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Image credit: Copart UK

Kicking off the Carbon Literacy journey

In early 2022, Copart UK, a global leader in vehicle remarketing and recycling, began its commitment to Plan Net Zero. During their research, they discovered the Carbon Literacy Automotive Toolkit developed in collaboration with and funded by Auto Trader.

A handful of senior teammates joined one of the open training courses, led by Auto Trader, to get an understanding of the content and how applicable it would be to their journey. One of these individuals was Jane Pocock, CEO of Copart UK & Ireland.

“I personally attended a training session with Auto Trader to kickstart our commitment and gain Bronze level [Carbon Literate Organisation] status for Copart.

It really helped me to understand the effects of climate change and gave me the knowledge and skills to lower my carbon footprint, both inside and outside of work.

I was keen to lead by example, not just at Copart but across our industry.”

Jane Pocock – CEO of Copart UK & Ireland

Gaining accreditation and reaping rewards

After achieving Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO) accreditation in summer 2022, Copart quickly rolled out internal training. By January 2023, they had delivered 12 online sessions to 190 managers and attained Silver CLO status.

Changes were steadily being implemented across the business to develop buildings and infrastructure that would be green, efficient, and sustainable long term, including LED lighting, paperless offices, green energy, and water recycling.

There was also a strong focus on reducing fuel consumption across their transport fleet with unique efficiency systems and dynamic routing capabilities, as well as maintaining biodiversity and green spaces.

With their increased awareness, all Carbon Literate teammates are continually looking for ways to save energy and resources within their day-to-day work.

Not only have these solutions contributed significantly to Copart’s Plan-Net-Zero, but they have also had impressive financial benefits too. Research conducted by Copart estimates that these initiatives save the business over £22,000 annually.

Breaking barriers to train a diverse workforce

Striving for Gold CLO status, Copart now had to shift the focus onto delivering training to the wider business. This brought unique challenges, including reaching teammates without regular access to devices, such as yard operatives and drivers.

Copart innovatively adapted the Automotive Toolkit into three one-hour e-learning modules with simplified language and condensed text to be more accessible for a wider variety of learning styles. These online modules were followed by a five-hour classroom workshop, allowing learners to discuss their thoughts and develop their ideas.

This blended approach has successfully engaged operational teams across a large geographical spread, empowering teammates to identify ways to reduce emissions in their roles.

Carbon Literacy has been an undisputed success in shifting awareness and changing behaviours across the business. Actions have been carefully considered, and each training session has sparked conversations within teams about how sustainability can be further improved.

Scaling Carbon Literacy across Copart and beyond

Throughout 2023, a mix of the blended and online versions of the course were delivered across Copart to approximately 575 teammates. They also delivered the Automotive Toolkit to external partners, including some of their contracted Sub-Haulers and one of their apprenticeship providers TRS. This internal and external approach led them to achieve Gold CLO status in November 2023.

With no sign of slowing on their CLO journey, in January 2025, Copart reached Platinum status, having trained over 80% of their workforce and demonstrated dedication to Carbon Literacy. To reach this prestigious award, organisations must go above and beyond training their staff. For Copart, this meant tracking the actions of senior managers and when they were completed, to showcase the benefits to the business. This has motivated the workforce to drive forward with their own actions and build on them.

In 2023, Copart acquired Green Parts Specialists, the UK’s leading green parts supplier. Following the acquisition, it became integral that all teammates became Carbon Literate as soon as possible. Rosie Hales, Learning & Development Coordinator and accredited Carbon Literacy Facilitator, travelled to their Skelmersdale HQ to train everyone in a week. She valiantly delivered one session each day, training 62 teammates in total.

Certified Carbon Literacy Facilitators within Copart also deliver training to customers and partners using the Auto Trader-funded Automotive Toolkit to ensure Carbon Literacy and the associated benefits cascade across the industry. This initiative is available to any customers of Copart and is openly outlined in their tender processes.

“Customers are increasingly looking for environmentally friendly products and we must respond to that.

Carbon Literacy training can help our sector to understand the impact of their operations. It can also help engineers, designers, and other automotive professionals to develop more environmentally friendly vehicles and technologies.

There are cost-saving benefits to this too, identifying opportunities for efficiency improvements while benefiting the environment.

Just like the Copart ethos, Always Moving Forward, we must all work together across the industry and play our part in creating a greener future.”

Jane Pocock – CEO of Copart UK & Ireland

Leading the way to a low-carbon future

The future for Copart looks exciting, with many more low-carbon initiatives on the horizon. In further dedication to driving the net zero transition, Copart has become a Silver Partner of The Carbon Literacy Project under our Partner Scheme, providing crucial financial backing to expand the scale and impact of Carbon Literacy to more businesses and sectors.

Embodying their ethos ‘Always Moving Forward’, Copart exemplifies how collaboration can accelerate the low-carbon revolution in the automotive sector and beyond.