Cleaner atmosphere with less greenhouse gases
Human activities increase the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They trap the sun's heat, causing global warming and climate change. To counteract this increased greenhouse effect and air pollution, global CO₂ emissions must be reduced.
How does Colruyt Group want to combat climate change?
1 Reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions
For decades, we have been committed to preventing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from our own activities (scope 1 and 2 of the GHG Protocol). We have reviewed all our activities and identified four areas where we have the highest carbon emissions and thus climate impact. This is what we are trying hardest to reduce. Our biggest CO₂ hotspots are:
We continuously invest in innovative solutions to avoid and reduce our direct greenhouse gas emissions in each of these four areas.
2 Reduce indirect greenhouse gas emissions
Our activities also generate indirect greenhouse gas emissions (scope 3 of the GHG Protocol). For example, the products on our shelves and the materials we use have an indirect impact on the climate. Using LCA (life cycle assessments) analyses, we look at the entire life cycle of these products and materials: from raw material to production, packaging, transport, use, waste treatment, recycling, etc. The factors with the greatest impact on climate change are tackled first, in close cooperation with our suppliers.
We also create indirect CO2 emissions when it comes to mobility: the trips of our customers to our stores, the home-workplace commute of our workers and the transport of goods that we don’t organise ourselves. We also want to make this transport sustainable.
3 Capture greenhouse gases
The CO2 that we still emit (within scope 1 and 2 of the GHG Protocol), is recaptured by planting a large forest. Trees extract CO2 from the air by storing it in their biomass and are therefore one of the most efficient solutions against climate change. In addition, we pilot carbon farming projects.
How does Colruyt Group contribute to climate adaptation?
Climate change will also entail consequences for which we must prepare. We have been focusing for some time on mitigating effective and potential impacts in the vicinity of our operations, primarily heat waves, water scarcity and flooding. Thanks to scenario analyses, we can focus in a targeted way on issues such as water management, climate-conscious building and resilient cooling systems. Learn more about our physical climate risk assessment and scenario analyses in this PDF.
Our objectives and initiatives
- Less greenhouse gas emissions
- Capture of greenhouse gases
Indirect greenhouse gases: suppliers
By 2027, 77 % of our suppliers (according to purchasing figure) will have science-based climate targets.
Indirect greenhouse gases: consumers
By 2030, the products we sell (electronic devices and fossil fuels) will emit 42 % less greenhouse gases during their use compared to 2021.