January 3rd, 2024
To reach our sustainability ambitions like our Science Based Target Initiative Net Zero by 2050, we need to collaborate and work in partnership. Making shared commitments can help create progress on a system level – here are some recent initiatives Tetra Pak has joined.
Getting net zero down to a science
One of the most important goals the world is working towards is net zero, which means reducing greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible.
According to the UN, we need to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels to avert the worst impacts of climate change and preserve a liveable planet. And in order to get there, it’s important to set science-based targets.
That’s why Tetra Pak was among the first 59 companies to have both short- and long-term net zero targets approved last year by SBTi, the Science Based Targets initiative.
“The importance of setting science-based targets cannot be overstated. Companies used to be able to write their own narratives about climate efforts, but the EU’s proposal on green claims, for example, asks companies to step up and provide claims with strong supporting evidence,” says Gilles Tisserand, Vice President Climate & Biodiversity at Tetra Pak.
“The importance of setting science-based targets cannot be overstated. Companies used to be able to write their own narratives about climate efforts, but [now you need] to step up and provide claims with strong supporting evidence.”
This means terms that were previously used a lot, like ‘climate positive’ and ‘carbon neutrality’, are no longer good enough because they leave too much room for greenwashing.
Greenwashing is a huge obstacle to tackling climate change because it can be misleading and distract from actions that would have an actual impact. An example could be if a company claimed to be on track to reduce emissions to net zero without having a solid plan in place.
That’s why companies need to clearly explain how their efforts are having an effect. And not just when it comes to reducing emissions. With the net zero commitment, companies need to go further and start helping restore nature, protect biodiversity, and actively remove carbon.
Making the journey from farm to fork more sustainable
In early 2023, Tetra Pak joined over 100 players in the food and beverage industry, committing to the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices.
This Code, aimed at fostering sustainable food systems, serves as a collective framework for industry leaders to commit to more sustainable practices in food processing, packaging and distribution.
“Industry initiatives and conduct codes like this are important because they help us and others to measure progress as we work towards our sustainability targets. And it also helps focus all the different industry efforts because now we’re working towards common targets,” says Gilles.
The EU CoC sets out actions that players ‘between the farm and the fork’ can commit to in order to improve their sustainability. More than 450 commitments have been made by almost 60 companies, including manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, and more than 50 industry trade associations and collaborators within the food sector.
Tetra Pak has signed up with five commitments, including reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by 2050 and reducing the carbon footprint, water usage and food loss and waste of our best practice processing lines by 50% by 2030 (compared to 2019).
“These shared commitments provide transparency on our efforts and help us demonstrate credibility. There’s something that we can be measured against and held accountable for,” says Gilles.
“Shared commitments provide transparency on our efforts and help us demonstrate credibility. There’s something that we can be measured against and held accountable for.”
Creating a positive supply chain reaction
Among the initiatives Tetra Pak has engaged in is also our own supplier initiative. Because reaching net zero and the SBTi-certified goals means the whole value chain has to change.
“We’ve already done quite a lot to reduce our own operational emissions, but suppliers are responsible for 31% of all emissions,” says Gilles.
The supplier initiative outlines actions that suppliers can work on: From reducing greenhouse gas emissions and maximising the use of recycled content to setting their own SBTi net-zero targets.
“Our initiative has been really well-received by our customers. We’re hearing from a lot of our customers that they’re getting inspired to push forward and aim even higher than before. We’re not just laying out a set of areas for suppliers to work on, we’re also asking them, ‘What is the positive impact of the actions you’re undertaking?” says Gilles and continues:
“And then there’s the fact that everything’s moving so fast. One of my colleagues said that working with sustainability is like constantly trying to hit a moving target.”
That’s why Gilles feels it’s good to be able to work together on initiatives, share learnings as you go and show how it’s possible to adapt – especially with recent reports indicating that the Paris Agreement’s global 1.5° C goals are all but out of reach at this point.
“We need to recalibrate and see how we can do even more. The whole world might not be able to achieve the 1.5° C goal, but it’s a duty to still work towards it – and as we go along, hopefully, we can strive to do even more,” says Gilles.
“The whole world might not be able to achieve the 1.5° C goal, but it’s a duty to still work towards it – and as we go along, hopefully, we can strive to do even more.”
Partnering to promote science-based policymaking
One of the latest initiatives Tetra Pak has joined is the multi-stakeholder platform Think2030. Launched by Brussels-based sustainability think tank IEEP (The Institute for European Environmental Policy), the platform brings together European think tanks, civil society, the private sector and local authorities to support the European Green Deal.
Think2030 essentially provides a space where leading industry players can come together and provide recommendations to policymakers – and at the heart of these efforts are science-based policy solutions that support a more sustainable Europe.
“The main difference in a set-up like Think2030’s is that it’s reshaping the way advocacy work is done. Traditionally, advocacy work has been quite siloed, with different sectors like academia, civil society and the private sector working in isolation. But this doesn’t make sense because, often, we’re actually working together on the exact same ambitions,” says Gilles.
The think tank has already gained a lot of attention and made life easier for policymakers, providing a one-stop shop for consultations and science-based policy advice.
“These are just a handful of the initiatives we’re part of. Every day, we’re looking at new commitments we can make and new steps we can take because we need to work even harder than we’re doing today to ensure we can change the trajectory the world is currently on. And we all need to do it together because we’re in the same boat,” says Gilles.
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