Finland's S Group has announced it is setting long-term net-zero targets, involving reduction of climate emissions from its operations and value chain by 2050.
The group noted that almost 99% of its total climate impact is generated in the value chain.
Value Chain Emissions
S Group’s value chain emissions cover, among other things, the entire life cycle of the products sold by the retail group, which includes not only manufacturing but also sourcing, transport and final use of products.
Food and fuel sales account for the highest emissions, S Group added.
"Our goal is to work with our partners to find new and effective ways to reduce emissions throughout the value chain," said CEO Hannu Krook.
"We have already achieved a lot of good things together, but this work must continue without any compromises.”
Renewable Fuels
The retail group is aiming for 65% of the food it sells to be plant-based by 2030.
S Group believes electrification of transport and increasing the share of renewable fuels will in turn reduce emissions from transport and from the fuels sold by the group.
New emission reduction targets are set through a science-based assessment process (the Science Based Targets initiative, SBTi), and the most effective measures will be determined on the basis of each company’s business operations.
The company will implement a policy requiring all suppliers of products with a combined value of more than €10 million in the grocery sector to set science-based climate targets for their own operations.
Currently, this target has applied to two-thirds of S Group’s largest suppliers.
2030 Target
S Group aims to reduce emissions from its own operations by 90% by 2030 to the 2015 level.
The company hopes to achieve this target five years earlier than expected.
Currently, emissions from the group’s own operations have reduced by more than 80% from 2015 levels.
