Data Advances Decarbonisation in Connected Transportation: Geotab's Sustainability Report Reveals Progress, Recognises Challenges Ahead

London, United Kingdom (April 3, 2024) - Geotab Inc. (“Geotab”), the global leader in connected transportation solutions, today released its 2023 Sustainability and Impact Report, “Trust. Transparency. Transformation.” highlighting how data-driven insights are helping Geotab and global organisations better measure and achieve their climate goals. The report also delves into the tougher challenges of managing business and environmental impact, including increased business travel and much-needed transparency associated with Scope 3 emissions. 

“The climate crisis demands action. The transportation industry is one of the largest sources of CO₂ emissions with a tremendous opportunity in the near term to make a positive impact. As a close partner to that industry, we have a moral obligation to do our part in supporting carbon reduction — not just for ourselves, but for our customers too. This has to be a collaborative approach. There are too many challenges to address and solve in isolation,” said Neil Cawse, Founder and CEO of Geotab.

Geotab’s greatest impact is in supporting customers and partners to drive transformation through data-driven insights and AI, enabling informed decision-making as they report and track progress on all stages of the sustainability journey. In a recent survey by Geotab, 87% of U.S. fleet professionals expected their cost of business to rise in 2024, and 40% confirmed they use data intelligence to create a more sustainable fleet by flagging and improving fuel economy and idling.  Data insights regarding fuel use, better routing, emissions management, better driving behaviour such as reducing harsh braking, and the integration of EVs into fleets help address cost and improve the bottom line.

As part of its commitment towards a more sustainable world, Geotab has pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2040 — a decade earlier than called for in the Paris Agreement — and is aiming for a 50% reduction in emissions across Scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 2030.

The progress made

The latest report shows Geotab has made progress in reducing direct and indirect operational emissions over the past year:   

• In Scope 1, which tracks emissions that occur from sources that are controlled or owned by Geotab, the company saw a 41% reduction in GHG emissions in 2023 (from the 2019 baseline). 
• In Scope 2, which tracks the indirect emissions resulting from electricity purchased by Geotab, the company saw a 35% reduction in GHG emissions in 2023 (from the 2019 baseline). 

Additional highlights from 2023 

• Vital R&D progress — Opening the Geotab Automotive Innovation and Research Hub in High Wycombe, dedicated to advancing the data intelligence required to support the electrification of the transportation sector at scale. The facility is behind much of the success of the innovative technology used to achieve support for over 300 EV makes and models globally. It also provides vehicle telematics for the British Antarctic Survey (the United Kingdom’s National Polar Research Institute) as the first commercial telematics provider to go live in the Antarctic.
• Sustainability leadership and performance awards — Receiving a Bronze medal from EcoVadis for sustainability performance, Bronze Stevie® Awards for Sustainability Leadership and Sustainability Product of the Year, and recognition as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers (2023).
• Customer success stories — Helped Milk & More (the UK’s leading online grocery and milk delivery company) save over £2 million and 4,920 metric tonnes of CO₂ annually, through Geotab solutions including the Green Fleet Dashboard. 
• Partnerships to drive change — Forming the Geotab Sustainability Alliance of 28+ partners offering integrated solutions to help fleets achieve their sustainability goals.

The challenges we face

Geotab’s report identifies areas of improvement which reflect similar challenges experienced in the industry in general: 

• For Scope 3, which tracks indirect emissions like supply chain activities, Geotab saw a 11% increase in 2023 (from the 2019 baseline) mainly due to higher purchases of goods and services and increased business travel and commuting by staff. 
• Challenge in gathering accurate and reliable Scope 3 emissions data across the value chain, primarily due to varying data availability across different regions.

This underscores the importance of further collaboration with supply chain partners and manufacturers to achieve comprehensive tracking, from raw materials to end-of-life, and greater use of data insights will also help provide more transparency and understanding in addressing challenges.

“We are proud of the accomplishments we’ve made so far, but we know there is much further to go if we want to fulfil our journey to net zero, particularly in addressing Scope 3 emissions. We’ll be accelerating our pace to tackle Scope 3 targets, and tapping into the power of data, to realise our and our customers' ambitions,” added Cawse.

About the Geotab 2023 Sustainability and Impact Report 

The report was prepared with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

To spark industry conversation on data-driven sustainability strategies, Geotab’s 2023 Sustainability and Impact Report includes a custom email, so readers can provide feedback on their own challenges and solutions related to sustainability, supply chain and growth. 

To explore the full report, visit: geotab.com/uk/about/corporate-sustainability/