The approval from SBTi means that Ahlsell's targets are ambitiously formulated in accordance with the latest climate science and the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to a level that significantly reduces the risks posed by climate change.
At the same time, the endorsement is an important step for the Ahlsell Group, which has a vision of contributing to a more sustainable society, says Christina Lindbäck, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ahlsell AB, who states:
"These climate targets demonstrate our strong commitment and position us at the forefront of the industry regarding sustainability. By achieving these targets, we can contribute to limiting global warming and combating climate change. At the same time, it is an obligation that will enhance our competitiveness. We will be able to offer smarter products and services to our customers, which will also benefit our suppliers.”
Approval covers the entire group
The SBTi approval covers the entire Ahlsell Group, which operates in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the Baltics. The specific SBTi-approved climate targets are:
Short-term goals: Ahlsell commits to reducing absolute greenhouse gas emissions in scopes 1 and 2, which refers to the company's own direct and indirect emissions from, for example, transportation and building operations, by 75% by 2030 (from the base year of 2022). Ahlsell also commits to reducing absolute greenhouse gas emissions in scope 3, which are indirect emissions from the company's value chains, by 42% within the same timeframe.
Long-term goals - overall Net-Zero goal: Ahlsell commits to reducing absolute greenhouse gas emissions in scopes 1, 2, and 3 by 90% by 2045 (from the base year of 2022) and to neutralize remaining emissions to achieve Net-Zero across the entire value chain by no later than 2045.
Already in full swing
In Ahlsell Denmark, sustainability manager Gitte Østergaard Futtrup is pleased with the SBTi approval. She emphasizes that the targets are binding and will guide the ESG efforts, but that they do not represent a change in course. The Group is already fully engaged in its sustainability journey and has implemented a number of initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions in its own operations and to lower scope 3 emissions.
The electric vehicle initiative
For instance, Ahlsell Denmark is in the process of phasing out fossil company cars and transitioning to electric vehicles. The proportion of electric cars is now at 51%, and it is set to reach 100% by 2027. Another example is Ahlsell Denmark's robotic warehouse, where automation allows the company to reduce packaging consumption by up to 25%, explains Gitte Østergaard Futtrup, adding:
"An important priority is also to help our customers choose products based on sustainability data. Therefore, in Ahlsell Denmark's webshop, one can view and compare the CO2 impact of more than 26,000 products—and the number is continually increasing. We have also developed a tool that shows data for the distribution of our goods, so based on this data, we can help customers optimize their deliveries and reduce CO2."