CLIMATE aCTION
Our climate strategy
Our climate strategy is based on the systematic recording and assessment of greenhouse gas emissions. On this basis, we review and implement measures designed to prevent or reduce emissions within our company and in our transport processes.
We follow a four-step approach:
Analyse – Assess – Reduce – Document
- Analyse
We record the greenhouse gas emissions from our business activities and our transport services. - Assess
The data collected helps us to identify relevant sources of emissions and determine areas for action. - Reduce
We implement measures and explore further opportunities to avoid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions – particularly in our transport processes and operational procedures. - Document
We document our emissions data and measures, and have our carbon footprint calculations externally audited or verified in accordance with the relevant underlying standards.
We treat our voluntary support for selected climate protection projects separately from the avoidance and reduction of our own greenhouse gas emissions and those associated with transport.
CARBON FOOTPRINT
A robust emissions accounting system is a key basis for assessing our emissions.
Alpensped has its Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF) for the entire company audited externally each year in accordance with DIN EN ISO 14064-1.
In addition, we have our Transport Carbon Footprint (TCF) audited externally in accordance with DIN EN ISO 14083. The TCF forms the basis for calculating the transport-related greenhouse gas emissions from our transport services.
In our calculations, we take both direct and indirect emissions into account. As a significant proportion of our transport services is provided by transport service providers, relevant Scope 3 emissions are also taken into account.
The majority of our reported greenhouse gas emissions fall under Scope 3 and are transport-related. This reporting highlights relevant sources of emissions and helps us to systematically review and further develop measures across our transport processes.
We also record relevant sources of emissions in our administrative operations. These include, amongst other things, staff commuting, business travel, energy consumption and other operational consumption.
MEASURES TO REDUCE EMISSIONS
We are implementing various measures and exploring further options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use resources efficiently.
In the transport sector, these include, amongst others:
- the use of modern lorry technology
- IT-supported route planning
- optimised consignment consolidation
- improved route planning
- the reduction of unnecessary empty kilometres
- driver training in energy-efficient driving
- the evaluation of alternative fuels such as HVO
- the evaluation of electric powertrains for suitable transport tasks.
We are also implementing measures within our own operational processes. At our site, we generate electricity using our own photovoltaic system. In addition, we are digitising processes to reduce paper-based procedures. We offer our staff a range of mobility options. These include bike and e-bike leasing, reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting, and the option to charge electric vehicles at our site using solar power. For business travel, we consider using the train wherever possible. If this is not practical for a particular journey, other modes of transport are used. We avoid air travel wherever operationally possible.
REFORESTATION OF LOCAL FORESTS
In addition to our measures to prevent and reduce emissions, we support the reforestation of local forests. Together with Planet Tree, we are having trees planted in German state and local authority forests.
Since 2023, more than 700 trees have already been planted on behalf of Alpensped through Planet Tree. Forests are important natural carbon sinks: as they grow, trees absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere and store carbon in their biomass. At the same time, healthy, diverse forests make a vital contribution to biodiversity and resilient ecosystems. These planting initiatives complement our measures to prevent and reduce emissions, but do not replace them.
CLIMATE INITIATIVE 50/50
In addition to measures to prevent and reduce emissions, we offer customers the opportunity, as part of our 50/50 climate initiative, to make a voluntary climate action contribution based on the calculated transport-related emissions.
This is based on the calculation of the relevant transport emissions. On this basis, selected climate protection projects can be supported through the purchase of CO₂ credits.
Important: The climate protection contribution does not make a journey emission-free, climate-neutral or automatically climate-friendly. The emissions generated by the journey continue to be calculated and reported. Project funding is provided in addition to, and separately from, our measures to prevent and reduce emissions.
As part of this initiative, we are supporting the Gold Standard project ‘Uganda: energy-efficient cookstoves’ run by First Climate. According to the project provider, the distribution of efficient cookstoves reduces, amongst other things, wood consumption, deforestation and smoke exposure in households.
The details regarding the emissions reductions achieved, project standards and additional social and environmental benefits are based on information provided by the project provider and the relevant certification documents.
