Since its launch more than 60 years ago, CHEP has put environmental sustainability at the core of its business strategy. With the understanding that supply chains are the largest producer of greenhouse gases on a global scale (European Environment Agency) CHEP is keenly aware of the challenges faced by businesses responsible for production and distribution. Joining the Lean & Green Programme is the next in a series of steps for CHEP, who has been working to reduce their emissions for many years already. CHEP now want to take a step further and evolve from reducing the negative impact to creating a net-positive impact on the planet and society. In other words, to pioneer regenerative supply chains.
Derek O’Byrne, CHEP Country General Manager, Ireland says: “We made the decision to join Lean & Green to collaborate with other businesses that are as committed to tackling environmental challenges as we are. Cooperating with other Irish businesses and organisations in this regard allows us to have a real and verifiable positive effect on the environment in which we all live and work. We believe that sharing knowledge, working together and increasing efficiencies can have a lasting and positive effect on the natural environment while allowing us to reach and surpass our sustainability targets.”
Mike Byrne, CEO, GS1 Ireland, says: “We are delighted to welcome CHEP to the GS1 Ireland Lean & Green Programme. CHEP, like many Irish businesses, want to reduce their CO2 emissions and be leaders in sustainable business. The Lean & Green Europe Programme has a well-proven record of enabling collaboration in logistics and guiding its member organisations towards a less wasteful and a more sustainable future. The programme is specifically designed to reduce the complexity associated with CO2 footprint reduction and to help organisations on the road to independently verified, accredited and recognised CO2 emissions reductions.”
Industry Leaders
With the EU looking to the total value chain for carbon neutrality, the pressure to reduce emissions is mounting. The Paris Agreement, which is a legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 parties in 2015, entered into force in 2016. More and more countries, regions, cities and companies are establishing carbon neutrality targets. This trend is most noticeable in the transport and logistics sectors and is creating new business opportunities for early movers. Not only has joining the Lean & Green Programme set CHEP apart as an industry leader in environmental sustainability but it means that they are in a strong position to be able to respond to future changes in environmental regulations.
The Lean and Green Journey
The Lean and Green Programme aims to encourage businesses to become leaders in sustainability by taking measures that not only cut their costs, but also reduce their impact on the environment. The Lean & Green journey begins by creating a plan of action to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 20% over five years. Participants analyse their logistics processes and implement sustainable practices that bring cost savings along with the desired emissions reduction. Companies that can demonstrate that they are actively working towards improving their sustainability are rewarded with the programme’s ‘Lean & Green’ Award. If they reach their goal of a 20% reduction over a maximum of five years, the organisation is awarded its first Lean & Green Star. The second Lean & Green Star is presented to organisations for achieving a further 10% reduction over a maximum of three years. CHEP has already been awarded a Lean & Green star in various European countries, and CHEP Germany has already received their second Lean & Green Star.
