Y1 Sport Carbon Footprint Report 2023-24

At Y1 Sport, we believe that transparency and accountability are essential in our sustainability journey. That’s why, for the fourth year in a row, with the help of Carbon Jacked, we measured our carbon footprint across every area of the business. This allows us to understand our impact, celebrate progress, and take meaningful steps to reduce emissions where possible.

Our 2023-24 footprint

Between May 2023 and April 2024, Y1 Sport’s total carbon footprint was 861.37 tonnes of CO₂e. For context, “CO₂e” is the standard way of measuring the combined impact of greenhouse gases, not just carbon dioxide, so it gives us the most accurate picture of our overall climate footprint.

As with previous years, the vast majority of our emissions came from things like the production of our products, international shipping, and business travel. This is very typical in the sportswear & equipment industry, as supply chains carry most of the environmental weight.

What changed from last year

Our footprint increased by around 38% compared to 2022-23. This rise was largely driven by growth in product demand and the shipping that comes with it. To mitigate our footprint we adopted a lower carbon model of bulk shipping with domestic delivery replacing our previous method of delivering parcels direct to customers from our international factories. 

While the total footprint rose, there was a positive story behind the numbers: our intensity ratio (emissions in relation to revenue) actually improved. In other words, although we grew as a business, we managed our emissions more efficiently.

Where our emissions come from

Looking at the breakdown for 2023-24:

• Purchased products (55%) - the materials and processes involved in making our products.
  

• Shipping and storage (42%) - mostly international transport from suppliers to the UK.
  

• Business travel and commuting (3%) - a relatively small portion, with commuting emissions falling thanks to flexible working.

What we’ve learned

The biggest takeaway this year is the significant role of shipping, particularly air freight, which makes up a large part of our footprint. This is a challenge across the industry, and one that we are actively exploring solutions for.

We also know that as demand for Y1 Sport grows, emissions from purchased products will naturally rise. Our focus now is on managing this responsibly and finding ways to bring those numbers down over time.

Looking forward

Our sustainability journey is ongoing. Over the next year we’ll continue working on:

• Exploring ways to reduce the impact of shipping, like transporting goods via sea-freight rather than air.
  

• Expanding our use of lower-impact materials, working with recycled materials 
  

• Building on our carbon neutral commitments with credible, long-term strategies.
  

We know there’s more work to do, but measuring our impact each year ensures that we can make informed decisions and keep improving.

Offsetting Our Environmental Impact

We are continuing our work with Carbon Tanzania to balance out our effect on the environment.

Learn more about Carbon Tanzania and why we have chosen to work with them here.

View our full Carbon Emission report here.