How De Rijke Group is using BigMile to accurately calculate and report on CO2 emissions
De Rijke Group partnered with BigMile to more accurately calculate and report on its CO2 emissions. According to Group Project & Sustainability Manager, Martijn Scheffers, taking a “measuring is knowing” approach has helped De Rijke Group to improve the sustainability of its operations.
13% less CO2 emissions in 3 years
Reduced total CO2 emissions by 13% compared to 2021
30% reduction in emissions by 2030
On track to reduce emissions by 30% by end of the decade
EcoVadis Gold Medal and Lean & Green star
De Rijke Group is among the top 3% worldwide for its sustainability management
Join 130+ supply chain partners in using BigMile for CO2 emission analytics.
De Rijke Group is a leading logistics service provider with 26 branches across 7 European countries and a joint venture in the Middle East. We recently sat down with Martijn Scheffers, Group Project & Sustainability Manager, to discuss how De Rijke Group overhauled its emissions reporting using BigMile’s carbon accounting solution.
In this case study Martijn talks through why De Rijke Group chose BigMile’s platform, the onboarding process, and how it’s delivering value to the company and its customers.
Moving from Excel calculations to advanced carbon accounting
When Martijn first joined De Rijke Group in 2016 he worked as a Tender Coordinator. During this time, Martijn noticed a rise in requests for sustainability-related data from potential customers.
At the time, De Rijke Group was using simple Excel sheets to measure and report on their emissions data. This worked fine for Scope 1 emissions which are caused by sources that De Rijke Group owns or controls directly, and thus are easy to calculate.
However, it was near impossible to measure Scope 2 or 3 emissions accurately, which are caused indirectly by the company from its energy use and the activities throughout its value chain. Calculating these indirect emissions would require significant data input from third parties, and highly complex computations to fairly attribute the emissions.
In 2023, the EU introduced the CSRD legislation which mandates the reporting of emissions and other sustainability data for large companies like De Rijke Group.
It was time to find a better way to measure and report on Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
Why BigMile was the best fit
De Rijke Group started exploring carbon accounting solutions, seeking advice from organizations like Lean & Green and ECTA (European Chemical Transport Association).
BigMile’s name kept popping up in these conversations so after some further research, De Rijke Group decided to partner with them.
And why BigMile specifically? Martijn explained that there were three main reasons:
- Cloud-based solution: no need to integrate a new software solution so setup was quicker and easier.
- Flexibility for FTL and LTL: unlike other platforms, BigMile enables measuring emissions for both full truckload (FTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping.
- Aligned with GLEC Framework: BigMile ensures compliance with relevant GLEC standards, including ISO 14083.
De Rijke Group could now start the onboarding process, led by Martijn who had since been appointed to lead sustainability for the group.
Adapting to a new way of managing carbon emissions
Introducing a new solution can sometimes create frustration for internal teams who have to learn and get used to a new way of doing things. Luckily BigMile were on hand to support Martijn and his colleagues throughout the onboarding process.
Martijn Scheffers, Group Project & Sustainability Manager
Join 130+ supply chain partners in using BigMile for CO2 emission analytics.
De Rijke Group started using BigMile’s platform quickly, but it took longer to make full use of all its features. Martijn was glad they took the time to set everything up properly from the start.
Now the logistics service provider is ready for CSRD reporting and has a much more accurate view of their emissions data. It even hired a Quality & Sustainability Officer to support Martijn’s work in this area.
Using insights to set sustainability targets and measure success
According to Martijn, it’s been far easier to convince internal teams and also customers to choose more sustainable options, such as changing fuel type, when you have the data to back it up.
“As I like to say, measuring is knowing. And with BigMile we make our results visible so that we can improve over time. Together with management, we have set a goal to achieve a 30% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 2021. And I think we are nicely on track now, so to speak. We are well on track for where we want to go.”
Since using BigMile, De Rijke Group has been able to quantify the impact of various initiatives it started. For example, by replacing all their warehouse lights with LED lighting it saw emissions from warehouses reduce by 18%.
De Rijke Group also saw strong improvements in transport emissions, by continuously investing in its modern transport fleet.
“If you look at our transport, because we now consciously ask subcontractors for CO2 data, we've reduced our total CO2 by 13% compared to 2021. Those are impressive percentages, and it's purely because we've started working on it and raised awareness in the company to focus on this.”
Becoming a leader in sustainable transport and logistics
In recognition of its carbon reduction efforts, De Rijke Group received a first Lean & Green star in 2023 and is on track to earn a second.
De Rijke Northern Europe (regional division) also earned an EcoVadis Gold Medal based on the quality of its sustainability management system.
“We are among the top 3% worldwide in terms of sustainability assessments. And that's also because we have our CO2 management well in order now. So, where we initially stood at zero, we have quickly developed a very robust CO2 framework. We can now map everything out accurately thanks to BigMile’s platform.”
Using BigMile made earning these prestigious awards a lot easier as De Rijke Group could easily calculate, analyze, and report on the carbon emissions of all its operations over time.
Working with customers to improve their own sustainability
De Rijke Group is now shifting its attention to help customers improve their own emissions through choosing lower carbon options.
“What I do find is that by working with BigMile, we are able to provide the advice and everything the client might need from us to make a good decision, we can make that clear.”
So far De Rijke Group has enabled active data sharing on BigMile with one customer, but Martijn is hoping to expand this to more customers in the future. Martijn is also experimenting with the custom reporting feature to enhance De Rijke Group’s reports for its key customers.
How can logistics companies get started with BigMile
As for how companies can start managing their emissions data, Martijn’s advice is to simply get started. And if they don’t already have a platform in mind, he recommends starting with BigMile.
“We have now actively asked our own subcontractors for CO2 information, with the advice that if you don't have anything yet and you can still choose, why not check if BigMile fits well. Then we can just link to each other using the Data Sharing functionality of BigMile.”
The De Rijke Group case shows how companies can use BigMile to start accurately reporting on their emissions, identify potential carbon reduction initiatives, transparently share data with customers, and comply with CSRD and other environmental regulations.
Would you like to learn how BigMile can help you? Why not schedule a personal demo with one of our experts!
Find out how leading supply chain & logistics businesses use BigMile
Here is how companies worldwide use BigMile to measure and reduce their supply chain-related carbon footprint.
Add CO2 emission calculations to your software and logistics operations
Join 130+ software and supply chain partners in using BigMile for CO2 emission analytics.
