G4S surpasses 2012 carbon reduction target by 3%

Global security services firm G4S has achieved a 16% reduction in carbon emissions since 2009, largely due to a decrease in energy consumption by employees.


According to its 2012 Corporate Social Responsibility report, the company established a 4.3% year-on-year carbon reduction, taking its total carbon footprint in 2012 to 612,000 tonnes of CO2.

The company aimed to reduce its carbon intensity between 2009 and 2012 by 13% but through its carbon strategy and employee engagement activity the company surpassed this target.

CEO Nick Buckles said that through the company’s Climate Action Programme the 16% reduction was a welcome achievement, adding that he was confident that the company could achieve an overall reduction of at least 20% by the end of 2015.

“This is a positive achievement which recognises the efforts made by G4S to introduce energy efficiency measures across the business”.

Since 2009 G4S has introduced a range of fuel efficiency measures into its fleet management, including real-time monitoring of driver behaviour and eco-driver training to investing in new technologies such as solar cells to power ancillary systems, stop-start systems and vehicle replacement programmes introducing energy efficient alternatives.

According to the report, these measures have helped the company cut the total emissions of its 30,000 vehicle fleet by 4.1% between 2009 and 2012, an average reduction per vehicle of 17% in the same period.

As one of the world’s largest employers, G4S reported on the carbon footprint of its employees and found that on average each employee was responsible for 1,107 kg of CO2, an 8.6% reduction since 2009.

However, the company was unable to reduce carbon emitted from its buildings across the globe, which cover more than 1.7 million square metres. Average CO2 emissions per building increased to 100.2kg in 2012, from 97.3kg in 2009.

Looking at water and waste, the company is still developing its measurement methodology and is yet to introduce reduction targets in these areas.

Leigh Stringer

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