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Grand & Toy

Grand & Toy is a leading provider of streamlined office solutions to Canadian businesses. With 1600 Associate, 20 commercial sales offices, seven Distribution Centres, and over 30 retail locations throughout Canada, Grand &Toy has established processes for measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping and distribution of products.

Company Background

Founded in 1882, Grand & Toy (G&T) is a leading office solutions provider to Canadian businesses. Grand & Toy provides business with office furniture, interior finishes, professional services, technology and imaging solutions and everyday office and facility supplies. The home office is in Toronto, and the company employs over 1,600 Associates and operates 20 commercial sales offices, seven Distribution Centres, and over 30 retail locations throughout Canada. Grand & Toy is a wholly-owned, independently-operated subsidiary of OfficeMax Incorporated.

Grand & Toy has developed a comprehensive environmental action plan based on seven fundamentals:

• Environmental Footprint
• Products Stewardship
• Customer Partnership
• Sustainable/Ethical Sourcing
• Impact on Communities
• Employment Practices
• Communication and Reporting

A description of these fundamentals, their measures and results are available on the Grand & Toy website¹. G&T has implemented a number of innovative environmental initiatives such as:

• Electronic system allowing customers to place orders and allow G&T to map the most efficient routes to reduce fuel use and gas emissions
• ThINK program that resulted in the recycling of 276,393 ink and toner cartridges in 2008 for a total of 555,555 cartridges in the past two years
• Reduction of printed and mailed invoices through an e-invoicing service that allows customers to view, track and pay online – in 2008, 9.5% of Grand &Toy total invoices were sent electronically, for a total of 268,000 pages.
• Reduction in the printing and distribution of 130,000 catalogues through a comprehensive on-line catalogue and ordering system
• Adjustments to shipping and delivery that significantly reduces travel distances, fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions.

This summary focuses on efforts Grand & Toy has made to reduce the fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions related to its shipping and distribution activities.

Driving Forces

Grand & Toy has realized that efforts to reduce waste and fuel usage have a positive benefit for the company, its customers and society in general. The benefits are realized through lowered cost, positive public perception of the company, and reduced environmental impact.

The company has implemented policies to minimize adverse environmental impacts of its operations and products in a manner responsive to the needs of customers, Associates, suppliers, the communities in which it operates, and the public. These policies apply to all Associates and Canadian operations of Grand & Toy and joint ventures for which G&T has management control. All Associates are expected to understand their responsibilities for environmental compliance and management.

Actions to Reduce Shipping Footprint

Supply chain optimization and logistics

In 2007, Grand & Toy began tracking its environmental footprint and in 2008 published its first Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report.¹ Table 1 shows the benchmark data for 2007 and a decrease in GHG emissions from transportation activities between 2007 and 2008.

For many years, G&T’s delivery policy was based on a 24-hour turn-around time for deliveries. Recently G&T conducted a study that revealed that many customers did not require 24-hour delivery but were receiving it by default. This caused a burden/strain on the supply chain and prevented G&T from consolidating its orders and trips. The study indicated that greenhouse gas emissions due to transportation activities from such a change could reduce GHG emissions by 7%.

 Table 1 Emission reduction due to delivery optimization¹

	2007	2008
Sales Offices and Distribution Centres Nationwide	27	27
Retail Locations Nationwide	January: 58 December: 53	January: 53 December: 45
Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions for all Facilities	Data not collected	5111.45 tonnes of CO2
Grand & Toy Fleet	Owned: 144 trucks Dedicated2: 87 trucks	Owned: 134 trucks Dedicated2: 58 trucks
Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transportation/Delivery Activities	4521.95 tonnes of CO2	4000.38 tonnes of CO2

In 2009, G&T offered 48-hour delivery on a voluntary basis for the 60% of orders placed via Internet. Initial acceptance by customers resulted in its introduction in British Columbia in December 2009 as the default service – this means that customers receive 48-hour delivery unless 24-hour delivery has been specified. Its implementation nationally will be completed in June 2010.

Local deliveries are made using in-house-developed trip sequencing software that determines the best route for each delivery route based on postal codes. Drivers carry hand-held computers that provide guidance on the route to follow. Each delivery route involves 50 to 60 delivery points and the average distance between deliveries is 1.2 km. Random checks are made to ensure drivers follow the prescribed routes that eliminate back-tracking and reduce travel distances. To avoid rush hour slow-downs in major urban areas, delivery trucks are moving before 7:30 am and are finished by 3:00 pm, reducing idling in traffic snarls. In addition to reducing emissions, this practice has saved each driver at least one hour per day compared to the previous practice of planning routes manually based on printed orders.

Technology

In 2009, Grand & Toy replaced 24 delivery trucks in its fleet of about 200 owned or leased vehicles. Through its vehicle procurement provider, G&T maintains a relatively low average fleet age and requires that new vehicles are the best in terms of energy-efficiency and emission control technology.

Best practices

Grand & Toy operates seven distribution centres in optimal geographic locations across Canada. Shipments to centres that do not have distribution centres are optimized so that full truck loads are delivered. For example, deliveries to Ottawa customers are made from the Toronto Distribution Centre. Trucks are loaded in Toronto based on Ottawa postal codes. Merchandise is transferred from the transport truck to delivery trucks for Ottawa distribution – to meet either the 24- or 48-hour delivery window.

Practices have been adjusted to reduce the number of incoming transport trucks to the Distribution Centres.

Where cross-Canada transportation is required to supply retail outlets, rail transportation is used.

Next Steps

Grand & Toy is committed to continual improvement and to annual measuring and reporting of environmental practices.

Additional Information

1. Grand & Toy Sustainability and 2008 CSR Report
2. Grand & Toy Green Office program

Date modified:

2012-03-12

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