Our climate impact in 2021

Author: Gabrielle D, Staff Writer

As a storage company built around home collection and delivery, we have an impact on the planet. As we try to limit our carbon footprint, we want to be open and transparent with our customers about our emissions.

If you haven’t already read our 2023 climate plan, our goal is to reduce our carbon emissions from our biggest emitting activities, while continuing to provide the best service to our customers.

We’ve started by gathering data on our 2021 emissions, and listed them here, as well as what we’ve done to reduce and offset them.

In 2021, we released the equivalent of 916 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

We estimate the CO2eq generated from our activities, according to the international and widely used GHG Protocol.

These emissions come from all sorts of activities, from business travel and distribution to fuel and energy, along with the emissions released as our employees travel to work!

Companies need to categorise their emissions as part of their corporate carbon accounting and reporting, into what’s called Scopes 1, 2 and 3:

  • Scope 1 - Direct emissions from the company’s operations. This includes stationary combustion (e.g. fuels, heating sources) and all fuels that produce GHG emissions.
  • Scope 2 - Indirect energy emissions. They are the GHG emissions released in the atmosphere from purchased electricity, steam, heat, and cooling.
  • Scope 3 - Other indirect emissions that are linked to the company's operations and partnerships.

Scope 3 - Other indirect emissions that are linked to the company's operations and partnerships.

Here’s how our 2021 carbon emissions break down:

2% of our emissions came from Scopes 1 and 2.

In 2021, these came mostly from our own transport and the miles driven by LOVESPACE drivers.

Scope 1 emissions include stationary combustion (e.g. fuels, heating sources) and all fuels that produce greenhouse gas, or ‘GHG’ emissions. Scope 2 emissions are secondary GHG emissions from the energy we’ve bought - released into the atmosphere from purchased electricity, steam, heat, and cooling.

98% came from Scope 3 emissions.

Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions - not included in scope 2 - that are linked to LOVESPACE's subcontracted services and activities, such as courier and warehouse partnerships.

If you don’t already know, we also partner with a national network of courier partners, including Parcelforce, to help get your stuff to you safely wherever you are in the UK. Of course, these partners and their vans will be emitting carbon, just like our own.

Offsetting our 2021 emissions

After searching for different projects to invest in to offset our emissions, we’ve chosen Carbon Footprint in the UK, to help us do that. For 2021 we’ve invested money in renewable energy projects, Gold Standard Certified, around the world, and selected by our team, such as:

1. 100 MW solar power generation project in China:

Based in the Gansu Province of China, this project intends to use renewable solar energy to generate electricity. The electricity is sent to the Northwest Power Grid to replace the equivalent electricity made by fossil fuels, and the Green House Gas emissions are reduced!

2. Renewable wind power project in India:

Located in Andhra Pradesh state in India, the wind farm will create renewable electricity to be put back into the Indian electrical grid. The project will therefore counterbalance an equivalent amount of electricity produced non-renewable by fossil fuels.

3. 5 MW solar power plant in India:

In the district of Rajasthan, India, a total of 18,900 Solar modules will be installed. The solar panels will create electricity to be sent to the Northern Eastern Western & North-Eastern grid. The performance of these solar panels will replace the equivalent amount of electricity generated through other fossil fuel fired power plants connected to the grid.

Looking ahead

We have a long way to go to help maintain the health of our planet, but we’re working on investing in becoming a more sustainable business. We’ve just started working with a new partner, furthr, to even more accurately calculate our emissions and offset them, involving more of our customers and employees.

We’ll have more updates like this one shortly.