PetrolPlaza Talks: The Sustainability Journey
This episode of PetrolPlaza Talks discusses efforts around sustainability at forecourts and convenience stores. We speak to Maxol and PDI Technologies about ESG, communication and sustainability initiatives.
Sustainability is quickly becoming a priority for consumers, businesses and governments. The oil and gas industry is under particular pressure from regulators to reduce CO2 emissions and improve environmental standards. As a result of this the service station market is quickly adopting measures around energy efficiency, sustainability and carbon reduction – from the installation of photovoltaic panels to the reduction of plastic packaging inside stores.
Sustainability is already influencing the behaviour and spending habits of customers worldwide. A recent study by NielsenIQ found that 78% of U.S. consumers say that a sustainable lifestyle is important to them. According to Euromonitor’s Global Consumer Trends 2021 study, almost 59% of consumers prefer recycled items and 64% say they are reducing their use of plastic. Many customers demand cleaner forms of fuel and are ready to pay a premium for it.
In this episode of PetrolPlaza Talks we spoke to Brian Donaldson, Chief Executive Officer of The Maxol Group, about the company’s latest sustainability initiatives around forecourts and convenience stores – LED lighting, rainwater collection, recyclable building materials, compostable packaging and more.
Maxol has a network of 240 service stations operating in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The innovative retailer, known internationally for its excellent convenience model, has a carbon off-setting programme, the Carbon Neutral Programme, which supports a number of green initiatives, both global and local, including the planting of 10,000 trees across the island of Ireland.
“Technology is enabling us to do things better to control and reduce our carbon footprint. ESG is not like ticking a box – it’s constantly evolving and moving. As a family business, Maxol is committed to reducing our carbon footprint. We need to work together with retailers and suppliers for that,” says Donaldson.
Tim Venghaus, Director Sustainability at PDI Technologies, a global provider of solutions for the fuel and convenience market, talked about how to engage properly with consumers on sustainability, what does a good carbon off-setting programme look like and the latest on U.S. regulations impacting the sector.
“Carbon offsetting has a very important role to play but it’s not a licence to pollute. The average consumer in the U.S. keeps their vehicle for 12 years. Even with the California mandate to phase out ICE vehicles by 2035, we have a few decades of selling liquid fuels. Offsets are one of the only solutions to address those tailpipe emissions,” explained Venghaus.
The episode is part of PetrolPlaza’s Special on Sustainability & Decarbonization.
