At Autoglass® we avoided the creation of more than 2,500 tonnes of glass waste in 2023, as stated in our recently released Responsible Business Insights Report. The waste avoidance comes as a result of our efforts to limit our environmental impact through a repair-first strategy.  

In 2023, Autoglass® repaired rather than replaced 160,894 windscreens. Based on 16kg for the average weight of a windscreen, that means we avoided the creation of 2,574 tonnes of waste. 

Repairing rather than replacing a windscreen not only reduces waste, but it is also more cost-effective for customers. Repairing a windscreen rather than replacing it also results in less emissions as it does not require a new windscreen, which limits the carbon emissions that would have been created in the production and transportation of the new glass. The Belron® Group’s new Product Carbon Footprint tool shows that a windscreen repair results in 16.4kg CO2 emissions and to replace a windscreen results in 82.3kg CO2. Therefore, repairing rather than replacing results in 80% less emissions.

Autoglass® is also taking action to electrify our fleet of vehicles as part of a wider sustainability drive. By the end of 2023, 69% of the company car fleet of Autoglass® was fully electric, up from 35% in 2022. We also ordered more electric vans to be delivered in 2024, as we move to reduce tailpipe emissions from the commercial fleet.

Autoglass® is also focused on maximising reuse, recycling, and recovery and eliminating landfilling waste. Despite an increase in volume of work in 2023 leading to an increase in waste through packaging and damaged glass, we managed to divert 99% of our waste from landfill, up by roughly 4% from 2022. We also achieved a 16.4% reduction in kilograms of waste produced per vehicle glass job and wholesale unit sold.

Over the past four years, we have worked with our supply chain partners and achieved a 100% recycling rate for waste vehicle glass resulting from our operations. Glass is recycled to be used on other jobs or used to make other products such as glass bottles.  

These accomplishments by Autoglass® form part of the Belron Group’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2050.

The results were published in Belron UK’s (trading as Autoglass® and Laddaw®) Responsible Business Insights Report 2023, outlining what Belron and Autoglass® are doing to operate in a responsible manner and reduce the business’ impact on the wider community and the planet. 

Amy Shuffleton, Head of Responsible Business & Internal Communications at Autoglass® says: “We recognise the crucial role that every business must undertake in tackling environmental issues and are committed to doing all we can to further reduce our impact on the world around us. Over the past year we have been reviewing our internal movements of glass to identify where we can create less waste, reduce our emissions and greater efficiency within our network. Where possible, we always ensure that our customers understand the benefits of repairing a windscreen and encourage them to identify any windscreen chips early on before they turn into a crack.

“We are committed to doing the right thing by all our stakeholders, and doing business in a responsible way is at the heart of what we do.  Although we have made some significant strides in sustainability as a business, we continue to set ourselves ambitious goals. We want to ensure that our daily efforts are geared towards embracing greater responsibility and showcasing how businesses can be a driving force for positive change for the planet and society.”

The full report can be found here: Responsible-Business-Report-23.pdf (autoglass.co.uk)