Skip to main content

Carbon emissions

G4S recognises that the threat to the natural environment and infrastructure from climate change is an important and ongoing concern for our organisation, our customers, our shareholders and our employees.
health and safety - airport

Globally, we are committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and plan to define our global Science Based Targets and reduction pathways in the near future.

In addition, in the UK we have committed to reduce our Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 42% by 2030 and to reduce our absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services, and capital goods, by 25% by 2030. By 2050 our Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions will all be net zero.

We follow the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and World Resources Institute (WRI) GHG Protocols to measure our Scope 1 and 2 emissions – i.e., the vehicle fleet, fuel, fugitive refrigerants and electricity usage for businesses over which the company has financial control.

In addition, G4S has measured global Scope 3 emissions from employee business air travel. The businesses that reported data in the 2021 GHG measurement represent 90% of our activity within our financial control, across the 12-month period. This level of measurement allows a reliable calculation of the total GHG emissions for 100% of the organisation.

We have made considerable progress to date, with a reduction of some 45% in G4S’s Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions since 2016. (This figure includes the impact of the divestment of the majority of the Cash Solutions businesses and the Covid-19 pandemic.) We have taken steps to reduce the energy footprint of our fleet and facilities and to reduce business travel through new technology.

GHG Emissions Chart

  2021 2020  2019
 t/CO2e GHG emissions per $m revenue  17.3 18.7 25.2
Total GHG emissions t/CO2e 316,857 320,795  437,357
 
  *Based upon 95% measurement  2021  2020   2019
  Vehicles (inc refrigerant) 181,101 174,916 213,514
  Total Buildings (inc refrigerant)  73,420  76,157 108,974
  - Inc electricity emissions of 60,756  61,155 87,316
  Air Travel 5,154 5,979  15,260
^