Sartorius sharpens climate targets and receives validation from Science Based Targets initiative

The life science group Sartorius has sharpened its medium-term climate targets and received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The organization confirmed that the new greenhouse gas reduction targets are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

“We have refined our climate targets and, with SBTi validation, taken an important step that is increasingly expected in our industry: science-based targets aligned with the United Nations’ decarbonization pathways. This underscores our level of ambition,” said Sartorius CEO Dr. Michael Grosse. “At the same time, we are turning ambition into action: We are transitioning our sites to renewable energy, working closely with customers and suppliers to advance the use of low-emission materials and processes, and applying eco-design principles to a growing share of our product portfolio. This is how we reduce our own footprint and help our customers achieve their sustainability goals.”

For direct emissions from its own operations and vehicle fleet, as well as indirect emissions from purchased energy - Scopes 1 and 2 -, Sartorius aims to reduce CO₂ equivalents in metric tons by 42 percent by 2030 compared with the base year 2022. The target now covers all relevant emission sources and exceeds the 95 percent coverage required by the Science Based Targets initiative. According to SBTi criteria, it is therefore aligned with the United Nations’ 1.5-degree Celsius target. The most important lever for reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions at Sartorius remains the global transition of sites to renewable energy. An increasing number of facilities are to source electricity from renewable sources and heat, cooling, and steam is also planned to be generated sustainably. 

For indirect emissions along the company’s value chain, the Sartorius Executive Board has defined an intensity target, assuming continued business growth: The company plans to reduce its Scope 3 emissions by 51.6 percent by 2030 compared to 2022 relative to the company’s value added¹. The most important drivers are the decarbonization of the supply chain together with customers and suppliers, the eco-design of products and packaging, logistics, and sustainable building construction.

The company’s long-term climate ambition remains unchanged: Sartorius aims to have a climate-neutral value chain by 2045 and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating all avoidable emissions and offsetting the remaining ones.

The updated climate targets remain part of the long-term remuneration components of the Executive Board and replace the previous ones.
 

Learn more: www.sartorius.com/sustainability