How Flex Avoided 22,000 Metric Tons of Scope 1 and 2 Emissions

(Photo Credit: Flex)

by | Aug 13, 2020

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How Flex Avoided 22,000 Metric Tons of Scope 1 and 2 Emissions

(Photo Credit: Flex)

Flex just reported avoiding more than 22,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions last year through energy management programs. The company also added renewable energy, diverted waste, and screened new global suppliers using social and environmental criteria.

The Scope 1 and 2 reductions achieved last year stem from hundreds of individual projects implemented over more than a decade, according to the global company.

Flex, which designs and manufactures consumer electronics and industrial products for OEMs, said that the projects included installing energy-efficient HVAC systems, replacing lighting installations with LEDs as well as improving their maintenance programs and building control systems. Lighting played a big role. Flex installed more than 115,000 LED light fixtures in 15 countries between 2013 and 2019, saved more than 89 GWh per year.

“Our LED lighting fixtures covered approximately 1.2 million square feet of Flex space last year for an estimated total power savings of 382,800 watts,” the company’s 2020 Sustainability Report said.

In addition, the company reported implementing about 300 different projects for energy conservation across operations in 2019. The newest renewable energy project is a 1.56-megawatt rooftop solar system at their San Luis Rio Colorado facility. Solar energy installations across Flex’s sites now total around 22 MW of production globally. Last year saw a 10% increase in their renewable energy capacity.

Other updates from 2019:

    Screened 98% of new suppliers using social and environmental criteria, exceeding Flex’s goal of 85%.

  • Conducted 223 initial onsite audits and 24 follow-up audits focused on suppliers located in high-risk regions including China and Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America.
  • Offset more than 70,500 metric tons of Scope 3 emissions through Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) Certificates from the Clean Development Mechanism from projects in Brazil, China, Costa Rica, and India.
  • Diverted 89% of total waste in 2019 and are progressing toward their goal of at least 95%.

Previously the company targeted 20 goals to accomplish by 2020 that are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their programs and disclosures are also aligned to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. For the first time, Flex aligned with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). CDP gave the company’s efforts around climate change and water security A- ratings, according to the report.

“Our alignment to external frameworks gives us a shared language to drive sustainability, show leadership, and learn from others,” Flex CEO Revathi Advaithi wrote in the report. “Environmentally, our facilities meet world-class standards and are focused on driving sustainable improvement in energy use, carbon emissions, and water consumption, among other areas.”

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