We are continuing on our way …
… and may call our company location climate-neutral for 2021.

We are pleased to have achieved an important corporate goal in 2021 and to have become climate neutral according to Scope 1, 2 and 3 with the expanded corporate carbon footprint determined for the ZENTRAG locations in Frankfurt and the GFL Gilde Frischelogistik warehouse in Groß-Gerau.

By reducing our CO2 emissions, we also want to contribute to the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.

We take climate protection personally!

Not only now, but the very fact that sustainable behaviour and management are part of ZENTRAG’s Articles of Association means that we view ourselves, our employees and our processes from this perspective.

In recent years, pilot projects such as “Climate Pro for SMEs” have been initiated with a view to refrigeration technology and lighting. In the meantime, we have made significant progress in this area, as ZENTRAG has recently completed the conversion to LED lighting at the Frankfurt site and we are continuing to optimise the refrigeration technology at the GFL warehouse. The conversion to photovoltaics is also in the planning stage.

Every ZENTRAG employee can request a public transport ticket to get to work without a car. Since 2021, it has even been possible to purchase a “company e-bike” as part of the subsidised salary conversion via ZENTRAG as a lessee, which some employees are already making use of.

It therefore almost goes without saying that our electricity at ZENTRAG in Frankfurt is green electricity. By switching to certified green electricity, we can ensure that we have a direct indirect influence on our CO2 emissions here.

Wherever possible, we also try to ensure awareness and a sustainable approach to our CO2 sources through small gestures and measures in everyday life.

For us, this starts on a small scale and with each employee. Not only since the preparation of our carbon footprint according to Scope 1 and 2 in 2020, every employee also faces a personal responsibility with regard to the handling of CO2 sources in our company. We agree that everyone goes about their daily work with mindfulness. For example, when separating waste at the workplace, in the staff kitchens and common rooms. We also remind each other sometimes of simple things like “turn off the lights”, “turn off the heating”, etc., in order to make climate protection a common goal. A change in perception can also be observed in the way we handle our air conditioning at the Frankfurt site. For example, before switching on the air-conditioning unit in the office, everyone first turns on their climate conscience. We use our company cars wisely and switch to public transport and rail wherever possible. Costs for public transport for the way to work are covered by ZENTRAG within the framework of job tickets.

Our carbon footprint. Record and reduce.

After determining our carbon footprint in 2020, initially according to Scope 1 and 2, we had our corporate carbon footprint for the locations of ZENTRAG in Frankfurt and GFL in Groß-Gerau determined according to Scope 1, 2 and 3 (contract approach) along the value chain in cooperation with the climate protection consultants of do climate. As a result, we now know even better where further adjustment screws are and are continuing to work on projects on various climate-impacting CO2 sources such as heating and photovoltaics. The conversion of the lighting for the ZENTRAG site in Frankfurt has already been completed. At the GFL Gilde Frischelogistik warehouse in Groß-Gerau, a review of energy reduction in cooling technology and systems has been initiated. There is particular potential here with a positive leverage effect. Planning for a photovoltaic system is also picking up speed. In this way, we are getting closer step by step to our goal of steadily reducing our CO2 sources.

On the way to climate neutrality

 

With the preparation of our corporate carbon footprint according to Scope 1, 2 and 3 in 2021, we were able to derive further measures in the area of direct and indirect emissions for CO2 reduction, positively include projects that have already been carried out in the footprint and tackle offset projects for the status quo in cooperation with myclimate, an international climate protection organisation. Thus, we were able to invest in carbon offset projects at the ZENTRAG site in Frankfurt and at the Gilde Frischelogistik warehouse site in Groß-Gerau for the CO2 emissions recorded for 2021, in order to make ourselves neutral at this point.

We can therefore already say that we are climate neutral in Scope 1 and 2.

ZENTRAG supports the project “Less deforestation of the rainforest thanks to efficient cookers in Kenya” by myclimate to offset CO2.

→ Learn more about the project on the myclimate website

Less deforestation of the rainforest thanks to efficient cookers in Kenya

Locally produced efficient cookers reduce wood consumption and help preserve the unique vegetation and biodiversity of the Kakamega rainforest. The cookstoves have a cleaner combustion process and therefore emit less soot, resulting in fewer respiratory infections among women and children. The reduced deforestation and use of firewood reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the women have to spend less time looking for firewood.

The myclimate project of Gilde Frischelogistik

For the Gilde Frischelogistik warehouse site, we support the “Composting avoids methane emissions in Indonesia” project by myclimate to offset CO2.

Composting avoids methane emissions in Indonesia

The climate protection project in Bali composts organic waste that previously had to be landfilled. This avoids methane emissions from landfill and produces high-quality compost. (Text source: project description on www.myclimate.org/en/)

On the way: climate neutral by 2025

The fact that we were able to go one step further in 2021 and have made ourselves climate-neutral for the sites according to Scope 1-3 (contract approach) is an important and good step for us, which we would like to continue to pursue and expand in the future.
We still have further goals until 2025 and would like to continue to sustainably position ZENTRAG and the Gilde Frischelogistik warehouse site for the challenges along the way with the expanded corporate climate balance as a climate-neutral company.

We are also very pleased that we will be supporting the Mittelstandverbund’s “Mittelstand & Moor” project this year with an area sponsorship. The Mittelstandsverbund and the Brandenburg Natural Landscapes Foundation are securing 200 hectares of future moorland here. These moor areas will help to store up to 3000 tonnes of CO2 per year in the future. However, this project will not be reflected in the crediting of CO2 offsets, as it is a non-material project.

We will continue to identify sources for us within the framework of continued climate consulting and recording in Scope 1-3, with the help of which we can consciously influence our climate balance as a whole and also in upstream and downstream chains. Here, too, the first steps have already been taken and our garage is equipped for the conversion to electric vehicles. We already have the first employees using e-mobility in the form of subsidised e-bikes, have converted our lighting in the company building, benefit from certified green electricity and are already planning further reduction projects as part of our carbon footprint.

Picture credits: © istock.com/rambo182, © istock.com/wingmar, © istock.com/Sybille Reuter