Merchants Fleet Releases its Annual Impact Report  

Creating a Positive Impact on our Planet, People and Communities  

Merchants Fleet, the nation’s innovative leader in comprehensive fleet management solutions, announced today the publication of its annual Impact Report outlining its 2023 Sustainability journey, performance, and initiatives.    

“Over the past year, we’ve made significant strides in our ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) efforts, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished at Merchants,” said Ted Lague, Director of Sustainability at Merchants Fleet. “Our progress has not only strengthened our company but also empowered our clients to make impactful, sustainable differences in their operations. It’s truly inspiring to see the positive changes we are facilitating together in the industry.”    

Last year was a tremendous year of progress for Merchants, marked by significant achievements across all three pillars of impact: planet, people, and community. Among many accomplishments, Merchants successfully grew clients’ electric vehicle fleets by 65%, contributing to improved air quality in communities across North America. Additionally, Merchants launched its signature philanthropy program, Give with Merchants. This program democratized corporate giving and mobilized employees to take action in their communities, resulting in over $100,000 in charitable donations within the first two weeks of its launch. These initiatives, among others detailed in the report, highlight the immense impact of Merchants’ collective efforts. 

“When you give people a voice, the sky is the limit both in terms of a company’s financial success and the positive impact it has on the world. I’m thrilled to announce, by way of incredible cross-functional dedication, 97% of our employees engaged in one or more of our entirely optional initiatives in 2023,” said Lague. “Not only has this measure of action been good for our planet, people and communities, as illustrated throughout this report, but it has also helped our business succeed. This financial success has been revealed repeatedly in our metrics, such as higher employee performance and significantly reduced turnover, both of which accelerate our long-term profitability and the value we provide to our clients.” 

The report is available for download at: www.merchantsfleet.com/about/corporate-sustainability. Among the many Sustainability initiatives covered, key highlights from the past year include:   

Fleet Electrification: In 2023, Merchants grew their clients’ electric vehicle fleets by 65%, contributing to improved air quality in communities across North America. Additionally, the company has achieved 117% annual growth in the number of electric vehicle charging ports managed. With a dedicated grant professional on staff, the Merchants team is working with each client to identify and obtain grants, rebates, and incentives to support their EV deployments and charging infrastructure investments. In 2023, Merchants secured $1.4M in pre-approved incentives, proving that acting today on EV adoption can yield early advantages for clients.   

Supplier Diversity: Merchants continued to prioritize the measurement and growth of diversity in their supply chain. 78% of the company’s preferred corporate support vendors are local, small businesses, and/or diversely owned. In 2023, $43 million was spent with diverse suppliers, representing a 15% year-over-year growth in diversity spending. 

The Environment: Merchants’ tree planting program has planted over 10,000 trees across eleven countries, representing an annual increase of 100%, resulting in a total of 15,000 trees planted since the program’s launch in 2022.  Over a lifetime, these trees are estimated to absorb 1,800 tons of CO2 and create 1,888 working hours. The company is committed to planting ten trees for every new employee that joins Merchants.  

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