Tanya Neech shares how Scania is embedding sustainability within its business
With more than 50,000 employees in over 100 countries, Scania is the leading supplier of trucks, buses, coaches and power solutions. In the UK, we directly employ more than 1,500 people. With depots from Inverness in Scotland to Redruth in Cornwall, our geographical coverage of 80-plus specialist sales and service points ensure we’re close to customers.
Supporting and developing our employees, driving customer profi tability and leading the charge in sustainability sit at the heart of how we operate, with our ambition to be the employer and transport supplier of choice as well as the leading provider of sustainable transport solutions. This means fully integrating sustainability into the business and working with others to tackle impacts, transform our industry and create lasting value.
During 2020, Scania’s committed Science Based Target was approved. Our target has been set in line with our 2020-2025 strategy and is considered ambitious, but is required if we want to drive the shift. We are the only heavy automotive manufacturer to make this commitment and have it approved
Defining sustainability
Scania’s approach to sustainable transport focuses on three pillars:
- Energy efficiency
- Renewable fuels and electrification
- Smart and safe transport
The second part of our journey is responsible business. We recognise that we have reached a ’make or break moment‘ where we can no longer claim a leadership position if we don’t put evidence behind our ambition.
Strategy 2020-2025
Driving the shift is not something we can do on our own. It is dependent on working with partners across our entire ecosystem, from our customers to technology specialists, government decision-makers and others. For Scania, this approach is the key to developing a truly sustainable transport system.
We lead in technological development, harnessing emerging technologies and shortening their time to market. At the same time, we drive customer adoption of sustainable solutions that are available now. Finally, we will partner with key stakeholders to pilot, refi ne and scale the shared solutions needed to support the transport system of the future.
Our people
In 2016, sustainability officer Tanya Neech, AIEMA, joined the UK business to create awareness of Scania’s sustainable transport solutions. Her initial focus was biomethane for transport and the benefits created by production of local fuel from waste feedstocks. Between 2016 and 2020, Scania introduced more than 300 biomethane buses and 150 biomethane trucks to market.
Scania has a number of sustainability professionals across the global business. In 2021 the UK business will be upskilling its workforce, and will look to train a number of managers and sustainability champions using the IEMA framework.
Our new electric truck range
Scania’s commitment to battery electric vehicles: Scania’s aim is to be the leader in the shift towards a sustainable transport system. Battery electric vehicles will be the main tool to drive this shift and to enable decarbonised transport solutions with better transport economy to customers.
The rapid development of electric solutions for heavy duty vehicles includes the fast advancement of battery technology in respect of energy storage capacity per kg. Charging time, charging cycles and economics per kg are improving rapidly. This means these solutions will become more cost eff ective, primarily in repetitive and predictable applications. They will gradually overtake Scania’s industry leading fossil and biofuel powered solutions in most transport applications.
We have already launched a fully electric truck, as well as a plug-in hybrid truck. In a few years, Scania plans to introduce long-distance electric trucks that will be able to carry 40 tonnes for 4.5 hours, and fast charge during a driver‘s compulsory 45-minute rest.
By 2025, Scania expects that electrified vehicles will account for around 10% of our total vehicle sales volumes in Europe, and by 2030, 50% of our total vehicle sales volumes are expected to be electrified.
Committed to more electric products: Scania’s science-based targets will see us halve CO2 emissions from operations by 2025, and reduce emissions from customers’ vehicles by 20% during the same period. Our focus is on well-towheel – more stringent than many of the legislative regulations coming up, which centre on tank-to-wheel.
The company commits to launch at least one new electric product application in the bus and truck segment every year. Societal investments in solid infrastructure for battery electric vehicles remain a priority.
Tanya Neech, AIEMA is UK Sustainability Officer at Scania.
The pathways study
Achieving fossil-free commercial transport by 2050
Achieving a fossil-free commercial transport system in the timeframe of the Paris Agreement target is not only possible, but also financially attractive from a societal perspective. This is the key conclusion of The Pathways Study initiated by Scania.
The Pathways Study was published in May 2018 and has guided us, informing our strategy and approach to the Science Based Targets we have set.
Download the white paper here: bit.ly/38i9eBE
