STEF bolsters its environmental roadmap and presents its 2030 climate initiative

Conscious of the importance of accelerating its environmental commitments, today the Group is announcing its climate initiative, Moving Green, built around three goals: 

• reducing its vehicles’ greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030; 
• using 100% low-carbon energy for its buildings by 2025; 
• incorporating its subcontractors into its environmental commitments. 

Stanislas Lemor, Chairman and CEO, said: “Climate change represents one of the biggest challenges humanity has to face. As the European leader in temperature-controlled food transport and logistics, it is STEF’s responsibility to make an active contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. 
The challenge we face is immense: how can we continue to supply food products to people, as our Group has done for the last 100 years in Europe, in a more sustainable way that protects the planet? Today, we are outlining an initial response in the form of our 2030 climate initiative. 
Building on our teams’ dedication, collaboration with our stakeholders and the support of our Board of Directors, we are committed to leaving a lighter footprint on our planet. More than ever, we want to make STEF a driver of change in its field when it comes to fighting climate change.” 

Protecting the environment is not a new concept for STEF, as the Group has already carried out significant work on reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and limiting atmospheric pollution in order to help improve air quality. The Group has made major progress that has allowed it to: 

• reduce its CO2 emissions per tonne transported by 20% between 2010 and 2020; 
• reduce the volume of fluorinated fluids in its buildings by 50% between 2013 and 2019. 

This represents a reduction of almost 150,000 tonnes of CO2 over the last 10 years.

Faced with the scale of the challenges, STEF chose to devote part of 2020 to listening to its employees and its stakeholders and seeking measures that could improve its environmental performance further. Two areas were selected as development focuses as part of its Moving Green programme: sustainable mobility and more responsible refrigeration. 

To reduce its vehicles’ emissions, STEF has decided to prioritise low-carbon energy sources. The Group has chosen alternative energy sources with which it will gradually replace the use of diesel: French-produced B100 biofuel, natural biogas for vehicles (bioNGV) and electricity. The Group also plans to optimise its consumption by applying artificial intelligence to its transport plans and to new forms of eco-driving, a practice that is already widespread within the company. Finally, it is actively involved in the latest developments in the use of hydrogen, the energy of the future, and in ongoing tests on electric-powered lorries. 

To tackle emissions from its buildings, STEF has chosen to expand the use of self-generated energy by installing solar panels on its rooftops as well as by consuming low-carbon mains electricity that is guaranteed to be from renewable sources (such as hydroelectric, solar and wind power). It is also continuing with its commitment to constantly reducing its power consumption thanks to its EMS (energy management system), first developed in 2013, and AI management of its refrigeration facilities. Finally, the Group is innovating for the future at its EnergyLab in Madrid, where it is trialling new solutions for generating, storing and sharing electrical and cold energy.

In addition to these goals, STEF has decided to set up a support programme for its transport subcontracting as well as to provide environmental training to all of its employees and raise their awareness of environmental issues. The Group has also committed to implementing a carbon accounting system.