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transport and emissions to air
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- Business mileage (Operations)
- Carbon dioxide emissions (Operations)
- Sulphur dioxide emissions (Operations)
- Nitrogen oxide emissions (Operations)
- Particulate emissions (Operations)
- Volatile organic emissions (Operations)
- Hotels (Operations)
- Maintain the downward trend in the environmental impact of the bank's car and van fleet. TARGET ACHIEVED
- Explore the possibility of working with the bank's chosen car hire provider to utilise more environmentally sound options. ACCEPTABLE PROGRESS
- Re-emphasise the bank's interest-free season ticket loan scheme to all staff. TARGET ACHIEVED
- Encourage staff to use the video conferencing facilities. TARGET ACHIEVED
- Research and, if warranted, facilitate the introduction of a secure Car Share Scheme for staff in their travel to and from work. TARGET NOT ACHIEVED
- Work with the bank's chosen provider to search for hotels that are able to demonstrate their commitment to environmental improvement and which fall within the business class standard. TARGET NOT ACHIEVED
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performance
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 Diesel
 Petrol
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 1997
 1998
1999
2000
 2001
 2002
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ii Excludes freight.
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Follow this link for details of all conversion
factors used in this report. |
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commentary
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Background If no action is taken, UK road traffic is predicted
to rise by a third over the next 20 years i. Although new vehicle
models are producing fewer emissions, this will be more than
outweighed by their number and the distance people drive.
Company car fleet The number of cars in the bank's
company car fleet has reduced by a further 5% (11 vehicles) in
2002. For the last three years, the bank has sourced company
car vehicles principally from Peugeot and, historically, has
taken unleaded petrol models from the 306, 406 and 806
ranges. However, in 2001, diesel vehicles were added to the
bank range following the development of a model that
incorporates a particulate trap (FAP). The diesel 307 FAP range
now makes up 70% of the bank's company car fleet. The
particulate trap works by destroying microscopic particles
before they can leave the engine, thus virtually eliminating
emissions, which are a major contributor to various lung
ailments. High particulate emissions were the primary reason
for the bank previously deciding not to purchase diesel
vehicles. This change in the bank's fleet profile is, as
anticipated, making a contribution to reduced CO2 emissions,
as the bank's diesel vehicles emit around 15-30% less CO2
than equivalent petrol vehicles. Additionally, the bank
estimates that by switching to the 307 FAP range, drivers are
on average £700 better off due to a reduction in fuel costs and
preferential 'Benefit in Kind' taxation. In 2002, the bank
devised an environmental questionnaire covering its
requirements for car purchase. This questionnaire was
included in a Co-operative Group-wide tender. The seven
short-listed suppliers have been analysed by the Ecology Unit and
recommendations made. A final decision will be taken in 2003.
Car hire Working with the bank's current car hire provider,
National Car Rental, a series of low CO2 emission vehicles
have been identified and it is intended that, excluding
exceptional circumstances, these and these alone will be hire
options going forward. The contract for supply of bank hire car
vehicles is currently under review, and this has hampered
progress in introducing these more environmentally sound
vehicles. The bank is, therefore, recommitting to last
year's target.
Business mileage Total bank mileage for 2002 has
decreased by 274,000 miles, or 4.5%. This is mainly due to a
large reduction in company car miles (20%), but masks an
increase in both employee car travel (9%) and car hire miles
(24%). Although total car miles reduced by 6.8% in
comparison with 2001, they have only reduced by 0.7% in
comparison with 2000. Rail mileage has increased by 20%
compared with 2001, with more employees now using public
transport to travel to and from meetings.
Carbon dioxide emissions The switch to diesel vehicles,
together with the reduction in car and freight mileage, has
contributed to a 14% reduction in total CO2 emissions in the
last year (with emissions per customer account down by 16%).
