Caitlyn M. Finnegan's work at Asplundh advanced the company's sustainability efforts by laying the groundwork for supplier engagement to reduce Scope 3 emissions and identifying innovative strategies to diversify services and address physical climate risks, driving both environmental impact and business resilience.
Goals
Asplundh Tree Expert, LLC is a leading provider of vegetation management services for utilities and municipalities, headquartered in Willow Grove, Philadelphia. Known for its commitment to safety, innovation, and environmental stewardship, Asplundh continuously takes steps to further reduce its environmental impact. Asplundh enlisted EDF Climate Corps fellow Caitlyn M. Finnegan to advance decarbonization strategies for Scope 3 emissions within Asplundh's value chain and explore physical risk mitigation initiatives.
Solutions
To reduce value chain emissions, Caitlyn analyzed Asplundh's top suppliers and identified key partners to enhance collaboration and drive progress toward the company's Scope 3 emissions reduction goals. Her efforts resulted in concrete deliverables and actionable recommendations that laid the foundation for a supplier engagement program. In addition, she explored innovative strategies to reduce physical climate risks, identifying opportunities to diversify Asplundh's service offerings.
Potential Impact
By identifying key suppliers and creating a foundation for a supplier engagement program, Caitlyn's work enables Asplundh to collaborate with its suppliers more effectively on reducing Scope 3 emissions. This will result in tangible progress toward the company's decarbonization goals, lowering its overall carbon footprint and advancing sustainability across its supply chain. The exploration of innovative strategies to reduce physical climate risks positions Asplundh to expand its service portfolio. By integrating climate resilience solutions, the company can not only protect its operations against the growing risks of climate change but also offer new services to clients. This diversification can lead to increased business opportunities, enhanced market competitiveness, and strengthened leadership in environmental stewardship.