National Windscreens has published its second annual Sustainability Report, outlining the detailed emission reporting and ambitious decarbonisation strategy that has set the standard in the UK aftermarket automotive glazing sector.
The 2023 Sustainability Report measures National Windscreens achievements whilst setting out targets and clear processes that will drive sustainable practices throughout the company.
Simon Hunt, commercial and services director at National Windscreens, said: “We understand that sustainability is an ongoing journey, and our 2023 Sustainability Report allows us to continue to benchmark our progress. Our partners and policyholders can be confident that sustainability is the cornerstone of our growth strategy.
The Sustainability Report charts the progress of National Windscreens from the baseline set in 2022.
“Meticulously examining every operational process is crucial to minimise the impact on the climate. Sustainability is integrated in every step, from initial contact with the customer, through to windscreen repair or replacement and recycling.
“We are delighted with the multiple industry awards for our inaugural Sustainability Report last year and we are intent on continuing this momentum. Our latest report identifies areas on which we can build and offer clear opportunities for improvement. As a business, we remain committed to addressing these challenges while upholding our investment in renewable energy, clean transport and a sustainable supply chain.
“By 2030, we aim to reduce our scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42 percent and our Scope 3 emissions by 52 percent in relation to gross profit - a goal defined in our group level verified near-term Science Based Targets. We will achieve this through innovative research and continual investment with the goal of providing the best customer experience in the market,” said Simon.
The report details National Windscreens ‘repair first’ strategy, recognising that repairing a windscreen reduces the climate impact by around 98 percent compared to replacement. Accordingly, repair rate versus replacement, is regarded as one of the most important sustainability measures at National Windscreens.
Simon Hunt, commercial and services director at National Windscreens.
The company is embedding sustainable digitisation throughout its operations. Policyholders use an award-winning digital customer journey which features an AI image process to make initial damage assessment easier and more accurate. With a 99.8% accuracy rate in online parts identification, the software promotes the "right first time" philosophy. Today, digital channels account for more than 27% of bookings, and this percentage is rising year-on-year.
The 2023 Sustainability Report confirms that the company sends 100% of the replaced windscreens to recycling, with around 90% can be reused. A new stock management system has also helped to optimise glass delivery, reducing the number and length of journeys required.
Simon continues: “Our people continue to be the most important part of the business. We are striving to be an employer of choice, providing opportunity for development and growth for our diverse and skilled workforce. Our excellent record of progression for employees is a testament to the learning and development initiatives in place.
“We put great emphasis on conducting ourselves with good business ethics and ensuring we continue our proactive anti-corruption work. This focuses on the management of our sustainability strategy and overall governance of the business. We realise our greatest risk of violating human rights is in our supply chain, so we have an online supplier assessment platform to rate our material suppliers with self-assessment questionnaires covering anti-corruption, environmental and social issues.
“The report serves as a valuable tool for our stakeholders, providing transparency into our sustainability efforts and achievements. We know that effective communication is essential for building and maintaining trust, and we will achieve our goals by upholding the highest standards of quality, innovation, and service for our customers,” said Simon.
You can read the 2023 Sustainability Report here.