Environment | FleetAfrica

As a subsidiary of Super Group Limited, FleetAfrica’s environmental initiatives form part of the broader initiatives conducted by our parent company. Please read below for a summary of the key initiatives that have been taken at a Group level to reduce our impact on the environment and help us achieve our goal of becoming leaders in environmental sustainability.

A greener supply chain

Super Group recognises that global warming and associated climate change is a reality that requires a global response, at both government and corporate level. Super Group is committed to formally integrating sustainability into policy and practice and reducing our impact on the environment by conserving energy and natural resources and minimising our waste. Our environmental sustainability program is central to Super Group’s strategic goal of reducing our effect on climate change, and offering our customers innovative, sustainable solutions.

We believe we have a responsibility to enrich our communities, and to be a leader in environmental sustainability, both in the way we carry out our operations and in the products and services we offer. Our goal is to achieve a sustainable business model whilst being good stewards of the environment and the communities where we live and operate.

Measuring our carbon footprint

In order to improve our environmental performance further, we have implemented enterprise carbon accounting software, which allows us to measure, monitor and track our carbon footprint in real time. In 2011 we measured our carbon footprint for the first time, and using historical data calculated the emissions for Super Group’s 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 financial years. This provided us with a baseline from which we could measure our energy & fuel consumption and against which we’ll set targets.

Using the GHG Protocol methodology, we undertook a measurement of our Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions - vehicle fleet, fuel, freight & courier, and electricity usage for Super Group’s businesses over which we have operational control. In addition, we measured Scope 3 emissions from waste, water and employee business air travel & hotel stays.

Scope 1

Direct Emissions

Fuel Combustion
Company Owned Vehicles
Freight & Couriers
Refrigerants

Scope 2

Indirect Emissions

Purchased Electricity

Scope 3

Indirect Emissions

Business Air Travel
Business Hotel Stays
Waste

The Results

Super Group’s baseline carbon footprint for the financial year 2009/10 was 151 595 tCO2e. The core of our business is logistics, which results in carbon emissions through the burning of fossil fuels. These Scope 1 emissions were responsible for the majority of Super Group’s overall carbon footprint. Through operational year on year growth we expect that our direct carbon emissions could grow proportionately. However, we aim to reduce our overall carbon intensity through improved business practices, environmentally friendly technologies and the behaviour of our people.

What we’re doing

Super Group has made a significant investment in technology to improve the way we run our business. Active fleet management is in place across the Group and is a key element to how we can further reduce and manage our carbon footprint in the following ways:

Route planning and scheduling software eliminates unnecessary trips and ensures our vehicles reach their destination without deviation from the most optimal route.
Active driver management reporting monitors negative behaviour such as excessive speeding, harsh braking, over-revving and vehicle idling. Eliminating this leads to improved fuel usage and longer vehicle life.
Regular vehicle servicing intervals and maintenance means cleaner vehicles with lower emissions.
Active fuel-management programme across our fleet has resulted in improved fuel efficiencies.

Additional environmental initiatives in place across the Group are detailed below:

Reducing Electricity Demand

At Super Park, Super Group’s 100 000 m² centralised distribution hub, a lighting retrofit project was conducted in partnership with Eskom to replace existing lighting systems with low-energy lighting solutions. A total of 1,670 x 400 watt HID high bays were replaced with 200 watt induction high bays and a further 112 x 400 watt HID flood lights were replaced with 200 watt induction flood lights. This has resulted in lower energy demand from the warehouse facility with electricity consumption reduced by up to 40%. In July 2011, the Group implemented additional low-energy lighting systems at our Head Office park which has resulted in reduced electricity consumption of up to 30%. We are in the process of rolling out low-energy lighting across the remainder of the Group facilities.

Recycling Computers & Electronic Waste

The Group has a policy in place to use the services of Interwaste to dispose of all old computers and redundant electronic goods to avoid contributing to landfill sites. Interwaste extracts the maximum value of components which can be reutilised, while at the same time taking care to ensure that all hazardous materials are separated and treated to accepted standards prior to final disposal. The Group is also assisting Interwaste to transport the electronic waste with 32 tons already transported to date.

Recycling Of Used Oil

A significant amount of vehicle servicing and maintenance is performed internally within the Group mostly by Super Group Dealerships and Super Rent. Used motor oil and gearbox oil is sent for refinement and recycled for further use.

Recycling Of Shredded Waste

Secure bins have been placed at our Head Office building as well as a number of other facilities to allow employees to confidentially dispose of their unwanted paper documents. The bins are collected bi-monthly and all of the paper waste is shredded on-site and then sent for recycling.

Looking ahead

The Group has formed a Social and Ethics Committee, which is a sub-committee of the Board of Super Group. This committee is responsible for reviewing and approving the Group’s environmental sustainability plan. Over the coming year we will engage independent experts to review the energy & emission saving opportunities available across our business and assess the way we use energy.

We believe that environmental regulations, laws and codes of practice are the minimum standard that we should achieve and will actively work towards exceeding these benchmarks. We will work with our business partners and suppliers to encourage them to adopt similar principles. Super Group recognizes that sustainable growth comes from operating with absolute integrity and in a way that respects our shareholders, stakeholders, clients, employees, communities and the environment. We believe we have a responsibility to enrich our communities, and to be a leader in environmental sustainability, both in the way we carry out our operations and in the products and services we offer.

Super Group works with Greenstone Carbon Management and Cleaner Climate, using Greenstone’s Acco2unt carbon footprinting software to calculate, measure and monitor our carbon emissions.