Compass Group UK & Ireland adopts electric vehicle policy

Compass Group UK & Ireland, the UK’s leading food service provider, adopts an 100% electric car policy for all new fleet cars with over 500 employees given the opportunity to order an electric vehicle (EV) by the end of the year.

This move follows the organisation’s commitment to reach Climate Net Zero by 2030, which saw it publish Our Climate Promise and Roadmap to Net Zero.

All employees entitled to company cars will be offered the opportunity to switch over to electric vehicles by May 2024 at the latest and this new policy impacts around 900 people. Compass has also taken an active role in improving access to charging points - funding installations at colleagues’ homes and installing points in UK offices in Birmingham and Chertsey. The rollout of EVs has started with those who have high mileage and the longest leases, so that the implementation has the biggest impact on emissions immediately.

Compass is also increasing the number of charging points at client sites. This announcement follows the Government committing an additional £620m to electric vehicle charging infrastructure and targeted grants, as part of its Net Zero strategy.  

Ian Cranna, Future Food Offer and New Channels Director at Compass Group UK & Ireland, commented: "COP26 has again brought into focus the necessity of taking action to reduce and reverse climate change and we are proud that our market leading Net Zero commitment and Roadmap to Net Zero outline how we will make our contribution to this effort. Our move to 100% electric fleet vehicles is an important milestone towards achieving our goals in partnership with clients, suppliers and employees."

Ian Murphy, Managing Director, Foodbuy (Compass’ procurement business), said: “We’ve worked with our car partner, to research a comprehensive and forward-thinking policy and range of cars that suit our peoples’ needs - this is an ambitious and significant investment. Our next step will be to look at our vans across the business - we’re already tracking activity and mileage to assess the viability of moving them across to electric vehicles, so we hope to make progress in this area very soon.”

Compass Group UK & Ireland has recently received confirmation by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), that its targets - submitted in July – have been approved;

• Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 46% by 2030 from a 2019 base-year, or 69% when including business growth.
• Reduce its scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services 46% by 2030 from a 2019 base-year, or 69% when including business growth.
• Increase annual sourcing of renewable electricity from 2% in 2019 to 100% by 2022.

This is in line with the most ambitious goal of the Paris Agreement and what the latest climate science dictates is needed to prevent the most damaging effects of climate change. The business is a signatory of Business Ambition for 1.5°C and the UN’s Race to Zero campaign.