Responsible sharing of resources is the core of our business

The circular economy aims to design out waste and introduces a strict differentiation between the consumable and durable components of a product. It also replaces the concept of a consumer with that of a user, something that is well known to Cramo through our rental business model.

In this fourth article in the series on how we at Cramo are working towards the Sustainable Development Goals, we will aim to explain how we are working towards circularity. The four main elements are:

#1 Replacing the concept of a consumer with that of a user. Rental replaces the concept of a consumer with that of a user, which enables more efficient use of equipment and reduces the demand for non-renewable resources. By providing users with easy access to a modern, efficient fleet of machinery and equipment, just for the time they need them, Cramo helps customers achieve their own sustainability targets and facilitates the transition to a circular economy. Depending on specific user practice, it’s estimated that renting instead of owning can lead to significant reductions in CO₂ emissions, in the range of 30% and in some cases up to over 50%.

#2 Replacing non-renewable fuels. Cramo’s ambition is to step-by-step increase the use of renewable energy internally as well as among customers. Our target is to have 90% electric-powered units within the energy-powered fleet by 2023 and more than 90% renewable electricity at our depots. We are also implementing the use of biofuels in our machines as an alternative to decrease the carbon footprint of our equipment and we participate in projects aiming to create CO₂-free and emission free construction sites. Our contribution to these projects has varied from the provision of battery driven equipment to providing fossil-free heating solutions.

#3 Sustainable sourcing. In order to further improve our work and move towards a more sustainable sourcing, we focus on increasing the share of spend from suppliers that have signed our Code of Conduct and on developing anti-corruption, human rights, health and safety and environmental risk assessments on critical suppliers. Our aim is to work together with suppliers to decrease negative environmental and social impact from rental equipment and site huts.

#4 Increasing the life span of rental units. We have developed a systematic way of prolonging the lifetime of our assets by upgrading parts and functionalities. By steering the right level of maintenance, we ensure that we maximise the lifetime of our equipment, thus saving resources. In all applicable maintenance situations, we use products with low environmental impact, for example biodegradable hydraulic oil. We also continuously reallocate our equipment based on the current demand, in order to increase utilisation and minimise our stock levels.

The journey towards circularity is an important one for Cramo. Our ambition is to work together with our customers and other stakeholders to further decrease the environmental and social impact of rental equipment and to meet customer demands by focusing on sustainable customer use, transports and logistics and sustainable sourcing. Join us in our transition!