Pacifica’s Path to Net Zero with Flotilla

Introduction

Pacifica is the leading independent provider of Domestic Appliance Repairs and Extended Warranties in the Major Domestic Appliance (MDA) market.

Pacifica holds a prime position, working closely with several high-profile brands such as Electrolux, Sony, Hisense, Vestel, Howdens (Lamona) and LG. Its prestigious client base also includes major retailers, such as Argos, and Shop Direct, and insurance providers, delivering repair and maintenance services.

Undertaking more than 400,000 domestic appliance repairs each year, Pacifica combines the expertise of its team of more than 300 engineers, who cover the whole of the UK, with its large support team and the application of its proprietary IT platforms, which are integrated into its customers’ repair and warranty processes.

The challenge

As the UK’s largest provider of home appliance services, Pacifica is on a mission to increase the lifespan of the average domestic appliance by an additional 5 years as part of its company commitment to reducing emissions.

Its goal, working closely with its retail partners, is to reduce waste and change consumer behaviour by educating the public on the impact of their repair or replace decisions.

A small shift to a more sustainable mindset drives big environmental benefits. Consumers that choose Pacifica to fix their appliance drastically reduce their carbon emissions. Repairing a machine with a new part is more than seven times more environmentally sustainable than buying a new machine. When no new part is needed, this rises to twelve and a half times better.

“For decades, the consumer has found it easier and more convenient to choose a replacement when something goes wrong. Many consumers weren’t even aware of the environmental and cost benefits of choosing to repair instead of replace. We are working closely with our retail partners to drive business for good, instil change and reduce waste in the home appliances industry.” – Kevin Brown, CEO and Founder of Pacifica

On a Journey to Net Zero with Flotilla

Environmentalism has always been at the core of Pacifica’s business proposition, aiming to achieve net zero by 2035. While they had already made more progress than many businesses in their industry and beyond, the Pacifica team decided to partner with Flotilla for their combined offering of human intellect and intuitive technology, which is specially designed to both measure emissions and inspire informed net zero decisions that drive businesses continuously towards their ESG goals.

Now, Kevin and the rest of the Pacifica team are working with Flotilla to measure, monitor and manage their carbon reduction action plan, embed its commitment to the environment within its company culture and ensure a manageable workflow.

The Flotilla World tech platform is making it easier for Pacifica to engage employees across its business in its environmental objectives, spread the word both internally and externally, as well as prioritise the carbon reduction actions that are the most achievable and the most impactful, bot environmentally and commercially.

With the full net zero plan and roadmap available on the Flotilla World tech platform for the exec committee, sustainability leaders and heads of departments to see, the whole team can keep track of the initiatives that are relevant to them, as well as the priority goals and actions. Whether looking for a little win or deciding where to direct a larger investment, the platform is making net zero decision-making fast and intuitive, even for employees with little environmental knowledge.

“For me, the Flotilla World platform is set apart from the kinds of tools and products offered by other net zero partners by its simplicity of use and advanced capabilities. I spearhead our environmental action, but I’m also acutely aware that I can’t be everywhere. Flotilla is alleviating some of that pressure, as it enables other people in the business to demonstrate and explain our plan confidently and accurately when I’m not in the room. It’s a tool I can give to anyone on the senior leadership team, so if a stakeholder, investor or client asks what our carbon reduction plan is, they don’t need me there to explain it.” – Kevin Brown, CEO and Co-founder of Pacifica

The Benefits of Sustainability

Futureproofing Business Finance

Environmental gains are helping to facilitate commercial benefits, which Pacifica believes signposts the direction of travel across industries. Accurate and robust ESG reporting with Flotilla is helping Pacifica to attract investment and achieve better finance rates.

Sustainable loans are the future of business financing. These see banks link their loan rates to a business’s environmental and sustainability credentials – not just their growth and profitability. Pacifica is on the way to being the first business in its industry to sign a sustainability loan agreement with a major bank. By continuing to improve its emissions, evidenced in its annual carbon accounting reports, the business can claim even better loan rates in the future.

Pacifica also anticipates growing carbon reduction pressures from suppliers and clients.

“I get a personal reward from climate action, but there’s also a commercial necessity to it. I think many businesses are  concerned because they think the administration around a net zero journey is too much work, and the rewards not worth the effort – but we see it as an essential futureproofing move. Companies that do not pursue it will be pushed out of the supply chain. The reward may not be immediate, but this is an act now or pay later issue, and Flotilla is making taking action a lot simpler than it seems.” – Kevin Brown, CEO and Founder of Pacifica

Fuelling the journey

Since pursuing net zero, Pacifica has begun decarbonising its energy emission by installing solar panels on the roof of its warehouse and head office. As a result, 88% of electricity used at the facility is generated by on-site solar power.

Outside of this, the rest of Pacifica’s business energy use is now supplied via a renewable energy tariff, which costs no more than a standard energy provider contract. The company has also started to reduce emissions and fuel costs produced by its  fleet of repair vehicles by starting the transition to Hybrid and full EV vans.

“Some of the things that you think will have a huge impact don’t deliver the carbon savings you expected – and vice versa. Having Flotilla on our side means we never take action blindly. Flotilla helps us to develop clear action plans with practical consultancy and expertise on actions that will work most effectively for the business – such as moving to hybrid fleet vehicles rather than waiting for infrastructure to be in place to support a fully electric fleet. This delivers carbon savings and fuel cost savings, without impracticalities. Flotilla has helped us find a way to act now.” – Kevin Brown, Founder and CEO of Pacifica.