Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Your Organization

What is a carbon footprint ?

The term often comes up in the news, but do you know exactly what it means? A carbon footprint is the estimate of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by a product, service, organization, event, or person, usually expressed in tons of CO2 equivalent (t CO2e).

Why is it important ?

GHG emissions, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), contribute to global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere. This process leads to climate change, resulting in higher temperatures, extreme weather events, and major impacts on ecosystems.

Reducing GHG emissions is a key component of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Companies have an increasingly important role to play in preserving the environment and promoting social well-being.

Where does Simplex start?

In 2019, our GHG emissions amounted to 20,732 t CO2e. Based on this data, Simplex decided to first focus on reducing GHG emissions related to scopes 1 and 2. Scope 1 includes direct emissions from sources that a company owns or controls (e.g., vehicle fleet). Scope 2 covers indirect GHG emissions from the consumption of purchased electricity, heat, or steam. 8% of Simplex’s total emissions come from transportation, and 3% from buildings.

GHG emissions from transportation

GHG emissions related to transportation include building management, road services, and delivery and pickup. To reduce these, we have implemented or plan to implement optimization in three areas: logistics, maintenance, and driving. This means modernizing and adjusting our vehicle fleet to its usage, formalizing maintenance operations monitoring, optimizing transport flows, and educating our staff on eco-driving. In 2024, we added 20 electric cars to our fleet for our sales representatives.

Currently, our GHG emissions from transportation are as follows:

• Road services – 11%
• Building management – 32%
• Delivery and pickup – 57%

*Note that 6% of building management trips are made with electric or hybrid vehicles.

GHG emissions from buildings (Montreal only)

GHG emissions from buildings are primarily related to electricity and natural gas consumption. To reduce these, we plan to implement a strategy for decarbonizing heating systems across all branches, train building technicians on energy efficiency, and establish an energy management program, among other initiatives.

Currently, our GHG emissions from Montreal buildings are as follows:

• Headquarters – 8%
• Anjou – 11%
• Laval – 11%
• Chabanel – 12%
• Dorval – 19%
• Futailles – 38%

In 2023, we converted five additional central heating units. For 2024, we plan to add six new central units.

*Note that the Futailles branch accounts for nearly 40% of building-related GHG emissions due to its natural gas consumption.

So, what are the goals and proposed solutions?

In addition to addressing GHG emissions related to transportation and buildings, Simplex also aims to take action in the areas of supply chain, customer relations, and support activities. To discover all the solutions we have planned to reduce the carbon footprint across our entire range of activities, please refer to our article on organizational life cycle analysis.

In conclusion, Simplex is demonstrating a strong and credible commitment to combating climate change. Its GHG emissions reduction plan is ambitious yet realistic, with concrete and measurable actions already in place. The company is well on its way to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and can serve as an inspiring example for other organizations. Join us in our efforts to reach carbon neutrality by 2050!