FM Logistic and Brother reaffirm their commitment to reduce CO2 emissions

FM Logistic, an international logistics operator, and Brother, an expert in printing and digitalization solutions, have reinforced their agreement of more than 15 years to continue reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, and reaffirm its commitment to the environment.

FM Logistic, the company that manages Brother’s logistics at its headquarters in Illescas, Toledo, will quantify every quarter the CO2 emission reduction data generated by the activity it carries out for Brother.

In fact, in just one year both companies have managed to reduce 40% of the total tons of CO2 emitted in the logistics processes of Brother products. At these facilities in Illescas, FM Logistic has stopped emitting 178 tons of C02 for electricity in one year (adding up the activity it carries out for all its customers). Mainly because the sources in the Illescas warehouse are 100% renewable. 

This FM Logistic warehouse is Leed Gold certified, a certification system for sustainable buildings, developed by the Green Building Council of the United States. Also the HQE certification (High Quality Environmental), a method of evaluation and certification of sustainability in construction.

This same warehouse has LED lighting in its offices and warehouses with presence detectors and independent thermostats for heating and air conditioning. It also has a specific area for the recycling of rubbish and water is recycled from the packaging machine for gardening. These measures also reduce the emission of CO2 into the environment.

In addition, FM Logistic and Brother are also committed to reusing all shipping boxes that are in good condition. In order to eliminate unnecessary waste. Likewise they have replaced bubble wrap with brown paper in all their orders. To manufacture this type of paper, exclusively wood that comes from sustainable forests is used, for example, bamboo, pine or coconut fiber. In this way, its recycling is very ecological because it decomposes quickly without leaving toxic residues.

Another measure that FM Logistic and Brother have decided to adopt is the use of different types and sizes of boxes. This action has the purpose that the packages always adapt to the size of the orders avoiding transporting air and saving costs in shipments.

One of the strategic pillars that has differentiated FM Logistic in recent decades has been sustainability. During the last year, this value has gained even more strength with its change in business strategy, baptized as Supply Change. Supply Change is a movement aimed at decarbonizing the entire supply chain process of supply and lead the sector in terms of sustainable development.

FM Logistic leads investment in innovation and technology in this field. It is a pioneer, for example, in the use of hydrogen as fuel. The logistics company has invested in a hydrogen generator for its Illescas warehouse and has transformed its forklifts for internal use with hydrogen batteries:

For its part, Brother promotes free methods of return of consumables (ink cartridges and toners) in the world. In this way it offers a comprehensive recycling solution. “As a company, Brother is very committed to sustainable development. It always takes into account the environmental impact of all business operations”, continues Alberto. “In this sense, Brother has specialized recycling companies in Europe, USA and Japan. In addition, our recycling plants in the UK and Slovakia recover components and materials from parts that are returned for reuse in new consumables. These recycling plants are carbon neutral and have been accredited as a zero waste to landfill company since 2013”, he concludes.

Brother is also aware of the environmental impact of electronic waste. 80% of them end up in a landfill without the possibility of being recycled correctly. These electronic products contain chemicals that seriously pollute the environment. 

According to a report by the Platform to Accelerate the Circular Economy (PACE) and the United Nations E-Waste Coalition in early 2019, around 50 million tons of “electronic waste” or Appliance Waste are produced worldwide. Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) annually. It is expected that by 2050 this figure will exceed 120 million tons.