Vigor Industrier will compensate for all emissions with local climate forests in Trøndelag
Ambitions to become the world's first climate-neutral staffing company
Vigor Industrier has been leasing skilled workers with specialized expertise to the oil and gas industry, shipyards, manufacturing companies, smelters and mechanical workshops since 1990. Now the company is entering into a partnership with Trefadder to achieve the goal of becoming the world's first climate-neutral staffing company.
– Since our establishment, we have provided staffing services to the oil and gas industry, an industry that accounts for approximately a quarter of total CO2 emissions in Norway. Now we feel that it is time for us as a small company to do something about our own climate emissions, and have set ourselves the goal of becoming the world's first climate-neutral staffing company, says Rune Staveli Kvernland, CEO of Vigor Industrier.
The company has approximately 100 employees, of which 95 are on assignment either offshore or onshore. The starting point for the company's environmental work is climate and environment, social conditions, and responsible and ethical business governance (ESG).
Almost only emissions from travel
Staveli Kvernland says that the company has a head office with five employees in Orkanger, and that the majority of emissions come from travel activities.
– Since our clients are spread across the country, our business inevitably involves flights and transport to and from work. Since almost all of the company's emissions come from transport, this is also where we have the greatest potential to offset emissions.
The collaboration with Trefadder will in reality compensate for almost all emissions in the business.
– Climate compensation for emissions from the transport of personnel and materials will reduce emissions by almost 100 percent. In addition to emissions from transport, we have indirect emissions from electric heating of the office. We will now invest in solar cell systems to be able to use renewable energy for heating. With the planting of climate forests and the production of local renewable energy, the goal is to become climate neutral in a short time, he says.
Mapping emissions
The company is now actively working to map its own emissions to calculate how much climate forest must be planted to make the business climate neutral.
– Previously, we did not have an overview of emissions from air travel. Now we receive monthly reports from the airlines showing emissions in the form of CO2, NOX and sulfur. Together with data for emissions from fossil fuel vehicles, we get a good overview of our own emissions.
– Based on this data, we collaborate with Trefadder to map the emissions. This makes it possible to compensate for all emissions in the form of planting climate forests. If we manage to compensate for absolutely all emissions, we will be unique in the industry. We are going "all in", says Staveli Kvernland.
Provides competitive advantage
He admits that the company doesn't have much experience with sustainability work, but when they do something, they do it properly.
– As far as we know, no other staffing company in our industry does this. For us, it is also important to be a climate-neutral supplier for our customers. Soon, our customers in the food industry, aquaculture or other industries will be able to document that they use a climate-neutral supplier. This is both a concrete climate measure, but also a competitive advantage in the market. We already have customers who expect documentation of climate measures in their tenders.
– We also greatly appreciate that this is a transparent and concrete climate measure here in Norway. Now we will work to make the collaboration known, and that it may contribute to making the workplace more attractive to job seekers.
– When I retire, I will go for walks in the forest that has compensated for our emissions, concludes Staveli Kvernland.
Vigor Industries
Rune Staveli Kvernland, CEO of Vigor
920 80 555
rsk@vigorindustrier.no
