Glaston commits to reducing absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 50 percent by 2032, compared to the 2022 base year. The target is in line with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, which is currently the most ambitious criterion for setting science-based targets. Glaston also commits to reducing the scope 3 GHG emission intensity by 58 percent per square metre of sold glass processing capacity within the same target period. Next, the target will be evaluated by the SBTi, and Glaston estimates that the final, validated target will be published during the second half of 2024.
Päivi Lindqvist, Glaston’s CFO and sponsor of strategic cornerstone project for sustainable business, said, “Promoting sustainable development is an integral part of our business strategy as our technologies enable more energy-efficient and safe glass products. Reducing our carbon footprint is one way to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, and frontrunner position. In 2022, we achieved our first emissions reduction target when we reduced CO2 emissions from our own operations by over 50 percent in relation to net sales compared to the 2020 level.
“That was only the first small step in this work as the biggest emissions driver for us is the value chain and especially the lifetime electricity consumption of the equipment we have delivered to our customers. We therefore needed to raise the bar and have now worked on our new emissions reduction targets in line with the SBTi’s criteria.”
Ambitious target
Glaston’s scope 1 (direct greenhouse gas emissions) and scope 2 (purchased energy emissions) form a minimal share of Glaston’s total emissions. Around 99 percent of all emissions related to Glaston’s activities have been generated in the company’s value chain (scope 3) and the most significant sources of emissions are the use of sold products and purchased goods and services. In 2022, Glaston’s total emissions were 685,641 equivalent CO2 tonnes, of which the scope 1 and 2 emissions were 1,491 equivalent CO2 tonnes and the scope 3 emissions were 684,150 equivalent CO2 tonnes.
As glass processing, especially the glass tempering process, requires a certain amount of energy and Glaston has already for decades worked on reducing the electricity consumption of its products, further improvements are not easy to achieve. Marko Mökkönen, Head of Sustainability at Glaston, characterizes the scope 3 reduction target as ambitious.
He said, “In order to reach the scope 1 and 2 targets, Glaston plans to phase out the use of natural gas, and other fossil energy sources in its operations and further increase the share of renewable energy significantly. To reach the scope 3 intensity target, Glaston has to further improve the energy efficiency of the sold products, support customers in their emissions reduction initiatives, and implement measures to decrease emissions in other parts of the value chain like purchased goods.”