In an interview conducted by Sustainability Magazine, Sébastien Pellion, Head of Social Impact & Sustainability at Glovo, detailed how the Spanish delivery company is integrating sustainability into its rapid commerce operations. Since its inception in 2014, Glovo has been renowned for its ability to deliver any produce within minutes in urban settings. Pellion sheds light on the complexities and strategies involved in achieving this feat sustainably.
Before his tenure at Glovo, Pellion’s career was immersed in sustainability roles, including at the French company Suez and as a participant in UN Climate Change conferences. He also founded a startup focused on digitalizing waste collection in Sub-Saharan cities. “I feel extremely lucky to have chosen this path 10 years ago,” Pellion shared with Sustainability Magazine. “Businesses have the power to catalyze systemic change in a way that is replicable and scalable.”
In his role at Glovo, Pellion is responsible for defining a robust roadmap with ambitious long-term goals. His strategy involves close collaboration with all Glovo departments and external stakeholders, such as NGOs and public administrations. “We need all our teams at every level to come together to make a positive impact,” he emphasized, noting the importance of storytelling in motivating colleagues to engage in Social Impact and Sustainability Projects.
As part of its sustainability efforts, Glovo has committed to reducing its carbon emissions across the entire value chain by 42% by 2030, a goal validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). Beyond carbon reduction, the company is focused on creating holistic strategies that ensure accountability. Pellion highlighted Glovo’s Impact Fund to Sustainability Magazine, describing it as an initiative where a small portion of revenue per order finances impact and sustainability projects.
On the urban development front, Glovo believes in initiating positive change locally. The company has partnered with Fundación Tierra Pura to reforest over 200 hectares in Spain’s Galicia region, aiming to enhance biodiversity and foster socio-economic development locally. Pellion pointed out the necessity of tailoring efforts to the specific needs of the communities where Glovo operates, as reported by Sustainability Magazine.
Addressing challenges in supply-chain, packaging, and distribution, Pellion noted the critical role of electrifying fleets to reduce carbon emissions in cities. Glovo’s multi-fulfillment center fleets in Spain are already electric, and pilot programs in several countries are showing promising results. The company is also addressing single-use plastics by offering sustainable packaging alternatives through the Glovo Store.
Another significant area where Glovo is making an impact is food waste. In collaboration with Spain’s Fundación Altius, Glovo ensures that surplus food from various sources is delivered directly to vulnerable populations. This initiative has saved over 2,000 tonnes of food surplus since 2020.
Looking ahead, Glovo has set four ambitious operational targets for 2030, including transitioning to low-carbon vehicles, reducing courier travel distances, ensuring the use of green packaging, and addressing food waste issues. “By achieving these targets, we hope to plateau carbon emissions at less than 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year by 2030,” Pellion explained to Sustainability Magazine.
To ensure these eco-friendly practices are embedded into company culture and values, Glovo launched the Impact Fund. This initiative supports local communities, climate action initiatives, and the digitalization of small businesses, among other projects. To measure progress, Glovo developed a Profit and Loss dashboard, enabling each market to track its sustainability impact.
Pellion stressed the importance of setting clear, science-based targets and fostering industry-wide collaboration. “The ecological transition will generate millions of jobs, reduce billions of costs, and generate even more revenues,” Pellion concluded in his discussion with Sustainability Magazine, highlighting the economic potential of social impact and sustainability.
Glovo’s efforts, as reported by Sustainability Magazine, are a testament to the transformative power of integrating sustainability into business models, ensuring a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future for communities worldwide.
