Our Net Zero Roadmap
Introduction
Achieving Net Zero Is The Imperative Of Our Generation
The transition to a net zero economy is the defining global issue of our generation.
Having a clear strategy and the language and tools to articulate the transition to net zero is the responsibility of all businesses and producers who are tasked with navigating this successfully.
Change That Starts Here
At Material, we don’t believe in standing still and we have an in-built belief in the power of business to affect real positive change on society and the environment.
We empower our clients to identify and understand their own spheres of responsibility and influence in relation to how they will directly reduce their own impacts…and we wholeheartedly practise what we preach.
Our social impact and environmental responsibility are central to who we are as a team and to the decisions we make individually and collectively, in the way we operate and the influence we can have, and our Net Zero Roadmap sets out the steps we will take to transition to net zero.
Signatories of the UN’s SME Climate Hub:
Material is a signatory of the UN’s SME Climate Hub – also known as Race to Zero. This UN-backed global campaign rallies non state actors (businesses, cities, regions and institutions) to “take rigorous and immediate action to halve global emissions by 2030 to deliver a healthier, farer zero carbon world in time”.
In keeping with the urgency of the objectives of Race to Zero and a maximum 1.5 pathway Material joins thousands of organisations worldwide as SME Climate Hub signatories and in doing so we accept our responsibility to:
Follow the rigours of the 5-Ps Process to Pledge, Plan, Proceed, Publish and Persuade
- b) Reduce our emissions across all scopes swiftly and with transparent action plans and robust near-term science-based targets
- c) Publicly disclose our transition plans outlining our actions to meet Race to Zero criteria within 12 month, 2-3 years and again by 2030,
Our Net Zero Targets:
As well as committing to the Climate Hub’s disclosure commitments, Material has established and will monitor and report our progress via the setting of science-based emissions reductions targets in line with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).
We have set the following specific Net Zero targets of
- Achieving a 25% reduction* in full scope emissions by 2028
- achieving a 50% reduction* in full scope emissions by 2030 on the road to
- achieving net zero* by 2045, in line with the Scottish Government’s national target.
(* relative to our 2019 baseline)
Our Footprint
(Understanding our GHG emission footprint and developing our baseline)
In calculating our emissions baseline, we closely followed the guidance set out in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard, an international standard that is widely regarded as best practice for greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting and reporting.
Our baseline calculations (2019) represent our footprint from 1st January 2019 to 31st December 2019. We have included Scope 1 & 2 emissions categories and relevant Scope 3 emissions as follows:
- Scope 1: Direct missions associated with sources controlled by Material, including our heating fuel consumption and company facilities.
2019 – 6.78 tonnes CO2e (2%)
- Scope 2: Indirect emissions associated with the generation of energy, including our purchased electricity.
2019 – 2.3 tonnes CO2e (1%)
- Scope 3: All indirect emissions that occur in our value chain, associated with activities such as waste disposal, capital goods, purchased goods and services, business travel, employee commuting.
2019 – 263.45 tonnes CO2e (97%)
Results have shown that our Scope 3 emissions contribute to the vast majority of our total emissions and within this, ‘purchased goods and services on behalf of clients’ account solely for 82% of our total emissions.
Our Emissions Reductions Roadmap
A) Our Targets:
At Material, we are committed to reducing GHG emissions by 50% by 2030, using 2019 as our baseline year.
Our commitments are clearly focussed to:
- Reduce our emissions (Scopes 1 & 2)
- Reduce use of our resources (Scopes 1 & 2)
- Engage our employees (Scope 3)
- Work with our clients and suppliers via our influence (Scope 3)
B) Our 3 Pillars:
In 2019, Material established an internal ‘Material Sustainability Committee’, addressing the issues of environmental impact from the inside out. To help us achieve meaningful progression towards our Net Zero ambitions, we have broken our sphere of action and influence into the following 3 key pillars:
(i) Material (Our Changes):
(Initial steps to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions)
In order to deliver a reduction in our emissions, our internal ‘Material Sustainability Committee’ is helping us drive forward our carbon reduction targets. We have set science-based targets, created a clearly defined reduction plan, allowing us to work smarter, greener and more efficiently. We have focussed initially on:
- Measuring and publishing our emissions baseline, in keeping with our role as a signatory of the SME Climate Hub.
- Pledging our ‘Race to Zero’ commitments fully.
- Identifying areas where we can reduce our Scope 1 & 2 emissions including our recent switch to 100% REGO and RGGO verified renewable energy, reducing our energy use and further improving waste management procedures.
- Engaging with staff on where we can identify behaviour change together to reduce emissions within our office including undertaking carbon literacy training and tracking our own footprints as individuals.
(ii) Clients & Suppliers (Our Influence):
Addressing Scope 3 emissions:
Acknowledging the importance of addressing our Scope 3 emissions, we will continue to collate data on our indirect emissions through our supply chains in 2023 and beyond. Through our industry-leading knowledge and expertise we will work alongside our customers to reduce their waste and therefore emissions. We will encourage our suppliers to improve their working practices and support them towards circular economy thinking.
We are committed to going further than our compliance obligations and having a truly positive social and environmental impact, whilst helping our clients to do the same.
We will therefore:
- Work with our clients and suppliers to support them with their own net zero journey and to reduce the carbon emissions associated with the products and services we procure from them.
- Provide ‘Supplier Procurement’ guidance documentation as well as listing local, independent suppliers aligned with our ethos for internal use.
(iii) Services we offer (Material Change):
Material is driven to help businesses and brands become social and environmental sustainability leaders by identifying opportunities to achieve meaningful impact in a rapidly changing world as we all are moving towards a net-zero economy.
We work with progressive businesses and brands that wish to lead the way for their employees, customers, and consumers, to play their part in a more sustainable and lower-impact future.
We understand the challenges in tackling the complexities and regulations surrounding social and environmental strategies, responsibilities, and communications.
So, our expertise helps our clients find solutions to these challenges, and create motivating communications that will lead behavioural change from the inside out, by:
- DEFINING a clear long-term strategy to establish and evolve their impacts, actions, goals, and commitments
- IDENTIFYING opportunities focused on meaningful change in their specific sphere of influence
- BUILDING their social and environmental sustainability strategy into the heart of your business
- COMPLYING with regulations governing sustainability communications and best practice, ensuring credibility and transparency are cemented into their strategy and communication
- EXECUTING internal and external communications with confidence
We understand that as communication specialists, a key asset we have is that of ‘Positive Influence’ – the ability to positively influence the decisions that others make by sharing as we learn.
C) Our Roadmap to Net Zero
Over the coming months we are detailing our specific Net Zero Roadmap which will modelled on the learnings from our emissions baseline which – as stated previously – while our Scope 1 & 2 operations only account for 3% of our emissions, our Scope 3 operations account for 97% and are dominated by purchases we make on behalf our own and our clients
As such, our Net Zero Roadmap will focus on the development of a body of internal and client-engagement processes and principles relating to service and materials sourcing.
We will publish our detailed Net Zero Roadmap by Jan 2024.
Let's talk
ALL ENQUIRIES
letstalk@wearematerial.co.uk
VISIT US
20 South Frederick Street
Glasgow, G1 1HJ
FOLLOW US
© Material 2023
