Here at BALYO, in the world of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots(AMRs), efficiency is at the core of everything we do. But what happens when we apply that same drive for optimization not just to our automated warehouse solutions, but to our very impact on the world? The result is a journey toward corporate responsibility that we are navigating with data-driven precision and transparent ambition.
Our 2024 Impact Report is more than just a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report; it's our blueprint for embedding sustainability into the core of our operations. As our CEO, Pascal Rialland, shared, our focus in 2024 was on improving the "how" of our impact strategy. "We've worked to streamline and enhance our various processes, and we're already seeing real performance gains," he noted, setting the stage for a report where we share both our victories and our hurdles on our path to creating more sustainable autonomous mobile robotics (AMR).
Engineering a Greener Footprint: From Carbon Data to Ecodesigned AGVs
At the heart of our strategy is a commitment to understanding and reducing the environmental impact of our AGV/AMR manufacturing. In 2024, we generated 4,842 tons of CO2 equivalent. A deeper look revealed that our largest contributor, at a staggering 49%, is "Raw materials and manufactured goods". This single data point illuminates our path forward: the most significant change must come from the design of the AGV and AMR systems themselves.
In response, we are championing a robust ecodesign philosophy with the goal of leading the industry with our first ecodesigned AGV/AMR. This isn't just a vague aspiration; it's a concrete engineering challenge.
- A key target for every new product release of our robotic AGV/AMR kits is a 20% weight reduction compared to the previous version.
- To achieve this, we have invested in advanced ecodesign software and are automatically tracking the weight of every part we purchase for our mobile robots in our ERP system. Soon, we will do the same for its carbon footprint.
We are also looking at the power source, a critical component for any AGV/AMR solution. Our research in 2024 identified several promising alternatives to traditional lithium-ion batteries, including sodium-based technologies and others with lower rare metal content. While conversations with suppliers indicated that implementing a proof of concept in our forklifts is still premature, this exploration has expanded our knowledge base for future AGV innovations. We will explore this work further in a white paper on the eco-designed robot, which we've rescheduled for release in 2025.
Building a Responsible and Resilient Robotic Supply Chain
An AGV/AMR is only as sustainable as the parts that go into it. Our efforts in ecodesign are intrinsically linked to our sustainable procurement strategy for our entire AGV/AMR robot supply chain. The integration of weight and, eventually, carbon data into our ERP system is designed to guide our purchasing decisions, making environmental impact a key factor in the process.
However, the path to a fully sustainable supply chain is not without its obstacles. We openly acknowledge the difficulty of balancing supplier price competitiveness with ESG performance, a challenge that becomes more acute during periods of high business activity. In response, we will be introducing standardized criteria in 2025 to better reflect our suppliers' stance on sustainability and make it easier to integrate that into our purchasing decisions for our AGV/AMR components.
Our Human-Centered Approach: Nurturing Talent in the Mobile Robotics Industry
For us, impact is not limited to environmental metrics for our robots. We have set an ambitious goal: to be the preferred place to work for women in the mobile robotics industry. In 2024, this ambition translated into action. We organized a series of events and workshops in both France and the U.S. to bring our female employees together. These gatherings, attended by nearly 60% of the women at BALYO, helped build stronger professional connections and allowed us to hear directly from them about their experiences.
We are also transparent about where we need to do more. We have not yet reached our gender equity targets of having women comprise 30% of our total workforce and 25% of our managers by 2025. As of the end of 2024, those figures stood at 24% of the workforce and 14% of managers. Rather than shying away from these numbers, we believe these results are "pushing us to step up our efforts, especially when it comes to increasing the number of women in leadership roles".
Optimizing Our Operations: The Logistics of AGV Sustainability
Our commitment to introspection extends to the complex world of logistics and corporate travel needed to deploy our AGV fleets. Here, our story is one of mixed results and valuable lessons. We openly report that we were not able to improve our logistics-related environmental rating in 2024, with our EcoFreight Score remaining at a C. This was mainly due to an increased use of air freight to meet customers' demands for the fastest possible delivery of their AGV systems and the complexities of shipping base trucks and smaller parts that are not well-suited for sea freight. Looking ahead, we are launching a joint project to factor transportation impacts into the design of our next-generation AMR and AGV models from the very beginning.
On the travel front, however, we have had significant success. We had set a goal for our Field Engineers (FEs) to spend 40% of their working time at the office by the end of 2025 to reduce travel related to AMR installations. We surpassed that goal in 2024, with over 50% of their time now spent working remotely or from HQ. This was achieved alongside the implementation of a new tool that generates CO2 emissions reports based on team travel across different AGV projects.
Our Road Ahead in the AGV and AMR Industry
Governed by a dedicated steering committee of our own managers and team members who meet monthly, our impact strategy is a living, evolving process. Our 2024 report paints a picture of a company that is not afraid to set high goals for our AGV and AMR robots, invest in the tools to measure them, and be honest about the outcome. It's a journey of continuous improvement, where we see challenges as opportunities to learn and refine.
