Stagecoach has achieved a ‘B’ rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project, above the average for the road transport sector following a 14% reduction in carbon emissions between 2014 and 2019
Stagecoach has received one of the highest ratings in the UK public transport sector in the latest assessment of company performance on addressing climate change. The operator achieved a ‘B’ rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which is above the average for the road transport sector which was classed as ‘D’ overall. It was also above the global average of ‘B-’.
CDP is an independent not-for-profit charity running the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. A ‘B’ score is given by CDP to those organisations which are taking co-ordinated action on climate issues. Stagecoach also received an ‘A’ rating for emissions reductions initiatives, an ‘A’ for governance and an ‘A-’ for targets.
Within its ‘Driving Net Zero: Better Places to Live and Work’ strategy published last year, the firm set out plans to decarbonise its business by around 70% by 2035 as well as targeting a zero emissions UK bus fleet by the same date. Investment being made as part of the new sustainability strategy, including in cleaner technologies, is planned to cut the company’s annual emissions by 351,945t CO2 equivalent by 2035, the same as the total annual pre-pandemic emissions produced by around 66,000 UK households.
Sharon Vye-Parminter, Health, Safety and Environment Director for Stagecoach Group, said: “We’re delighted with the CDP’s ranking, which reflects our commitment to creating a greener, smarter, safer and healthier country. This is a significant step forward which also gives us a great platform to build upon with the plans in our ambitious sustainability strategy. We are committed to building further on the progress we have made in recent years on tackling climate change and becoming more energy efficient. The new plans we have outlined as part of our strategy will help to ensure that public transport continues to play a vital role in helping the country to achieve its environmental objectives.”
The roadmap to becoming a net-zero business will see Stagecoach continuing with investment in new zero-emissions fleets, such as electric buses, and other green technologies over the next 15 years, with key environmental targets including purchasing only 100% renewable energy for its buildings and fleet; aligning energy management systems with the international standard ISO50001 by 2027; 95% of waste diverted from landfill by 2026 and 98% by 2031; reducing resource use by further digitalising systems, and; progressing a climate adaptation programme to risk assess and protect facilities.
Stagecoach has also recently joined the United Nations-backed Race to Zero initiative with a commitment to set stretching science-based carbon reduction targets.
