For 2019, the total amount of CO2e potentially saved through Schibsted and Adevinta´s marketplaces was 25.3 million tonnes, equivalent to almost 50 percent of total CO2e in Norway during one year.
“With our marketplaces around the world, we empower consumers to act in more environmentally-friendly ways. Through the Second Hand Effect we want to raise awareness about the environmental benefits of reusing items and minimizing waste, in addition to visualizing our users’ contribution to the circular economy,” says CEO in Schibsted Kristin Skogen Lund.
“At Adevinta, we want to create a positive change in the world by helping everyone and everything find a new purpose. Enabling circular and sustainable consumption is central to our business. If you think you are too small to make a difference, look at what our users have achieved together,” says Rolv Erik Ryssdal, CEO at Adevinta.
Second Hand Effect Results 2019
Greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e)
For 2019, the total amount of CO2e potentially saved through Schibsted´s and Adevinta´s marketplaces was 25.3 million tonnes. If we compare it with traffic pollution, it equalizes emissions from all traffic in Paris for more than nine years or traffic standing still in Oslo for almost 51 years.
Plastic, aluminium and steel savings
We can also look into the material goods sold on the sites in 2019 were made of, in other words these amounts of material were not needed to produce:
- 1.5 million tonnes plastics = 204 billion plastic bags
- 9.5 million tonnes of steel = enough to build 1,247 Eiffel Towers
- 0.9 million tonnes aluminium = 60 billion soda cans
Circular Consumption
Circular consumption means keeping products and materials in continuous use by repairing, sharing, reusing and recycling. Second-hand marketplaces play an important role, by enabling reuse, facilitating transactions and informing about the environmental benefits.
“The Second Hand Effect project is our way to put the spotlight on the benefits of circular consumption and enable our users to contribute to a more sustainable future,” says Britt Nilsen, Head of Sustainability at Schibsted.
“Every person shopping for second-hand goods is an environmental hero. If we buy and sell used things instead of new ones – we are potentially saving material needed and emission generated by producing these new items. This is the idea behind the Second Hand Effect – a project to show the environmental benefits from second-hand trade, conducted by Schibsted and Adevinta.”
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Definitions
What is the Second Hand Effect?
The Second Hand Effect calculates the potential savings in greenhouse gas emissions and the use of material that can be associated with second-hand trade goods. This project was started by Schibsted in 2015, and has since expanded to more marketplaces in cooperation with IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. The 12 Schibsted and Adevinta sites participating in the Second Hand Effect are helping to identify the environmental benefits of second-hand trade.
Twelve marketplaces are part of the project:
Schibsted Marketplaces: Blocket in Sweden, Finn in Norway, and Tori in Finland.
Adevinta Marketplaces: Leboncoin in France, Subito in Italy, Jófogás in Hungary, OLX in Brazil, Avito in Morocco, Segundamano in Mexico, Milanuncios in Spain, Willhaben in Austria and Shpock in Austria, Germany and UK.
Read more at https://schibsted.com/secondhandeffect/.
Methodology
We developed the method for calculating the Second-Hand Effect in close collaboration with IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. In order to calculate the potential savings of CO2e, plastic, steel and aluminium, we analysed 2019 ad data and customer surveys. We also took into account the negative impact in terms of emissions generated by the transportation of goods, our own business travel and energy consumed at our offices and data centers.
Our calculations rely on two assumptions:
Every time someone buys a used item, they don’t need to buy the corresponding new product, so the material and emissions associated with new production are avoided. Since second-hand items are reused rather than thrown away, the emissions associated with the disposal of used items are avoided.
This means that if you buy a previously used dining table on one of our marketplaces, there is no need to produce a new table or dispose of the original one.
Contact information:
Britt Nilsen, Head of Sustainability, Schibsted, britt.nilsen@schibsted.com / +47 916 86 622
Nathalie Kåvin, Head of External Communications, Schibsted, Nathalie.kavin@schibsted.com / +47 934 01 363
Mélodie Laroche, Corporate Communications, Adevinta, melodie.laroche@adevinta.com / +33 (0) 6 84 30 52 76
Markus Ahlberg, Head of Consultancy, Ethos International, markus.ahlberg@ethosinternational.se /+46 70 854 7825
Karin Sanne, Group Manager, Lifecycle management, IVL, karin.sanne@ivl.se / +46 10 788 6866
About Schibsted
Schibsted is a family of digital consumer brands with a strong Nordic position and more than 5,000 employees (excluding Adevinta). We have world-class news brands, leading marketplaces, and smart digital services. We also help new promising businesses to realize their potential. Schibsted is on a mission to empower people in their daily life, using tech and data to create innovative products and great user experiences – and to help build a sustainable future.
Learn more about Schibsted
About Adevinta
Adevinta is a global online classifieds specialist, operating digital marketplaces in 16 countries with 3,500 employees. We provide technology-based services to connect buyers and sellers and facilitate transactions, from job offers to real estate, cars, consumer goods and more. Our leading brands attract 1.5 billion users each month and include Leboncoin in France, InfoJobs and Milanuncios in Spain, and 50% of fast-growing OLX in Brazil.
Learn more about Adevinta
About IVL
IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute is an independent non-profit organization owned by a foundation established by the Swedish state and industry. IVL conducts research and provides business services related to all types of environmental questions. They have extensive experience from performing life-cycle assessments and environmental analysis with a range of industries.
Learn more about IVL