Back in November, Louise Wohrne, Head of Sustainability at MEKO, attended the FAAS Sustainability Day conference in Italy. In this article, she shares reflections and provides a summary of her panel on how the automotive aftermarket sector can reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Sustainability is integral to MEKO’s strategy and permeates its entire business. This is, on one hand, linked to making a positive impact on society by devising solutions to global challenges. On the other, increasing sustainability demands from stakeholders and more strict legislation mean that MEKO considers this as the only way forward.
Our business is built on preserving what we have and extending its life. Workshops within MEKO have long been engaged in collecting and recycling spare parts and materials, and, as the car fleet becomes more electrified, battery management is set to become even more important.
But this is not new to MEKO.
For more than five decades, MEKO has been employing a circular business model, focusing on car maintenance and longevity. Our vision is to enable mobility – today, tomorrow and in the future. This translates into a proactive approach and innovative measures for sustainable operations.
Lately, the ambition has been raised and several notable milestones have been achieved. Since 2019, MEKO has been reporting its emissions of greenhouse gases in scopes 1 and 2 and parts of scope 3. Also, in 2023, to ensure that efforts to reduce our climate impact are sufficient and in line with what is needed to achieve the Paris agreement, MEKO committed to setting targets according to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
As the market leader, the company sees this as both a great responsibility and opportunity to inspire, spur innovation, and lead the industry’s sustainable transformation.
In November, Louise Wohrne attended the inaugural FAAS Sustainability Day in Bologna, Italy, hosted by the non-profit organisation Forum on Automotive Aftermarket Sustainability.
Alongside sustainability experts and industry leaders from the European automotive aftermarket, Louise participated in a panel on how to reach carbon neutrality before 2050.
“It was interesting and rewarding to have the privilege to participate. This was the first conference of its kind, gathering business leaders and representatives from the European automotive aftermarket with the aim of fostering a more sustainable industry. It’s great that this topic is drawing more interest and that people are committed to accomplish change,” said Louise.
Throughout the day, several panels touched upon this topic from a number of perspectives.
We discussed the main challenges and opportunities ahead. How to reach carbon neutrality. We shared knowledge and insights – this is essential to raising awareness and finding better, more sustainable solutions for the future, said Louise Wohrne.
"Sustainability measures are important, of course. But there was also much interest in the new regulations and standards for sustainability reporting. This varies depending on the position of each company in the supply chain. As most of MEKO's emissions come from our suppliers' production processes, it is important to have these discussions."
What is crucial to making progress towards the 2050 target?
“More action, plain and simple. We must define and implement specific targets and propose how we can drastically reduce emissions, rather than merely talking about it. Increased transparency, comprehensive data, and improved cooperation are necessary across the entire supply chain.”
What insights do you bring back with you from Bologna?
“It was valuable to meet the people who are in charge of sustainability at our suppliers in person. We maintain regular contact virtually, but don't often have the opportunity to meet up and discuss the fundamentals face-to-face."
“It was rewarding to both be able to share MEKO’s vision and sustainability agenda and then get to listen to peers in the industry talk about their initiatives and reflect on how to further increase this commitment. My perception is that lots of interesting things are going on at the moment. Change is rapid and this is of great importance.”
Joakim Wickholm has built his career on extensive experience in corporate groups and a passion for using IT as a driving force for business development. He thrives in change-driven environments and with colleagues from all parts of the world. ”We aim high, move fast, and continuously evolve—there’s never a dull moment”, he says.
With a strong focus on commercial vehicle workshops – MEKO’s most important customer group today – the company is now launching a dedicated division to accelerate growth in a market full of potential. MEKO is taking a major step into the commercial vehicle sector with the launch of a powerful new division. The initiative is led by Nils Hollmann, who brings over 15 years of industry experience.“We’re now increasing our pace in a fragmented market, but one that is also full of opportunity – both for MEKO and everyone who owns, operates, repairs or maintain commercial vehicles,” says Hollmann.
Tires are one of the most critical factors for safety, comfort, and performance in a vehicle. With the right tires, car owners can both improve driving comfort and enhance road safety. Tires are also a strategically important product with significant growth opportunities and potential for upselling. This is why MEKO invests heavily in tires, including a multi-year agreement with Goodyear, one of the world's largest and most renowned tire manufacturers.