Working to reach Net Zero has become the central focus in a huge number of companies in recent years but it is sometimes hard to believe that change is really happening until you see it.
Direct Line Group isn’t the first name that springs to mind when you think about sustainability but they have been doing some genuinely inspirational work. At their site in Stetchford, just outside Birmingham, they started with reducing the amount of paper and the kind of light bulbs and in a short time have invested in a technology centre for electric vehicle repairs, their trucks are running on Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, reducing emissions by 80%. Their car repair centres are being fitted with electric car sprays instead of the more usual gas ones and with low energy lighting. All of these actions were really interesting to see – some are still in a trial phase but clearly there are tons of things that DLG are doing that could be replicated by many others.
But what as more inspiring was to see the enthusiasm and passion the employees and the CEO They genuinely believe in not just doing their bit in getting to Net Zero, but in changing the mind-set of the whole company and crucially, the people within it. It was evident that these huge changes are not just part of a business plan but of a philosophy that puts employees at the centre of change and local community as the starting point for transformation.
In a way it is a reminder of what we all already know. Change begins with us as individuals and in not just doing things differently, but thinking differently.
Check out the film here- https://vimeo.com/640346023/e134d15894