Whether implementing emissions mitigation projects , planning for adaptation and resiliency , designing sustainable infrastructure , advising on climate strategies or deploying digital solutions , we are committed to working with our clients to tackle climate challenges and contribute to necessary and transformational solutions .
To expand our advanced energy services , in fiscal year 2020 we acquired Lockheed Martin ’ s Distributed Energy Solutions (“ LM-DES ” or “ DES ”) business . With approximately 400 employees , the DES acquisition brings enhanced technical capabilities , long-standing relationships with utility clients and an expanded presence in key geographical markets .
In FY20 we also announced the launch of TRC Digital , an offering that combines TRC ’ s best-inclass engineering and consulting services with new and innovative technologies such as AI , blockchain , automation , cloud and cyber innovations . As a techenabled company we are embedding the latest digital solutions into everything we do – increasing speed and efficiency while decreasing cost , emissions and material inputs .
Five years ago , we published our 2020 Sustainability Targets and this year we are announcing our 2025 Sustainability Commitments to guide our progress forward . We are proud of what we have achieved in all aspects of the business , from energy consumption , to materials procurement , to safety and employee engagement .
In FY20 we achieved a 29 % reduction in energy use , over our 2014 baseline , within our offices , surpassing our target of 20 % energy reduction by 2020 . We set a new target this year to reduce GHG emissions from our offices and fleet vehicles ( Scope 1 and 2 emissions ) by 35 % by 2025 . With approximately 5,000 employees working from home , our Scope 3 emissions related to employee commuting are also substantially reduced . We estimate we will avoid approximately 10,000 metric tons of CO2e emissions over 12 months from the reduction in employee commuting – the equivalent of the amount of carbon sequestered by approximately 13,000 acres of U . S . Forests in one year !
We have achieved a 66 % reduction in paper use over the past five years and 100 % of our offices were recycling at the end of fiscal year 2020 .
We continue to emphasize our strong commitment to health and safety . While “ zero incidents / zero harm ” will always be our goal , our Total Recordable Incident Rate ( TRIR ) of 0.22 for FY20 reflects a strong performance , with effective engagement and commitment to continual improvement in our program across our organization .
Our network of sustainability champions continues to grow , with approximately 70 Sustainability Coordinators and various office Green Teams now driving change on the ground and promoting best practices . In 2020 we sponsored an Earth Day art competition for our employees and their families , with donations made in the winners ’ names to COVID-19 focused charitable organizations .
We know that building true resilience includes coupling immediate responses with corresponding forward-looking strategies . In FY21 we are beginning our 5-year strategic planning process once again – aligning an optimistic outlook with outcome expectations for a future-ready business . In time we will reflect on 2020 as a pivotal moment that gave us the opportunity to see what collective effort can do to make our Earth a better place to live . In our role as a responsible and responsive leader and partner , we embrace the trust our employees and clients place in us as we continue to work toward a more sustainable future . I am confident that , together , we will continue to do great things .
Christopher P . Vincze Chairman and CEO of TRC
3