Case study
How Solo Service Group is embracing sustainability while gaining competitive advantage
Large Business
Calculated footprint
Carbon credits
Solo Service Group is a national provider of commercial cleaning services, boasting a workforce of over 3,000 employees and a diverse range of clients. It’s one of the largest independent cleaning companies in the UK, with over three decades of experience in the industry.
Solo Service Group embraces innovation and prides itself on developing solutions for every challenge it encounters. This applies just as much to taking climate action as it does delivering excellence to clients.
At a glance
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About Solo Service Group
Location
UK
Company size
3,000 employees
Industry
Cleaning services
Use case
Calculated carbon footprint, set goals to reduce business emissions, funded climate action
Services used
Tree planting and Carbon Avoidance credits
The issue
Solo Service Group is acutely aware of the potential impact its business operations could have on the environment. Driven by this awareness, the team are resolute in their mission to mitigate and, where possible, eliminate these effects. This commitment has led the team to adopt environmentally-friendly materials, embrace innovative technologies, and even reshape their daily operations.
Their approach to safeguarding the environment revolves around proactively curbing their carbon footprint. They know that to reduce you need to measure first, so this approach requires a robust baseline to work from.
Solo Service Group began calculating their emissions in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol guidance in 2022, and this process required a complete review of their footprinting methodology to accurately account for Scopes 1,2 and 3 emissions.
Solo Service Group can be running a fleet of around 100 vehicles at any one time through the course of its operations, resulting in the emissions associated with this fleet being identified as the primary source of direct emissions.
Solo Service Group took the decision to work with Ecologi to balance the unavoidable direct emissions from their fleet as it works towards an ambitious and commendable emissions reduction strategy, with the bold goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2030 (a full two decades ahead of the government target).
The challenges
When the decision was made to support climate action, the team at Solo Service Group were adamant that any investments made must be transparent and backed by accreditation to international standards.
The team were reassured by Ecologi’s commitment to trust and transparency, and in particular the fact that all carbon credits for purchase are easy to view and understand, with clear evidence of their certification by carbon standards.
The solution
Sustainability is at the core of how Solo Service Group runs its business. As they work to reduce their carbon footprint and reach net-zero by 2030, the team has initiated a raft of measures including QR codes replacing paper documents, investing in hybrid and electric vehicles, and using plastic waste-free cleaning products that hold FSC/PEFC approval, are vegan-friendly, and cruelty-free.
They are continuously researching and trialling new products and ways to reduce their impact, and their dedication to a better future led them to working with Ecologi. The decision to join Ecologi was unanimous at board level, as the platform offered a way to clearly and simply mitigate the unavoidable emissions from their fleet, through the funding of accredited carbon avoidance credits.
Working with Ecologi is already having a positive impact for Solo Service Group from both an environmental and commercial perspective, through improved brand reputation and competitive advantage. The team are quick to leverage the impact across internal and external communications, and share their good work across their social media channels and regular newsletters using Ecologi’s badges and Toolkit.
The results
Since 2022, Solo Service Group has funded 875 tonnes of CO2e avoidance credits by funding three different projects. That’s the equivalent of 671 long haul flights.
The global projects supported include generating solar power in Indonesia, producing energy from captured methane in India, and preserving over 70,000 hectares of Amazon rainforest in Brazil.
"Ecologi not only provices the opportunity to support lasting environmental initiatives and funding for verfied carbon reduction projects, but offers a platform to visibly share and promote this impact in an engaging format."
Joseph Blackmore, Environmental Manager at Solo Service Group
