(Credit: Pixabay)Brambles Limited is an Australian company that specializes in the pooling of unit-load equipment, pallets, crates, and containers. The 150-year-old company is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. It says it is transforming the logistics industry by focusing on sustainability and the circular economy.
Indeed, its business model is “share and reuse” with regard to pallets and containers. By replenishing what it extracts, it is relieving the pressure to keep drilling for new resources. “It’s how we can create more natural and social value than we take while emissions down to zero as soon as possible. It means breaking the link between consumption and harm to the environment and society. And it means moving from degenerative systems that waste resources to regenerative models that restore nature and strengthen society. By reaching zero impact and beyond, we’ll be the company delivering the supply chains the world needs.”
The company aims to use 100% renewable energy at its operations in an effort to be carbon neutral by 2025 — something it has already achieved. Its goal is to be net zero across its entire value chain by 2040. It is a party to the Paris climate agreement, now trying to keep its temperature increases to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius by mid-century when compared to pre-industrial levels. Furthermore, it aims to use 30% recycled or upcycled plastic waste in plastic products. It furthermore says it will not send its waste to landfills by 2025 and that it will work with its supply chain to achieve the same.
Brambles is also focused on preserving forests, which are natural vacuums that suck CO2 out of the atmosphere. To that end, it aims to grow two trees for each one it uses as a resource. It has planted 3,684,734 trees, which have sequestered 31,625 tons of CO2-equivalents.
Brambles has five key principles:
Using those essentials, it says that it has posted environmental savings in its customers’ supply chains of 2.5 million tons of CO-equivalents, saved 4,470 megalitres of water, prevented 3.1 million trees from being cut down, and avoided 1.5 million tons of waste. Moreover, the materials it uses follow the circular model because they are sustainably sourced and fully recyclable.
“Brambles has taken immediate action in our Climate Positive program, increasing usage of renewable electricity to 100%. We will decrease the contribution of verified carbon offsets to zero through our Climate Positive strategy,” the company says. In 2018, that number was just 19%. It has risen significantly since then, hitting 60% in 2019, 70% in 2020, and 100% in 2021.
With that, it says that 55% of what it buys are renewable energy credits that guarantee the purchase of renewable energy. It buys 31% of green energy directly, and 2% of its operations are run with onsite green power. “The remaining 12% is covered by VCOs — carbon offsets — from certified renewable energy projects. VCOs will be scaled down as the contributions from renewable electricity increase,” it says.
Altogether, it says its Scope 1 emissions from its operations are up 12% compared to 2020 levels, but its Scope 2 emissions — the fuels it buys from others — are down by 75%. Its Scope 3 emissions tied to its supply chain are down: 57% for business travel and 25% for rail transport. The total emissions from all scopes is down by 4% compared to 2020.
“Brambles’ sustainability program demonstrates that by doing the right thing in the right way, businesses can have a positive environmental and social impact while strengthening financial returns,” says J.J. Freijo Global Head of Sustainability for Brambles. “Two years ago, we started a new phase of our sustainability program, one based on an inspiring and challenging vision: to create a regenerative supply chain. Today, we can proudly announce that step by step, this vision is becoming a reality.”
