Supporting our Clients with Sustainability Reporting

ALS recognizes that climate change is one of the defining issues of our time, causing devastating wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, and floods as temperatures and seas warm.

ALS’ vision is to be a leader in the discipline of scientific analysis to create a better world for all. ALS is delivering on our vision through innovation, science, and commitment to best practice. Over the last seven years the Canada team has miniaturized most of the sample containers used by clients, cutting plastic and glass, reducing freight, and benefitting manual handling and field sampling efficiency. Many clients will have also noted our continual move to smaller coolers. ALS has also targeted the reduction of DCM solvent use at our environmental laboratories in Canada as part of our sustainability efforts. These efforts will continue.

What we Measure: Progress and Reporting

The ALS Environmental Division in Canada has tracked all Scope 1 and 2 emissions at every site and service centre since our 2018/19 financial year. Despite significant growth in that time the following has been achieved to March 2024.

• Scope 1 GHG emissions – vehicle fuel: 32% reduction in absolute emissions. Further reductions are coming as we upgrade our fleet to electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Scope 1 GHG emissions - heating gas: 23% reduction in absolute emissions. Laboratories face heating challenges due to high air-exchange by fume hoods in winter.
• Scope 2 consumption: 21.9% reduction.
• Scope 2 emissions: 100% reduction in absolute emissions (first through reduction, then through purchase of renewable electricity).

Internally, ALS has reduced plastic and glass usage significantly, cut chemical use, and targeted chlorinated solvent usage, reducing our DCM use by 56% on an equivalent workload basis.

Lower ALS Emissions = Lower Scope 3 Emissions for our Customers

As our division in Canada works to cut emissions, cut usage, and grow our business, the emission profile of our testing work is dropping significantly. For the year ended March 2025, Canada will have reduced total Scope 1 and 2 emissions (for equivalent workloads) to less than a third of what they were in 2019/20. Canada is also tracking towards reducing these by 2027/28 to less than a quarter of what they were in 2019/20.

ALS GHGE Customer Emission Reporting Leadership

The Canada Environmental division first reported full financial year annual Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by customer (for their test work) in mid-2023; a first in the Canadian market and possibly globally. This was followed up in mid-2024, further expanding reporting based upon customer requests with Scope 1, 2, and 3 reporting in mid-2024 for the 2023/24 financial year.

ALS GHG Customer Emission Reporting for 2024/25 Financial Year

This year will mark the third year of ALS reporting of GHG emissions related to (total) customer work. Reporting will be similar in format to 2023/24 with Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions reported (available mid-2025 – post audit).

We are pleased to share our commitments and progress with our stakeholders and to achieve emission reductions for ALS operations and our clients. Please feel free to contact your local ALS representative if ALS carbon emission reporting is important to you.

Please refer to EnviroMail 53 for the ALS Roadmap to Net Zero.

Download this EnviroMail - EnviroMail 64 Supporting our Clients with Sustainability Reporting