Tusker set to achieve Net Zero by 2023

Employee car benefits provider Tusker has reported it is on track to achieve Net Zero by 2023, seven years ahead of official government targets. The company has surpassed a milestone in offsetting more than 250,000 tonnes of carbon emissions via Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) programmes in the process. Fully carbon neutral as a corporate business since 2010, Tusker also offset the carbon emissions of its vehicle fleet across the lifetime of each contract, based on tailpipe CO2 emissions, annual mileage and contract length.

From 2022 onwards, Tusker is expanding its carbon offsetting to include the emissions produced through the charging of its EVs, which are calculated using UK grid averages. By using the “worst case scenario” emissions in these calculations, Tusker is ensuring that it offsets appropriately for all EV customers and not just those on green energy tariffs.

Paul Gilshan, Tusker CEO, commented: “To have passed the milestone figure of a quarter of a million tonnes of CO2 offset while on track to become Net Zero by the end of the year, is a huge achievement. It’s a testament to Tusker’s ongoing commitment to the environment, and something of which we are truly proud.”

Carbon offset

Tusker’s carbon neutral status has been consistent for more than a decade, before becoming a net-positive carbon contributor to the environment in 2020.

Tusker works closely with blue-chip companies and organisations in the public sector to encourage the uptake of zero and low emissions vehicles among employees via salary sacrifice car benefit schemes. As a result of this push towards EV and ultra-low-emissions vehicles, Tusker has slashed its average fleet emissions by 65% in just two years, dropping from 107.9g/Km, to 31.2g/Km.

Tusker has worked closely with Carbon Footprint Ltd, a leading carbon consultancy business since 2010 to ensure that its actions have made a verifiable difference to the environment.

Dr Wendy Buckley, co-founder of Carbon Footprint Ltd, said “Tusker has been leading the way in their market as a highly innovative and responsible car provider; electric vehicle lease popularity has greatly increased due to salary sacrifice schemes making economic (as well as environmental sense). Tusker has realised that – although zero emission at the tailpipe – EVs still have charging emissions and have responsibly chosen to offset these, rendering their entire fleet driving to be carbon neutral.”

Benchmarking

Tusker continues to work with VCS accredited offsetting programmes, partnering these with tree planting schemes. New for 2022, the business has chosen a programme which will avoid deforestation in the Amazon, protecting trees in South America, while planting trees in the UK.

“Working alongside Carbon Footprint Ltd to measure, verify and benchmark our emissions has been fundamental to achieving our status as a net positive carbon contributor.

“By engaging with these experts to ensure that we are not just grandstanding, but actively involved with recognised projects which are making a positive difference is of huge importance to us as a company, but also to our customers,” Gilshan maintained.

Tusker’s suppliers must prove their green credentials during tender processes, and local suppliers are used wherever possible to lessen delivery mileages. To minimise the vehicle emissions of its employees, Tusker’s own car policy is restricted to green or EVs only, while adopting a hybrid working policy, further reducing the travel emissions of the business as a whole.