Licensed toy supplier, Sambro International has reported a 10% reduction in its overall scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions across its UK and EMEA offices, taking it closer to meeting its ambitious 2023 sustainable development targets.
Sambro has taken a deep dive into its carbon footprint this year, updating previous metrics to ensure all aspects of scope 1 & 2 (direct emissions) are covered. Using 2019 as the base year, it has confirmed a 64% reduction in emissions from road business and a 45% reduction in emissions from electricity.
While emissions from other aspects of scope 1 (fuel, refrigerant gases) have increased slightly, a 10% reduction in combined scope 1 & 2 emissions builds on a general downward trajectory that the business continues to drive forward.
Sambro’s annual carbon footprint report for 2022 shows the company produced 765.52 tCO2e (tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2022, compared to 772.78 in 2021, and 804.21 in the baseline year of 2019.
To help drive carbon emissions down, Sambro has made concerted efforts to reduce energy consumption across its UK and EMEA sites. This operations-led project has included initiatives such as mass changes to warehouse lighting and outdoor spotlights at the UK HQ, the addition of timer switches where appropriate and sweeps of all facilities to identify unused equipment and machinery.
Education and engagement with all employees concerning equipment usage, energy consumption and contributions to the company’s ESG strategy are also top of the agenda.
In addition, Sambro’s Bury-based UK headquarters has switched to renewable energy, with 100% of the electricity supply now coming from renewable sources.
To help drive further reductions and meet its target of reducing carbon emissions by an additional 5% in 2023, Sambro is also reviewing its heating systems and has plans to review its waste and water consumption, working with its current providers to identify improvements.
“Our ESG strategy is now firmly cemented in the way we operate, and with this year’s targets, which have seen us commit to 16 sustainable development goals, we see a genuine shift change in the way we manage our business,” commented Lisa Longley (pictured above), Sambro’s ethical and sustainability manager. “These goals cover all aspects of the environmental, social and governance pillars of ESG and include targets like ensuring all the materials we use in our warehouse are recycled or recyclable, setting up an internal system for charity donations, and introducing a programme for Menopause awareness.
“We are committed to calculating our carbon footprint each year to understand our emissions and how best to reduce them. This most recent data set puts us in a strong place to reach our 2023 targets.”
As well as submitting data for all direct emissions (scope 1 and 2), Sambro has, for the first time, started tackling the wider-reaching aspects of scope 3 this year. Scope 3 covers all indirect emissions that feed into a company’s operations, such as business travel, transport of products and waste, and is notoriously challenging to tackle.
Using the operational control approach, Sambro has identified the key areas of scope 3 that it is responsible for and worked hard to ensure they submit accurate information.
This has included metrics on water consumption, air and rail business, hotel stays, and waste. While these are critical areas for the business, other aspects of scope 3 can be included under the operation control approach, and Sambro aims to build on the range of reported information each year.
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