GSH Group ‘achieves’ carbon neutrality for 2021

 The group is focused on becoming carbon negative by 2025 and has drawn up plans to achieve the goal, says Mark Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, GSH Group.
| Photo Credit: N. Anand

GSH Group claimed to be the first global facilities management company to have achieved carbon neutrality in its operations in India, U.S. and Europe for 2021, said a top official.

“On Tuesday, we bagged the International Renewable Energy Certificate standard for 2021 for achieving carbon neutrality,” said Mark Thomas, CEO in an interview.

“We started measuring carbon usage since 2018. Till 2021, we have saved 28% of energy consumption. From 2018-2020, the savings were about 22% and another 6% was saved during the COVID-19 year due to less business travels,” he said.

According to him, the group is focused on becoming carbon negative by 2025 and has drawn up plans to achieve the goal.

“It is easier to achieve carbon neutral in India by replacing conventional vehicles with electric vehicles. But it is not so in the U.S. We purchased a forest in Europe, purchased Tesla cars in the U.S.,” he observed.

Asserting that India is moving slow in carbon emission reduction, he said it can do a lot in that direction.

In India, GSH group employs more than 3,200 people. It provides integrated facilities management services to a wide variety of clients in automobile, tyres, chemical processing, pharmaceuticals, food processing, electronics and IT & ITES sectors.

During 2021, GSH India saved carbon dioxide equivalent to 130 tonnes by replacing fleets, electrical lights, paper, energy consumption in six regional offices in India.

“From here, the savings rate should go up. It should be more or less same for 2022 and for 2023, it should be more than 30%. The audit for 2022 will happen in the first quarter of next year,” he said.

On Wednesday, the 127-year family-owned group celebrated its 10 ^th anniversary in India.