Sustainable business and respect for people and the environment are very important for DASSY. This is why we work hard on issues like climate change caused by greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse gases are a consequence of human activity. What does that have to do with climate change? It is crucial. Greenhouse gases trap heat in our atmosphere, raising the Earth's average temperature.
At DASSY®, we are all too aware that we have a shared responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions. That is why we take it into account and set targets to ensure that we do whatever we can to reduce emissions. However, we are not taking on this challenge alone, and the targets we adopt are based on internationally defined targets. Perhaps the Paris Agreement may ring a bell...
In 2015, 195 countries concluded an ambitious, binding global climate agreement. This has established the basis for international and national climate policies in the coming decades. It has been decided to keep the global average temperature increase below 2°C and to make efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. These figures were not chosen at random. They are based on extensive scientific research. As a company, how can you find out what targets you must meet to contribute to those international goals? An organisation called the ‘Science Based Targets initiative’ has been set up to do exactly that.
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
SBTi is an organisation that supports companies seeking to make their own contribution towards the Paris Agreement. It does this by calculating for each sector the amount by which each company would have to reduce its emissions to comply with the agreement. DASSY® has decided to make an official commitment to SBTi. For us that means three specific things. We need to:
• be aware of our footprint;
• know our SBTi targets;
• know how to achieve our targets.
Let's take a closer look at step 1: our footprint.
To find out our footprint, we need to calculate our greenhouse gas emissions. Those emissions are measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). It is important to point out that there are three types of emissions for our company, each in a different 'scope'.
• Scope 1 = direct emissions. Our commercial vehicles are an example of this. As a company we decide to purchase these cars, and using them results in emissions. That is why they are called 'direct emissions'.
• Scope 2 = indirect emissions, for example resulting from energy consumption. We turn on the lights in the office, but the resulting emissions do not come from our office. That is why these are called 'indirect emissions'.
• Scope 3 = indirect emissions due to buying goods and services. One example is buying the fabrics we use to make our workwear. This results in emissions by our fabric manufacturer. This scope is therefore also referred to as 'indirect emissions'.
We take responsibility for all types of direct and indirect emissions. That is why we have calculated for the first time our scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. What are the results?
A huge 95.4% of our CO2e emissions are in scope 3. Only 3.1% are in scope 2 and 1.5% are in scope 1.
It is important to realise that scope 3 is where we need to make the biggest effort. Replacing our company cars with electric cars (scope 1), and installing solar panels in our own production centre in Sri Lanka (scope 2), will not drastically reduce our emissions. We need to reduce our emissions in other, less obvious places. These are places that might not immediately spring to mind. One example is the fields where cotton is grown. That is where it starts.
Clearly this is not easy and it requires cooperation. Working in partnership with SBTi, we have already joined the fight. In future, we will clearly communicate our SBTi targets and how we are going to meet them.
