Table of Content
Understanding Our Role in Climate Responsibility
As a leading European e-commerce fulfillment provider, byrd remains committed to shaping a more sustainable future. We're well aware that our operations, particularly in logistics and warehousing, inevitably impact the environment. That’s why we embrace our responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint and support climate protection initiatives by offsetting our internal emissions.
To stay accountable and transparent, we’ve once again partnered with ClimatePartner to assess, offset, and communicate our greenhouse gas emissions. This annual CO₂ assessment for 2024 helps us better understand where emissions occur and how we can make meaningful improvements across our operations.
Our Approach
Like in the past years, our strategy for reducing and offsetting CO₂ emissions involves four key steps:
- Calculating Emissions:
Once again, we partnered with ClimatePartner to accurately measure our emissions, a crucial step in understanding our current position and identifying areas for improvement. - Reducing and Avoiding Emissions:
Every step towards avoiding emissions is positive for the environment. Since 2021, we have come a long way and are down to one-third of the emissions in 2021 (453.812 kg in 2021 according to ClimatePartner calculations. Disclaimer; a more detailed assessment has been conducted since then). Nevertheless, there is still considerable room for optimization. - Offsetting Emissions:
Recognizing that not all emissions can be eliminated, we compensate for 100% of our emissions through targeted projects. - Creating Transparency:
We believe in sharing our efforts to inspire others as well as addressing past and current shortcomings and existing hurdles openly, and try to follow through with that.
You can find more details here
Detailed Emissions Calculation for 2024
In partnership with ClimatePartner, we collected extensive data from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, including energy consumption, business travel, material use, waste production, and transport routes. This primary and secondary data was independently verified by ClimateParter to ensure precision. With this data, they created a comprehensive CO₂ balance.
For transparency, we want to explicitly note that these emissions are attributed to byrd and do not include the emissions of our warehouse and shipping partners.
Our Climate Impact in 2024
Between January and December 2024, byrd’s total calculated carbon footprint was 136.68 metric tons of CO₂ (down from 164 metric tons in 2023). To ensure full compensation and account for any data uncertainties, we applied a 10% safety margin, resulting in a total offset of 150.35 metric tons of CO₂.
Breakdown by Emission Scope
Our emissions are distributed across the different scopes of the GHG Protocol as follows:
Scope 1: Direct Emissions: 9.34 tons of CO₂ (6.83%)
These originate from sources under our direct control, such as heating systems and refrigerants.
Scope 2: Indirect Emissions from Energy Consumption: 0.00t
Our use of green electricity contributed to a neutral Scope 2 balance under the market-based approach.
Scope 3: Other Indirect Emissions: 127.35 t CO₂ (93.17%)
This includes business travel, employee commuting, purchased goods and services, and waste. As in previous years, Scope 3 was the largest contributor, accounting for 93.17% of our emissions.
Major Emission Drivers
Some of the key factors behind our 2024 footprint include:
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Business travel: 75.43 t CO₂, with flights alone accounting for 66.94 t CO₂
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Employee commuting and remote work: 40.56 t CO₂
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Purchased goods and services: 4.08 t CO₂
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Operational waste and office supplies: 3.06 t CO₂
Despite an overall emission level below the previous years, air travel remains our most significant environmental challenge.
Additional Tips for Reducing CO₂ Emissions in the Office:
Scope 1 & 2
- Encourage colleagues to use heating and air conditioning mindfully (e.g., turn off devices when windows are open).
- Completely shut down devices like laptops when not in use, as standby mode still consumes power.
- Utilize energy-saving and sleep modes for devices such as printers.
Scope 3
- Reduce the number of running devices. Use long-lasting products with replaceable parts and allocate IT equipment based on role and actual usage.
- Promote good data management practices.
- Encourage mindful business travel. Is the trip necessary? What is the optimal route and the most sustainable mode of transportation?
Our Path Forward: Offsetting and Action
While our primary goal remains emission reduction, some emissions are currently unavoidable. That’s why we fully offset our corporate carbon footprint by supporting verified climate protection projects through ClimatePartner.
In 2024, our offset contribution totaled 150.35 metric tons of CO₂. This investment helps support initiatives that either reduce existing emissions or remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, while also empowering local communities and advancing global climate goals.
Microloans for Solar Lamps and Water Filters in India
This is a project that compensates for approximately 406.846 t CO₂ emissions annually - byrd contributes with financing 165.300 kg since 2023
This project aims to establish new supply chains in remote regions of India by providing microloans for solar lamps and water filters, particularly benefiting women in these areas. This initiative improves living conditions and reduces reliance on fossil fuels, offering a dual benefit of emission compensation and social contribution to regional development.
Supported SDGs:
- No Poverty
- Affordable and Clean Energy
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Climate Action
As an e-commerce fulfillment company, we understand the importance of reliable and sustainable supply chains. Supporting this project for the second consecutive year helps us offset CO₂ emissions while promoting economic independence and access to essential resources for disadvantaged communities, aligning with our values of ecological and social responsibility. At the same time, we can do a little part in supporting women's empowerment and entrepreneurship in this area.
More information about the project
Clean Drinking Water through Ceramic Filters in Laos
This project offsets approximately 56,927 tons of CO₂ emissions annually. In Laos, around 80% of households boil water over open fires to ensure it's safe for drinking, a practice that contributes significantly to CO₂ emissions and deforestation. This initiative addresses the issue by distributing ceramic water filters to rural communities. These filters effectively remove bacteria and suspended solids, providing clean water without the need for boiling. The project's goal is to distribute over 100,000 filters, enhancing public health and reducing reliance on biomass fuels.
This is a project that compensates for approximately 56.927 t CO₂ emissions annually - byrd contributes with financing 75.100 kg
Supported SDGs:
- No Poverty
- Good Health and Well-Being
- Clean Water and Sanitation
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Climate Action
By supporting this project, we contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions and improving health outcomes in Laos. This aligns with our commitment to sustainable and socially responsible practices in our operations.
More information about the project
Building a Greener Future Together
byrd’s commitment to sustainability is more than a one-time project. Here's how we continue to integrate climate consciousness into our operations one step at a time:
- Providing public transportation incentives to employees
- Using recyclable packaging and minimizing plastic usage
- Enabling green shipping solutions across our fulfillment network
- Optimizing warehouse proximity to reduce last-mile delivery distances
We also encourage our partners and merchants to join us in building a greener, more responsible e-commerce ecosystem. Because true sustainability requires collaboration across the entire value chain.
Sustainability and corporate responsibility are byrd’s core building blocks since day one, and moving towards reducing and avoiding carbon emissions of our corporate activities is a natural step forward.
- Alexander Leichter, CEO of byrd