EQUIPMENT rental specialist Vp plc, and its nine businesses worldwide, has won Plant Charter Gold status for its procurement, innovations and training standards.
Working with each business’ procurement and product managers, the group revealed that it scored 13 out of a possible 15 points to attain the highest Gold standard in the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s (SCSS) Plant Charter, which aims to help the UK’s built environment drastically reduce onsite emissions.
The Plant Charter is a set of minimum standards evaluating commitment to reducing carbon emissions and air pollution. Vp was tested on its minimum standards, engagement, awareness and education, and innovation.
The company’s long-term environmental strategy is tied to its science-based target commitments of net zero by 2050 across the entire value chain and 100% renewable energy procurement by 2030.
Measures towards this have included completing a scope 3 inventory for the first time, submitting science-based emissions targets to the Science-based Target initiative for validation. With the scope 3 inventory complete, Vp added that it is prioritising carbon reduction initiatives across its entire value chain.
Over half of Vp’s carbon footprint relates to the use of its rental fleet but the group is reducing this by moving towards an increasingly lower emissions based fleet. Where fossil fuel powered fleet still provides the best solution, the company said it invests in the latest technology to ensure the ‘cleanest and most fuel efficient’ engines.
The group is also embedding software to monitor and evaluate supplier sustainability performance. This will enable Vp to track supplier self-reported Scope 1 and 2 emissions and start two-way supplier conversations to influence positive behaviour.
Other elements of Vp’s long-term strategy include increasing renewable energy procurement, switching to EVs in its commercial and company vehicle fleets where appropriate, reducing its reliance on natural gas for heating, and closer management of electricity, gas and water consumption through contract consolidation, meter reading automation and continual improvement of electricity and gas efficiency as part of its ISO 50001 certification across all UK sites.
Fred Pilkington, Vp’s environmental programme manager, said, “This Plant Charter Gold status is one of our top achievements for the year and demonstrates our leading commitment towards reducing air pollution and carbon emissions. It is a priority for Vp to accelerate our transition away from rental assets powered by fossil fuel towards those powered by battery and solar, as well as non-powered products.”
