Accelerating our efforts towards a more circular economy
Circularity is at the heart of our business model. By sharing the benefits of our reusable and recyclable carriers, we are not only able to support our customers in reducing their carbon footprint but also in moving together towards a more circular economy.
The 2021 Climate Change Conference (COP26), the recent IPCC report and the EU Green Deal could not have been clearer about the need to address climate change in our business model. A step change is needed to put the world on track to achieve zero emissions by 2050 and meet the 1.5 °C target set out in the Paris Agreement. Against this backdrop it is clear that we need to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy with regards to and our sustainability journey. We will be working together with our leadership team, our employees and our partners to identify our priorities for the next 5-10 years. I am looking forward to reporting on the results in our next sustainability reports.
In 2021 we have made progress towards reaching our goal of a 20% carbon footprint reduction by 2025. The successful implementation of Project Cyan – the transition of rigid blue trays to a new generation of green folding trays – has had an enormous impact on transport movements and CO2 reduction. Our partnership with Transfesa Logistics in operating CoolRail – the sustainable and efficient distribution network of fresh products by rail – is another good example. Also, LPR is switching to more transport by rail. Transport by rail will be a continuous focus area of our work in the coming years.
In Italy, LPR was given an award for a joint project to improve circularity in the supply chain. Moreover, our efforts in digitalisation and fresh logistics, have contributed to increased circularity in the fresh food supply chain.
Despite the challenges in relation to Covid-19 and the new rules governing EU-UK trade, 2021 was another year in which Euro Pool Group witnessed a significant growth, with our network expanding even further. I am proud of the enormous dedication of our employees in achieving these results. Our employees are central to our success and their health and safety remains our priority.
I look forward to continuing to collaborate with our employees, customers, partners and other stakeholders in 2022 to enhance our impact and to continue contributing to a more circular economy.