AALST - Ontex, the Belgium-headquartered personal hygiene group, has formally submitted its climate targets to the Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTI), an initiative supported by the Belgian Alliance of Climate Action (BACA).
BACA is a community of Belgium-based organizations that choose the path of science-based targets. These targets provide a clearly defined pathway for companies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, helping prevent the worst impacts of climate change.
In its submission, Ontex has committed to achieving carbon-neutral operations by 2030. The company will reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions (also called scope 1 & 2 emissions) by 50% by 2030, compared to the base year 2018. Ontex aims to achieve these goals through energy savings, on-site renewable energy production, purchasing energy from renewable sources, and carbon offsets via reforestation projects.
The company also wants to cut the emissions of its global supply chain (scope 3 emissions) by 25% by 2030, compared to the base year 2020. Ontex wants to reduce the carbon emissions in its supply chain by cooperating with its suppliers and by focusing on sustainable product design and more efficient transport. For example, suppliers are asked to report how they reduce emissions to Ontex on an annual basis. Ontex will report this combined supply chain progress as part of its annual report.
Achievements
The submission also highlights Ontex’s recent achievements which include details of how 19 of its factories on five continents currently run on more than 70% renewable energy. This includes own energy production with rooftop solar power installations in Spain, Belgium, Mexico and a new solar power installation in Italy, which is the country’s largest solar installation for on-site power consumption.
Ontex also seeks to reduce the impact of emissions caused by the incineration of used diapers (scope 3), conducting projects on the compostability of its diaper pads. Energy savings and other measures have reduced Ontex’s own carbon emissions (scope 1-2 emissions) by 15% in 2020 compared to 2018.
“Climate change is threatening to disrupt every aspect of our lives–creating negative environmental impacts, food supply stress and socioeconomic instability. We see achieving climate-neutral operations by 2030, and reducing carbon emissions through our supply chain as essential to our long-term business success,” said Annick De Poorter, Ontex’s executive vice president for Sustainability and Innovation.
Ontex submitted its goals in December of 2021 and expects them to be validated by the Science-Based Target Initiative in 2022. Ontex regularly discloses its company-wide emissions and reports transparently on progress towards its targets on an annual basis. The next update will be given in April of 2022, when Ontex’s 2021 annual report is published.
