Alliance Boots employ 65,000 people in the UK – and transports hundreds of thousands of people and products across our country every year. They’re deeply invested in supporting the health and well-being of their employees and customers and have embedded sustainable transport and active travel into the DNA of the company.
The company aims to champion every-one’s right to feel good – with values of purpose, trust, service, entrepreneurship and simplicity.
The sustainable transport element is worked into the fabric of their corporate social responsibility activities – which include community, workplace, environment and marketplace.
Transport is recognised as being of priority importance to their business – being necessary for the transportation of their products, supply chain, ingredients and staff.
It was one of the early pioneers of car sharing schemes – which started in 1997 and at the time was believed to be the largest of its kind in the UK.
Boots considers the whole lifespan of it’s product and chooses sustainable options throughout that life cycle – from the delivery of the raw ingredients, to the transportation of stock to its stores, the journey back to the customers home and ultimately the recycling of packaging once the product has been used.
Of it’s own direct carbon emissions, 80% comes from energy used in store and 20% comes from transport – of which 15% relates to deliveries and 5% relates to employee transport.
To maximise the potential in the supply chain Boots consolidated it’s stock holding locations to one central point, it reduced regional transport activities in 17 local depots, it undertook activities to back load with other suppliers goods where space was available (for example, with Coca Cola and L’Oreal) and it developed ‘double decker’ containers to double stack delivery lorries, thereby reducing the number of haulage vehicles on the roads.
Because of these activities, which were woven into the running of the company, significant time, energy and carbon savings have been made. By back loading with other suppliers products 2.1million KM are saved and along with 1,600 tonnes of carbon. In addition, a shared user scheme in Scotland saves 500,000km and 400 tonnes of carbon per year. Air freight is no longer used as a standard means of transport and work has been undertaken to ensure that shipping containers are used more effectively.
A huge amount has been done within the business to reduce travel miles and carbon emissions – and that also extends to employee travel. Some best practice measures include:
- employees now require executive sign-off for air travel
- fleet cars are diesel-only
- company car lists include low carbon options, with ‘cash back’ for trading down
- Link 1 public transport services operate through the site
- promotion of cycling links to the head offices, by use of the Big Track
- secure cycle parks, showers and lockers
- car share scheme with dedicated parking spaces
Other employee travel initiatives include:
- video conferencing
- upgraded IT systems to support home working
- regular travel to work/cycle doctor events
- travel information available online
Boots is highly engaged in the area of health and well being for its staff – which includes the support of active travel such as walking and cycling. They also support activities to aid healthy minds, healthy backs and healthy lifestyles. They see physical activity as key to well being, with the benefits of cycling/walking to work being better fitness levels, enhanced energy and reduced obesity. The psychological benefits include reduced stress, increased emotional well being, the development of emotional resilience and the feel good factor that comes with caring for the environment.
They view having an active and supportive sustainable transport agenda as good for the business, good for the employee and good for the environment.
For more information about best practice in your business then please contact helenhemstock@thebigwheel.org.uk