Science Based Targets in Elopak

Elopak was one of the first companies in the world to formally pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions in line with the new criteria set by Science Based Targets (SBT) initiative, aiming to keep the global average temperature increase below 1.5°C.

This new commitment aims for a 55% reduction in Elopak’s 2017 level of emissions by the year 2030. We also commit to continue purchasing renewable electricity, and to reduce emissions from our value chain by 16%. Our targets are approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.
Working to reach these reductions targets is in line with the company decision from 2018, to set science-based targets as a framework for the company’s sustainability work.

WHAT IS SCIENCE BASED TARGETS

Science Based Targets is an initiative which sets guidelines to scientifically calculate targets for companies’ contribution to decarbonization in line with the Paris Agreement. Originally, this agreement set out to keeping the global average temperature increase below 2°C compared to pre-industrial temperatures. However, following an updated report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in October 2018, the SBT initiative launched new guidelines for target-setting in line with a temperature increase below 1.5°C.

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Greenhouse gases are used to measure emissions that could potentially impact the climate on our planet.
Elopak has worked since 2008 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our own operations and our supply chain. So far, we have had a 70% reduction due to use of renewable electricity. Our emission data is published in our annual sustainability report, and in 2018, the emission from our own production was at 9,166 tonnes of CO2e.

HOW ARE SCIENCE-BASED TARGETS CALCULATED?

Elopak has calculated our baseline emissions from 2017 and will implement several projects internally and throughout our value chain to reach our targets. We will report regularly on our progress towards the targets. 

SBT uses the methodology from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol). Since 2008, Elopak has reported according to GHG protocol for scope 1 and 2, and some categories of scope 3.

  • Scope 1 are direct emissions from fuel combustion. Use of natural gas and LPG is Elopak’s main source of scope 1 emissions.
  • Scope 2 are indirect emissions from purchased electricity. A company’s scope 2 emissions are the electricity companies’ scope 1 emissions.
  • Scope 3 are all other indirect emissions related to a company’s products and raw materials. Relevant examples for Elopak is emissions embedded in our raw materials, all transport of goods (inbound, internal and outbound), waste, business travels and the consumption of our filling machines during use. All scope 3 emissions are double-counted, meaning they are someone else’s scope 1 or 2 emissions.