This saves an average of around 1,500 metric tons of CO2 per year at the location. The consistent use of renewable energies is an important part of the supply chain and e-commerce service provider's sustainability strategy and is to be implemented at all locations in the global network by the end of 2022.
For the 565,000 sqft. distribution center centrally located just 45 minutes north of Chicago O'Hare International Airport, the switch to green electricity was made in cooperation with Wisconsin-based regional utility company We Energy and its "Energy for Tomorrow" renewable energy program.
In general, however, the supply of "real" green power, e.g., electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind, is still very limited in the U.S., and a changeover, depending on the region, is sometimes very difficult. "As a result, people often fall back to pure compensation for emissions that result from converting fossil fuels into electricity," reports Mitat Aydindag, Managing Director of Arvato Supply Chain Solution in North America. "However, that's not an option for us as a company because we want to be part of the energy transition with our demand for 'real' green energy." These requirements were met by We Energies, whose Energy for Tomorrow product is certified Green e by the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions and meets all environmental and consumer protection standards. Currently, the green electricity mix consists of 92 percent wind and eight percent solar energy.
"All employees in Pleasant Prairie are proud that we have been able to implement the goals set as part of our global sustainability strategy so quickly and that we are now the first Arvato Supply Chain Solutions North America distribution center to run on 100 percent renewable energy," emphasizes Tywone Ferrell, Site Director at the location. "We hope that our example will also inspire other companies in the region to make the switch, thus further reducing their carbon footprint and support the transition to clean energy in the U.S."
In the U.S., Arvato Supply Chain Solutions operates a total of eight distribution centers at five locations with more than 3.6 million sqft. of space; worldwide, there are 85 locations in 20 countries with more than 21 million sqft. of logistics space. Mitat Aydindag: "The goal is to run all of our distribution centers with green electricity by the end of 2022. In Pleasant Prairie we succeeded ahead of time. At the same time, the changeover is an important step in our global sustainability strategy, under which we want to make our company completely climate-neutral by 2030."
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