Engagement and Collaboration Key to Decarbonization Across Value Chain

Decarbonization is one of the most significant challenges the world faces in the fight against climate change. To align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target, companies are setting ambitious net-zero goals and striving to reduce emissions across their operations. According to SBTI recent study the number of companies that have set science-based targets “has now surpassed 6,000, marking a major milestone for the SBTi and corporate climate action. This includes more than 1,000 net-zero targets, a number that has more than doubled in seven months.”

A major contributor to carbon emissions in many sectors is the value chain downstream and upstream activities, but this can be a daunting task as it involves many tiers of suppliers, lack of relevant and accurate data, and most importantly misalignment in expectations and ambitions between the different business entities. It is essential for businesses to engage and collaborate with suppliers that can achieve maximum impact and drive meaningful progress in decarbonization efforts.  Case in point, Unilever's Supplier Climate Programme which focuses on 300 key suppliers which Unilever has prioritized as highest impact representing approx. 44% of Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  Suppliers receive guidance, tools to help them understand their own carbon footprint, set goals and track progress and identify further opportunities to decarbonize.

Through collaboration and leveraging the collective efforts of the supply chain we are best positioned to accelerate efforts and achieve scale in decarbonization, driving greater impact than individual actions alone. 

Intertek can help you reach your greenhouse gas reduction target by ensuring it is ambitious, aligning it with science-based pathways, and most importantly, giving you a clear pathway to reach it. Find out more here https://www.intertek.com/assuris/sustainability/science-based-target-services/