Supporting the industry

Supporting
the industry

The government’s plans to reach net zero are ambitious and a lot needs 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.

We regularly meet with various government departments, including
HM Treasury, OZEV and the Department for Transport to share our
data and insights to help guide the policies needed into support the
mass adoption of EVs.

We support industry trade bodies with their initiatives and have partnered
with the National Franchise Dealers Association (‘NFDA’) to feature its
Electric Vehicle Accreditations (‘EVA’) on our platforms – those retailers that
meet the strict guidelines of the initiative are able to include a kitemark on
their adverts, which gives consumers the confidence that the retailer has a
high level of knowledge about EVs.

The NFDA EVA

Developing our first ever
Carbon Literacy Toolkit

Developed in partnership with The Carbon Literacy Trust, the toolkit is
the first of its kind, being carefully designed in close collaboration with
leading retailers and manufacturers, including: Nissan, Marshall Motor
Group, Lookers, Motorpoint, Available Car and SYNETIQ.

Available for any organisation, of any size, working within the automotive
industry, it has been developed with the purpose of supporting individuals
and businesses in their journey towards reducing their carbon footprint.

The industry-wide collaboration underpins just how high a priority
sustainability has become for many automotive organisations. In fact,
prior to the official launch of the toolkit, two open pilot courses had
already taken place, both of which were attended by a broad range of
brands representing the full spectrum of the industry, including: Kia,
Vauxhall, Volkswagen Group, Jaguar Land Rover, Stellantis, Arnold Clark,
Perrys, Sinclair Group, Drive Green, the Society of Motor Manufacturers
and Traders, RCI Banque, Dealer Auction, KeeResources, AutoConvert,
Marshall Motor Group, Lookers and Nissan.

The Automotive
Carbon Literacy Toolkit is
the first initiative funded
and rolled out by the
private sector to address
the industry's rapid shift to
a low carbon economy
amid climate change.

Dave Coleman
Managing Director of The Carbon Literacy Project

Embracing carbon literacy

Lookers is a company that has woven carbon literacy into the very fabric of its operations, seamlessly integrating it into their sustainability plans. This video sets out their unwavering dedication to making a positive impact on our planet. It's a celebration of their collective efforts, a testament to the power of conscious decision-making in driving change.

Read the press release

The Carbon Literacy Project

Supporting retailers with the transition to EVs

Retailer Performance Masterclasses

Available on demand via Portal accounts, retailers can navigate
modules in their own time. Upon completion they’ll receive an RPM
certification to confirm they are up to date on how to get the very
best from their online presence with Auto Trader, and crucially, how
to utilise its products to capitalise on opportunities within today’s
market — particularly around the increasing popularity of EVs.

Find out more

A positive influence

The government’s plans to ban the sale of new petrol
and diesel cars by 2035 require a step change in our
industry and a lot needs to happen in the coming years
to ensure the infrastructure is in place to support mass
consumer adoption of EVs.

We actively support the industry’s efforts to increase
the consumer adoption of EVs — through events such
as the annual two day EV Summit (pictured right).
Our wealth of data and insight gives us a unique view
of consumer car buying intentions, and particularly
consumer EV buying intentions. This data is extremely
valuable to not only the government but also the
industry as a whole.

Ian Plummer
Commercial Director

Industry-focused
sustainability events

We have launched a programme of sustainability
events to bring together sustainability-focused
organisations to collaborate and share ideas. We hosted
two sustainability events during the year and have plans in
place for a further two events in the coming year.

We invite businesses to share their sustainability journeys,
ask questions and share ideas with the aim of inspiring action
and motivating businesses to be more sustainable.

Read the press release

No driver left behind

For over a century, women have had a poor relationship with cars.
This needs to change. We need to address the specific concerns
of women around EVs. Prioritise what women will get for their money
rather than extolling the virtues of going green. Explain what lower
running costs mean rather than advertising the benefits of new technology.

Put simply, women have different points of engagement and we're
leading the way on how to best engage them.

Find out more

Also in this section

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.

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.

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.