In tackling climate change, businesses are increasingly working to reduce their carbon footprint and adopt sustainable practices.
Yet, many businesses operate in silos, even with businesses in their own supply chain, and as a result, can’t leverage each other’s expertise to find better, smarter solutions to reducing their own emissions.
BT Group, however, is not only making strides in reducing its own emissions, but is actively collaborating with other businesses in its value chain to help them do the same.
One such example is the partnership between Openreach, part of BT Group and MJ Quinn, an industry-leading provider of telecoms, electrical, and building services. Through this collaboration, supported by sustainability consultancy EPI, BT Group worked with MJ Quinn in identifying and implementing carbon reduction opportunities in their operations.
The focus on sustainable fleet management and other innovative initiatives resulted in significant carbon emission reductions, underscoring the power of collaborative company-to-company partnerships in combating climate change.
It also set a new precedent for how businesses can and should look to their peers for greener pathways of operations.
The challenge: carbon emissions from transport
MJ Quinn's most significant environmental impact stemmed from its van fleet, accounting for approximately 90% of its operational carbon emissions.
Operating primarily out of Liverpool, MJ Quinn's challenge was to minimize fleet emissions while efficiently serving BT Group, covering all of Wales, including the south.
With such a wide range of operations for petrol vehicles, MJ Quinn needed to identify some smart ways to reduce their emissions, without compromising their service’s efficacy.
The solution: ten carbon reduction measures
MJ Quinn identified ten carbon reduction opportunities in various aspects of its operations, with a particular emphasis on fleet and travel, buildings, and waste management. Recognizing the significant impact of their van fleet, MJ Quinn took decisive actions to reduce emissions.
To bring people closer to work locations, MJ Quinn established regional logistics hubs, effectively reducing journey distances and curbing emissions from long-distance drives. Additionally, the company made its fleet 100% Euro 6 compliant, adhering to stringent European Union emissions standards.
MJ Quinn also purchased electric vans, reducing carbon emissions significantly. An idling campaign was also launched to encourage drivers to turn off their engines when stationary.
To address driving behaviour, MJ Quinn implemented driver monitoring and training programs, providing drivers with scores reflecting their driving efficiency. This initiative led to a reduction in emissions resulting from harsh braking and poor speed management. Furthermore, a Sure Track telematics system was installed across the entire fleet to measure performance.
In addition to fleet optimization, MJ Quinn made efforts to reduce emissions in its buildings. Installing a heat pump in the main logistics hub and adopting practices such as shutting down IT equipment when not in use contributed to substantial carbon savings.
The company also improved waste management practices, increasing landfill diversion, and enhancing the recycling of telecoms cable.
The results: a 7% emissions reduction
The concerted efforts of MJ Quinn and BT Group's partnership yielded impressive results. During the first quarter of 2023, the electric vans travelled a total of 7,770km, resulting in a saving of 1.9 tonnes of carbon emissions. The idling campaign alone saved 9 tonnes of carbon emissions since its introduction.
Driver monitoring and training initiatives saved over three tonnes of carbon, with 29 drivers trained so far. The establishment of new logistics depots in strategic locations contributed to a significant reduction of over 127 tonnes of carbon.
Shutting down IT equipment when not in use saved 7.2 tonnes of carbon, and improvements in landfill diversion resulted in a saving of 3 tonnes. Additionally, segregating telecoms cable and synthetic blue rope for recycling further enhanced sustainability efforts.
Working collaboratively, the interventions resulted in a remarkable 7% reduction in MJ Quinn’s carbon footprint, saving an impressive 1,484.87 tonnes of carbon emissions.
Passing the sustainability torch back to MJ Quinn
Buoyed by their success, MJ Quinn plans to further expand its sustainability initiatives. The company is exploring opportunities to reduce emissions associated with employee commutes and aims to increase driver training rates.
Additionally, identifying and addressing sources of 'parasitic power,' such as IT equipment left on standby, is on the agenda. The company remains committed to driving further emissions savings by transitioning to more electric vans and green energy supply for buildings.
Setting a new norm for climate collaboration
The collaborative partnership between BT Group and MJ Quinn exemplifies the immense potential of company-to-company collaboration in the tackling climate change.
By identifying carbon reduction opportunities and implementing innovative solutions, MJ Quinn significantly reduced its carbon footprint.
Such partnerships not only benefit individual companies, but also contribute to the broader battle against climate change. They add another dimension to collaboration as initiatives like these show how one business’s climate expertise can be utilised to help another.
BT Group is looking forward to establishing more partnerships like this in the future and hoping to set a new norm for collaborations like this across industries.
As more businesses embrace sustainable practices through collaborative efforts, we move closer to achieving a greener and more sustainable future for all.
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Great
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Very insightful
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Thank for sharing very insightful
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Very insightful and inspiring
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Collaborations like these are some of the most inspirational stories for me. We have so many arenas for climate partnerships but it still seems like it's not happening as fast as it has to. How can we scale up collaborations like this to achieve systemic change?
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Pleasing article.
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incredible
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Great Article 💚