ROBERTSON Group has won the Sustainable Transport category at this year’s VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards, for the firm’s approach to fleet management.
The awards are delivered by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and celebrate businesses creating a sustainable, low-carbon future through ‘innovative and sustainable practices’.
At a ceremony held in Glasgow, Robertson picked up the accolade, which is awarded to a business which has ‘set out clear objective to engage with and adopt sustainable travel and transport measures and activities’.
Initiatives implemented by the business in building an electric vehicle (EV)-focused fleet saw the removal of 77% of petrol and 95% of diesel cars between April 2021 and April 2024.
After an initial pilot of 13 vehicles, the fleet has grown to over 500 fully electric company cars. With over 99% of all company cars being either electric or hybrid, Robertson is on track to have an all EV/ULEV car fleet before the end of this year. The company is also working towards decarbonising its commercial fleet and is undertaking EV van trials on different projects and facilities management contracts.
Graeme Hannah, director of sustainability and social impact, Robertson Group, said, “At Robertson Group our purpose is to assure a sustainable future, and an important part of that is what we do to protect our environment, today, tomorrow and for future generations. Against robust and challenging targets, we have driven down our emissions intensity by more than 67% since 2015, and have offset more emissions than we generate since 2020 to reach climate positive status.
“As a family business rooted in Scotland, it is very important to us that we demonstrate leadership towards achieving Scotland’s net zero target. Winning this award is recognition of the good work we are doing with our employees, customers and supply chain partners to reduce our impact as we work together to protect the natural environment.”
Robertson was also shortlisted for the ‘Vision in Business Scotland – Best Large Business’ and ‘Energy Transition Scotland’ awards.
The firm became one of the first UK businesses in the built environment to achieve carbon neutrality in 2018, before achieving ‘climate positive’ status through offsetting, well ahead of its 2030 target of achieving net zero.
