‘A carbon-neutral business is the future’

Fix Auto Penzance has become the UK’s first franchise partner to be classed as operating as fully carbon neutral.

Owner Stuart Cameron and his team have managed to achieve the goal of being completely carbon neutral after employing the company ECA Business Energy to help steer the business through the platitude of measures needed to meet the guidelines outlined in the PAS 2060 specification.

The repairer is also the first in Cornwall and the west coast to achieve the prestigious status.

Cameron said: “We all owe it to ourselves and to future generations to do as much as we can for the environment. A repair centre isn’t the most environmentally friendly of businesses as we use a lot of electricity, gas and oil.

“We started investing in environmentally friendly measures like solar panels to supply electricity increased our recycling of materials four years ago mainly to try and reduce our operational costs. After being educated about the true environmental benefits, I’ve been committed to becoming fully carbon neutral so to achieve it is a great achievement for the business. As far as I’m concerned, running a carbon-neutral business is the future.”

Steve Silverwood, managing director of ECA Business Energy, said: “We are delighted to have assisted Stuart and his team at Fix Auto Penzance in becoming carbon neutral. Our process included measuring their carbon footprint across three scopes developing a carbon management plan and off-setting against internationally recognised carbon offset projects. What Stuart is doing is taking that initial major step to becoming net zero which is where they do not produce any emissions at all. That has to be congratulated.”