Compass Group UK & Ireland, the UK’s leading food service provider, has received confirmation by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), that its targets - submitted in July – have been approved in line with a 1.5°C trajectory as set out in the Paris Agreement.
The assessors have also commended Compass Group UK & Ireland for its ‘best practice approach’; the organisation is committing to:
> Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 46% by 2030 from a 2019 base-year, or 69% when including business growth.
> Reduce its scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services 46% by 2030 from a 2019 base-year, or 69% when including business growth.
> Increase annual sourcing of renewable electricity from 2% in 2019 to 100% by 2022.
This is in line with the most ambitious goal of the Paris Agreement and what the latest climate science dictates is needed to prevent the most damaging effects of climate change.
This validation follows the announcement, in May 2021, of Compass Group UK & Ireland’s commitment to reach Climate Net Zero by 2030. The business is a signatory of Business Ambition for 1.5°C and the UN’s Race to Zero campaign. Compass Group UK & Ireland will seek SBTi validation of its Net Zero target in the course of 2022 as the final SBTi criteria and guidelines are being published over the coming months.
Compass Group UK & Ireland has published Our Climate Promise and Roadmap to Net Zero, which together provide more detail on the philosophies and milestones it will champion in this decade. These include promises such as a 40% switch from animal proteins by 2030, 50% reduction in food waste across its own operations by 2030 and 70% fresh meat, dairy and vegetables sourced from regenerative agriculture sources by 2030.
The Science Based Targets initiative 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. Science based targets provide companies with a clearly defined pathway to future-proof growth by specifying how much and how quickly they need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to deliver on specific commitments.
Carolyn Ball, Director for Delivery of Net Zero, Compass Group UK & Ireland, said, “We know we must use climate science as the hard basis for our decision making and target setting. The latest IPCC report evidences (again) why this is increasingly critical, and the validation of these targets underlines our commitment to act.
'For unprecedented change to be delivered at the pace and scale needed, we have a herculean task ahead. This validation is a clear step in the right direction and we’d like to sincerely thank everyone we’re working with in pursuit of true transformation.”
Dominique Gangneux, Senior Principal Consultant from South Pole - a leading climate solutions provider that has supported Compass Group UK & Ireland with its climate Net Zero strategy and roadmap – said, “Compass UK & Ireland is delivering true global Climate Leadership from the farm to its kitchen and customers, clearly driving the much needed transformation of our agrifood system.
'A new - low carbon - world of possibilities is rapidly emerging and Compass Group UK & Ireland is definitely doing great work to help deliver it.”