Lincolnshire Co-op has committed to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, after its climate targets were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
The society has set near- and long-term science-based targets, including reducing absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42 per cent by 2030 and cutting scope 3 emissions from the use of sold products by 90 per cent by 2045. The targets use 2024 as the baseline year and are aligned with the Paris Agreement goal to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
To support progress, the retailer has invested heavily in renewable energy. Earlier this year, it signed an £8.5m Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA) for wind energy and committed a further £2m to solar power in 2024. The society has also been rolling out energy-saving fridge doors and CO2 refrigeration systems across new and refurbished stores.
Andrew Turner, procurement and sustainability manager at Lincolnshire Co-op, said the targets demonstrate the society’s long-term commitment to reducing its environmental impact.
“We have been making meaningful changes and investments to reduce our environmental impact throughout the years, and setting science-based targets is a great way of setting our trajectory for the future,” he said.
“These targets, which are set using only last year as a baseline, are indicative of Lincolnshire Co-op’s strategic priorities. We are committed to looking after our local environment, and now we have outlined exactly what that looks like.
“This aligns us with the Paris Agreement ambition to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as well as making us a more resilient business and ensuring that we can continue to deliver for our communities.”
The SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard is the world’s only framework for corporate net-zero target setting in line with climate science, and includes the guidance, criteria, and recommendations companies need to set science-based net-zero targets consistent with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C.