Vp strikes Gold
3 July 2023
Vp plc and its nine businesses worldwide have won Plant Charter Gold status for its procurement, innovations and training standards.
Working with each business’ procurement and product managers, the group scored 13 out of a possible 15 points to attain the highest Gold standard in the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s (SCSS) Plant Charter which aims to help the UK's built environment dramatically reduce on-site emissions.
The Charter is a set of minimum standards evaluating an organisation’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and air pollution. Vp was tested on its minimum standards, engagement, awareness and education, and innovation.
The group’s long-term environmental strategy is tied to its science-based target commitments achieving net zero by 2050 across its entire value chain and 100 per cent renewable energy procurement by 2030.
Measures towards this have included completing a Scope 3 inventory for the first time, with the submission of science-based emissions targets to the Science-based Target Initiative for validation. With the Scope 3 inventory complete, Vp says it is now prioritising carbon reduction initiatives across its entire value chain.
Interestingly, more than half of Vp’s carbon footprint relates to the use of its hire fleet but the group is reducing this by adopting equipment using cleaner technology and alternative greener energy sources.
The organisation is also embedding software to enable quantitative monitoring and evaluation of supplier sustainability performance. This will enable Vp to track supplier self-reported Scope 1 and 2 emissions and to start two-way supplier conversations to influence positive behaviour and focus on sustainability.
Other elements of Vp’s long term strategy include increasing renewable energy procurement, switching to electric vehicles in its commercial and company vehicle fleets where appropriate, reducing its reliance on natural gas for heating, and closer management of electricity, gas and water consumption through contract consolidation, meter reading automation and continual improvement of electricity and gas efficiency as part of their ISO 50001 certification across all UK sites (as reported earlier on the blog).
Vp’s environmental programme manager, Fred Pilkington said: “This Plant Charter Gold status is one of our top achievements for the year and demonstrates our leading commitment towards reducing air pollution and carbon emissions. It is a priority for Vp to accelerate our transition away from rental assets powered by fossil fuel towards those powered by battery and solar, as well as non-powered products.”
Vp's group companies include Brandon Hire Station, Groundforce, portable roadway business TPA, safety specialist ESS, mechanical and electrical equipment provider MEP Hire, Torrent Trackside (pictured) and UK Forks in this country, along with Airpac Rental and the Australsian TR Group overseas.
