Our environment

As the world transitions to a low carbon economy,
regulatory change and changes in consumer behaviour
will have an impact on the automotive market, which
will mean we need to develop and adapt our business.

Protecting our business from
the impact of climate change
and working to reduce our own
emissions to net zero by 2040.

ALIGNMENT WITH THE UN SDGS

OUR AMBITIONS

Achieve net zero in our own business as well as help our customers and suppliers as they transition to net zero
Ensure the majority of our employees have completed Carbon Literacy training
Our customers can confidently sell more electric vehicles
Support our customers in making their workforce environmentally aware with the Automotive Carbon Literacy Toolkit
Help car buyers make more environmentally friendly vehicle choices
Use our data and insight to support and influence the government’s policies related to supporting the adoption of electric vehicles

FY23 PROGRESS

Our long-term target to be net zero by 2040 has been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (‘SBTi’)
Included Autorama in our carbon footprint calculations
80% of Auto Trader employees have completed the Carbon Literacy training, putting us at Platinum award level
114 organisations have engaged with the Automotive Carbon Literacy Toolkit, with over 1,000 people completing their accreditation
Hosted two industry-focused sustainability events, bringing together sustainability-focused organisations to collaborate and share ideas
Earned a Guinness World Record for the ‘largest online quiz’, amplifying our monthly electric vehicle giveaway
Launched new sustainability awards for manufacturers and retailers at our flagship Retailer and New Car Awards

Putting the brakes on carbon

We want to minimise our impact on the environment, thereby protecting our business from the impact of climate change. Our strategy is to put the brakes on carbon, not only across our own operations and supply chain, but also using our capabilities and voice to influence the automotive industry to support others in the transition to a low carbon economy.

We have committed to reaching net zero by 2040 and have developed a carbon reduction target which has been validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative.

Our aim is to support the automotive industry in the transition to the mass adoption of electric vehicles. The industry is under enormous pressure to reduce its carbon emissions and whilst many manufacturers and retailers have bold commitments to reduce emissions, many are still very early on in their sustainability journeys and are actively seeking support to help them develop a carbon reduction plan.

We also aim to support consumers in making the switch to more environmentally friendly vehicles and to be the number one electric car destination in the UK.

Our net zero commitment

Net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gases produced vs the amount removed from the atmosphere. We reach net zero when the amount we add is no more than the amount taken away. As a responsible business, we are committed to reaching net zero by 2040 — ten years ahead of the government’s target.

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Supporting the industry

The government’s plans to reach net zero are ambitious and a lot need to happen in the coming years to ensure the infrastructure is in place to support the mass consumer adoption of EVs. We are also playing an active role supporting the industry with their own sustainability plans.

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Supporting consumers

To support consumers in making the switch to more environmentally friendly vehicles we have increased the coverage and exposure we give electric vehicles (‘EVs’) across all our platforms. In particular, we have introduced an EV hub on our website where consumers can access articles and videos on electric vehicles, reviews and advice.

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TCFD reporting

We support the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (‘TCFD’) and its recommendations and are committed to assessing the impacts of climate risks and opportunities across our operations and supply chains.

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