Globe champions sustainable transport, pilots electric vehicles for employee shuttle service

PHOTO: Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu and Global Electric Transport (GET) President Freddie Tinga launch the GET electric vehicle service for Globe employees at The Globe Tower, January 23, 2023.

Globe has partnered with Global Electric Transportation (GET) to launch electric-powered shuttles for its employees this January to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its fleet vehicles.

To commemorate this partnership, GET initially provided Globe with two electric vehicles (EVs) to serve as employee shuttles. On Monday, January 23, the GET shuttle started servicing employees for trips around Globe headquarters at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and offices in Makati and Mandaluyong City.

The partnership is an important step towards a more environmentally-friendly fleet of company vehicles, and demonstrates Globe’s commitment to sustainability and its focus on reducing its carbon footprint.

“Globe is committed to making its operations more sustainable, and we are pleased to be partnering with GET in this effort. We believe that transitioning our fleet operations to electric vehicles will help us make a positive impact on the environment while providing our employees with green transport options,” said Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu.

He said his vision of transitioning Globe to EV was reinforced during the pandemic, when mobility restrictions grounded vehicles and production of carbon emissions was lessened. 

“The problem here is air pollution. During the pandemic when you’d sit at your balcony and see how clear the air is, you’d think “what if the air is clear every day?” he said at the launch event at The Globe Tower. 

Globe endeavors to make EVs a substantial part of its fleet, targeting to transition 5% of its service vehicles to EVs within the next 6 years.

“We are excited to partner with a company such as Globe that has consistently advocated for sustainability. This launch is a major step in achieving our common goal to provide sustainable transport in the Philippines,” said GET president Freddie Tinga.

Tinga hopes the Globe model on EV use will be replicated in other parts of the country. 

“We really look forward to making this not just a shuttle service but hopefully the future of transport and mobility in the country,” Tinga said at a launch event, where Globe Group and GET executives kicked off the EV service for Globe employees.

EVs offer several benefits such as zero fuel emissions and fast-charging lithium-ion batteries. They can also accommodate more passengers than traditional shuttles and come with an intelligent fleet management system that includes GPS tracking, route optimization, and maintenance alerts.

In particular, GET’s EV shuttle Comet provides safe and convenient transportation while helping curb carbon emissions. As a fully-electric shuttle with fast-charging lithium-ion batteries, GET cuts down 40,000 kgs of carbon emissions per year. 

The shuttle can ferry 30 passengers at a time and has a wheelchair ramp for use by PWD passengers. It also allows cashless payments via GCash.

The use of EV is critical in Globe’s reduction of its Scope 1 GHG emissions in support of the Philippines’ commitment to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 75 percent in 2030. This is also in alignment with Republic Act 11697, or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, which mandates that corporate fleets ensure that 5% of their vehicles, whether owned or leased, are EVs within the government-prescribed timeframe. 

As part of its investments into sustainable transportation, Globe, through its corporate venture builder 917Ventures and major stakeholder Ayala Corporation, also recently partnered with global two-wheel electric vehicle and battery-swapping technology leader Gogoro to bring the technology to the Philippines. 

Piloting in Metro Manila in Q1 2023, Gogoro’s Smartscooters will serve as an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles currently used by the logistics and last-mile delivery industry. Gogoro^® Smartscooters^® are powered by Gogoro’s^® battery swapping platform through conveniently located stations, where users can quickly swap depleted batteries for fully-charged ones in seconds.

Globe also supports the Ayala Corporation’s commitment to respond to an urgent call-to-action for companies to set emissions reduction targets in line with a 1.5°C future, backed by a global network of United Nations agencies and business and industry leaders. 

As a participant in the global Race to Zero campaign, Globe is committed to halving its GHG emissions by 2030 through the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi), and achieving Net Zero by 2050.To learn more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.