Commercial, Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions  -  February 5, 2021

Sainsbury’s sets science-based targets to reach net-zero goals

UK grocery chain Sainsbury’s announced on Feb. 3 that it plans to significantly reduce GHG emissions with approved science-based targets in its operations and across the supply chain. This includes reducing emissions from purchased goods and services sold, upstream transport and distribution and the direct use of sold products. 

Sainsbury’s has committed to investing £1 billion over twenty years towards becoming a net-zero business across its own operations, aligned to the highest ambitions of the Paris Climate Change Agreement and a decade ahead of the UK Government’s own target.

The Science Based Targets initiative has approved Sainsbury’s science-based target for Scopes 1, 2 and 3. For Scope 1 and 2, which include the reduction of GHG emissions from Sainsbury’s own operations by 2040 in a bid to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Sainsbury’s worked with the Carbon Trust to define an ambitious Scope 3 target which requires the reduction of absolute GHG emissions by 30% by 2030, to align to a well below 2°C scenario. Sainsbury’s will work collaboratively with its suppliers to deliver against their own Scope 1 and 2 targets. 

“We have a responsibility to our colleagues and the communities we serve to reduce the impact our business has on the environment and have been working hard to reduce our carbon emissions over the last 16 years,” Simon Roberts, CEO of Sainsbury’s, said in a statement. “Setting bold science-based targets across our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions strengthens our long-standing commitment to protecting the environment and tackling climate change. We are making significant progress on our road to net-zero however we can’t get there on our own, to make a meaningful difference to climate change we need to collaborate with industry, work closely with our suppliers and engage our colleagues and customers."

Sainsbury’s strategies to reduce its own emissions include energy-saving refrigeration and LED lighting to improve overall efficiency.