As part of its CARE BEYOND SKIN Sustainability Agenda launched in 2020, Beiersdorf is bundling its climate commitment and action measures in the focus area “For a Climate Positive Future”.
The group, consisting of the Consumer Business Segment and tesa aims to reduce energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 30% in absolute terms and to cut supply chain emissions (scope 3) by 10 percent by 2025.* These targets have been officially endorsed by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), confirming that Beiersdorf’s targets are in line with the latest findings by independent climate scientists to limit global warming to 1.5 degree.
In addition to the SBTi’s endorsement of climate targets for the entire Beiersdorf Group, its Consumer Business Segment has set a target of a 30% absolute reduction in its supply chain emissions (scope 3) by 2025, and all Consumer Business Segment production sites are to become climate-neutral by 2030.
Beiersdorf is working on reducing production and transport-related CO2 emissions, switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, and researching innovative ways of capturing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere to use in its product development.
Beiersdorf’s production sites worldwide are a major lever in reducing its energy-related emissions: its “Manufacturing Excellence” initiative systematically identifies energy reduction potentials worldwide and progressively implements energy saving measures. With its “Blue Building” programme, Beiersdorf strives to meet the highest environmental standards in the design of production and office locations, incorporating energy efficiency to help meet its climate targets.
Another important pillar of Beiersdorf’s energy saving initiative is the transformation to green logistics. By 2025 they plan to convert half of all goods deliveries in its European logistics network to intermodal rail freight, in addition to investigating the latest CO2-efficient truck technologies for future use in its European logistics network.
Beiersdorf had already cut its energy-related emissions by 60% between 2014 and 2019. One of its goals for 2020 was the conversion of all its sites worldwide to electricity from renewable energy sources. This could be achieved even one year earlier, in 2019, with all offices and production sites now running with energy from renewable sources. Some sites have installed photovoltaic systems that enable them to cover part of their electricity requirements fully grid-independently, creating 3,219MWh of electricity worldwide in 2020 (comparable to almost 751 three-person households in Germany).
In addition, Beiersdorf is dedicating significant effort to tackling its Scope 3 emissions. For the Consumer Business, a clear commitment has been given to reduce absolute virgin plastic by 50% and use at least 30% recycled material in the company’s plastic packaging – both commitments that pay an important contribution to the group’s climate targets.
Switching several of its European logistics systems from trucks to intermodal rail transport in 2020 enabled Beiersdorf to eliminate around 1,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions within just one year: the equivalent to the CO2 absorbed by 1,200 trees over 80 years. Meanwhile, the sustainable design and construction of its buildings was recognised by LEED Gold certification for its production sites in Itatiba, São Paulo, Brazil.
Beiersdorf was recognized for its effort as a “Climate A-List” Company in 2020 by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).
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* Greenhouse gas emissions are categorised into three groups or 'Scopes' by the international accounting tool, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol.
-Scope 1 covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.
-Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.
-Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company's value chain.