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Net Zero Carbon
The parent company of Omniseal Solutions, Saint-Gobain has a history of finding solutions to complex problems, and that is what we must do today with decarbonization. Beyond the goal of carbon neutrality, we must help reduce the carbon emissions of the markets in which we operate; support the energy transition; reduce the impact of material use, in the form of both greenhouse gas emissions and resource intensity.
For the group, aiming for carbon neutrality is bigger than the efforts of a single company. It means participating in and encouraging carbon neutrality in all of the markets.
The Commitment
Carbon neutrality is basically a balance between how much carbon a business emits into the atmosphere and how much is absorbs. Net Zero Carbon, then is a commitment to having a zero balance. This calls for a radical shift in how any company does business. Not only does the business have to look at emissions from the sites (scope 1), but also electrical emissions (scope 2) and value chain emissions (scope 3).
Saint-Gobain made the commitment to reach net zero carbon by 2050 on September 23, 2019 in New York, signing the UN Global Compact’s "Business Ambition for 1.5°C" pledge. A year later, the group further committed to reducing its Scope 1 and Scope 2 by 33% by 2030*, and finally Scope 3 by 16% in the same time frame.
A Collective Commitment
Decarbonization can only be collective. It must demonstrate an alignment of all the players involved and a common approach to progress. As a result, it is also about the deeper transformation of businesses and value chains– which means it’s also an opportunity for growth and innovation.
A commitment to Net Zero Carbon involves reinventing the manufacture of our products and industrial processes while improving the quality and performance of our solutions. The circular economy challenges us to do better with less and Omniseal Solutions™ is already responding. With commitments in place along the value chain and plans to reduce the impact of the different sites, the goal of reaching Net Zero Carbon is absolutely achievable.
Key Milestones
On this journey, we will meet two key milestones:
- By 2025, Saint-Gobain aims to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 20% at iso-production compared to 2010.
- Five years after that, in 2030 the group will reach even more ambitious targets, validated by Science-Based Targets, of:
- 33% reduction in scope 1 and 2 absolute emissions from a 2017 baseline.
- 16% reduction in scope 3 absolute emissions from a 2017 baseline.
What are the milestones the group will need to achieve?
- Using less carbon intensive designs and materials
- Using less energy and using it better
- Influencing the business' network to decarbonize together
- Finding options to capture the carbon the company emits
- A strong commitment to support the pathway to carbon neutrality
