Continuing Carbon Reduction Post Pandemic

Update on our carbon reduction

Aquila Services Group is committed to being a carbon-neutral organisation, whilst undertaking actions to reduce our carbon footprint. Our baseline carbon footprint was set calculated from our 2019/20 emissions which was 75.08tCO₂e. We have now completed the measurement of our footprint for the year from 1^st April 2020 to 31^st March 2021. We have measured our scope 1, 2, and significant scope 3 emissions across all geographical locations of the group.

Throughout 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our staff across the group worked primarily from home, and travel to our clients was significantly reduced. This has had a major positive impact on our footprint, and we are keen to take our learning from this period forward into how we can maintain a reduced footprint and meet our carbon reduction targets into 2022 and beyond.

Results

Our total location-based emissions for the 2020/21 year equate to 24.18tCO₂e. This assessment equates to 0.93tCO₂e equivalent per employee, and 3.16tCO₂e per £millions of turnover.

Our 2020/21 carbon footprint show a 67.8% reduction on our emissions in the baseline year, exceeding our 10% per annum reduction target.

Our carbon footprint comprises of the following emissions measures in tonnes of CO₂e:

• Scope 1: 0
• Scope 2: 8.59
• Scope 3: 15.58

The most significant source of our emissions was from site electricity, accounting for 43.9% of our emissions. Emissions from home-workers equated to 38.9%, and car travel 16.3%. There were no flights taken in the 2020/21 year, either domestic or international as a result of the pandemic.

How do we reduce our carbon emissions?

To maintain the reduction of our environmental impact, and achieve sustainable environmental best practice Aquila will:

• Develop and implement a travel policy across the group, focusing on the learning gained over the last year in delivering services to clients remotely, reviewing which journeys we count as “essential”, and using the most sustainable mode of transport where travel is necessary.
• Review the energy use in each of our offices, ensuring the use of green energy providers where we have control over this, and lobbying our landlords to do so where we do not have direct control.
• Drive energy efficiency throughout our business through prudent consumption, proactive monitoring and the implementation of energy efficient technology.  As part of this we will undertake an energy audit across our offices to identify specific energy efficiency improvement measures we can roll out across out estate.
• Continue to measure our carbon footprint to monitor which of our operations have the biggest impact on our carbon emissions.
• Maintain effective waste management procedures by reducing, segregating, and recycling our waste wherever possible and disposing of waste correctly.
• Work actively with our suppliers and clients to ensure that they meet the organisation’s values and place environmental sustainability considerations at the centre of every decision.
• Continue our environmental awareness programme to promote employee participation, encouraging all employees to become individual agents for environmental change.
• Provide ongoing communication to our employees on environmental performance and ensuring that our staff are able to feedback on environmental sustainability matters.

Next Steps on our carbon reduction mission

Our next step is to approve and roll-out an updated travel policy across the group.

For more information about Aquila’s carbon reduction journey, please see our other blog posts linked below or contact us at info@aquilaservicesgroup.co.uk

Aquila’s carbon reduction begins

Making Aquila carbon positive

Aquila’s commitment to climate change

Does it matter if your advisor is committed to becoming carbon neutral?

Aquila Services Group is Carbon Neutral Plus