UK | Morrisons has announced a significant strengthening of its climate commitments, with a new set of near- and long-term science-based emissions-reduction targets that have been formally approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Morrisons' new 2050 net-zero target covers the entire value chain, including emissions from agricultural and land-use sources. The targets aligned with global best practice under the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C pathway.
As part of its revised science-based pathway, Morrisons has committed to reducing its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 80 percent by 2035, and by 90 percent by 2050.
With approximately 98 percent of Morrisons' emissions from Scope 3, the company has also expanded its emissions target to include a 40 percent reduction in Scope 3 energy and industrial emissions by 2035, and a 48.5 percent reduction in Scope 3 FLAG emissions within the same timeframe.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The SBTi defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies’ targets.
Since first setting near-term carbon targets with the SBTi in 2021, Morrisons has made significant progress in achieving a 22 percent reduction in total carbon emissions since 2019.
This includes a 27 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The overall reduction has been driven by sustained operational changes, energy-efficiency projects, lower-carbon logistics, and collaboration with its suppliers.
Morrisons has recalculated and strengthened its targets, expanding the scope and setting a clear long-term pathway to net-zero. The newly validated targets now cover the full breadth of the company’s value chain.
“The validation of these targets reaffirms Morrisons commitment to sustainability and the move to a 2050 target across the full value chain is a big step forward in our journey to net zero. We are taking upstream and downstream emissions of our operations into account, including emissions created in making products, in our stores, transport systems and then end-of-life emissions too,” said Andrew Edlin, Head of Sustainability at Morrisons.
“Additional targets for forest, land and agriculture (FLAG) emissions reflect the importance of land-use and agricultural impacts across the business. Independent approval gives us a clear roadmap to achieve meaningful, measurable reductions. We also recognise that industry-wide collaboration will be essential in achieving these goals, and we are committed to working in partnership to deliver them.”
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