Other emissions Despite the reductions in overall mileage
(4.5%), CO2 (14%) and sulphur dioxide (11%), some emissions
have increased, mostly as a result of the increased use of
diesel fuel. Particulate emissions from cars increased by 27%,
whilst the combined emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile
organic compounds increased by 17%.
Video conferencing Video conferencing facilities are available
in three of the bank's main offices: Head Office, Manchester,
Prescot St, London and Delf House, Skelmersdale. During
2002, a total of 115 meetings made use of these conferencing
facilities, a large increase compared with the 36 meetings held
in 2001. It is estimated that this negated over 250,000km of
travel. The equipment in Head Office was transferred to a
dedicated room in 2002, and a feature article on the facilities
was published in Banknotes, the bank's staff magazine.
Personal travel For more than 10 years the bank has offered
interest-free loans for public-travel season tickets. During
2002, only 87 such loans were taken up by bank staff. This is
despite a feature article on the scheme within the bank's staff
magazine. Uptake of loans has fallen each year since 1997,
when 213 were taken out. A simpler application process will be
launched in 2003, which will hopefully encourage more staff to
take advantage of the scheme. The bank has not achieved its
target to research and introduce a secure car share scheme for
staff travel to and from work. The bank considers this to be
unacceptable and will work in partnership with CIS to explore
launching a joint car share scheme in 2003.
Freight The movement of the bank's freight, principally mail,
cheques and cash, is carried out by four organisations. During
2002, the Royal Mail saw the bank's external mail reduce by
17%, but this still remained the largest contributor to transport
CO2 emissions. The bank is working with Securitas and
Sunwins to accurately calculate the emissions generated by
the services they provide. Securicor is currently unable to
provide any data.
Hotels In 2002, the bank spent a total of £155,650 (2001:
£235,940) on hotel accommodation, representing 1,838 hotel
nights (2001: 2,754). The bank's business travel arrangements
were managed by Travelcare Business (part of the
Co-operative Group), but transferred to Carlson Wagonlit
Travel in mid 2002. As a result of this change, the bank has not
moved forward the target to search for hotels that are able to
demonstrate their commitment to the environment.
Car loans The bank is planning to extend its carbon offset
programme (to read about the carbon offset programme follow this link) to include personal car finance
loans. The bank, via payments to Climate Care, would offset a
fifth of a car's annual CO2 emissions. Additionally, such loans
will be accompanied with practical advice on the best means
for motorists to reduce the environmental impact of their driving.
 By comparison, according to their Sustainability Report
2001, Credit Suisse Group air travel amounts to 2,900 km per
employee (cf. 81km per employee at The Co-operative Bank).
It should be noted that Credit Suisse Group has operations
world-wide, whilst The Co-operative Bank is largely UK based.
Credit Suisse Group provide no similar data on hotels in their
Sustainability Report 2001.
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Road traffic is one of the largest contributors to carbon dioxide emissions that cause climate change. It also adds substantially to local air pollution.
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- Quality of life counts (1999) Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions.
To follow any of the links mentioned within the Partnership Report 2002, please visit the links page.
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ethical and ecological value analysis
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- Annual cost of providing interest-free season ticket loans totalling £101,290, based on a discount rate of 8% £8,000
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new target
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- Maintain the downward trend in the environmental impact of the bank's car and van fleet.
John Sheerin, Head of Procurement and Supplier Management
- Evaluate the potential for running the bank's van fleet on biofuel.
John Sheerin, Head of Procurement and Supplier Management/Jos Mister, Ecological Analyst
- Explore the possibility of working with the bank's chosen car hire provider to utilise more environmentally sound options.
Martin Creasser, Procurement Consultant/Jos Mister, Ecological Analyst
- Reduce transport CO2 emissions by 5% per customer account.
- Raise staff awareness and use of video conferencing facilities.
- Research and, if warranted, facilitate the introduction of a secure Car Share Scheme for staff in their travel to and from work.
Jos Mister, Ecological Analyst
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The above data and commentary has been audited by ethics etc... |
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