Scope of action: Environment
Preserving and enhancing ecosystems.
Strategic goals
Greenhouse gas emissions
We reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our business operations.
Biodivesity
We increase biodiversity at the company site and in the supply chain.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG)
GHG Reduction Targets
We will reduce our absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 42% by December 31, 2034,
compared to the base year 2024, in line with the SBTi’s 1.5-degree reduction pathway.
We will reduce our Scope 3 emissions by 30% by December 31, 2034, compared to the base year
2024, in line with the SBTi’s 1.5-degree reduction pathway.
We will reduce our FLAG* emissions by 30.03% by December 31, 2034, compared to the base year
2024, based on the SBTi’s 1.5-degree reduction pathway.
We commit to ensuring that our supply chains for all deforestation-related raw materials,
particularly cocoa, are completely deforestation-free by December 31, 2026, at the latest.
*Farming, Land Use, and Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Emissions at the site
With the help of our environmental and energy management (more information here), we are trying to develop technical solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the site. This still presents us with major challenges (more information on this in our sustainability report).
Reduction instead of compensation
In order to sustainably reduce our greenhouse gas emissions at our site, we want to invest specifically in climate protection measures within our own value chain from 2024 onwards. We have established our climate protection fund for this purpose.
Instead of “offsetting” our emissions in external climate protection projects, as we did from 2016 to 2023, we are using the annually calculated amount for specific initiatives in our core business, such as emission reduction projects at our production site or improvements in our supply chains.
In this way, we ensure that our investments have a direct impact where we have the greatest influence for long-term reduction – in our own company and along our value chain.
In our opinion, to fulfil our climate protection responsibilities, in the future it will no longer be enough to merely offset our emissions. For this reason we are currently devising new concepts for modiying our “offset payments” per tonne of CO₂e towards a more effective reduction of emissions at our company site or within our supply chains.
Emissions in our supply chain
Depending on the study, between 70 and 90% of the emissions from a chocolate bar are generated in the upstream value chain, particularly as a result of changes in the use of land for cultivating raw materials. In future, we therefore strive to increase our knowledge of these emissions, by collecting data and increasingly implementing activities with suppliers and other stakeholders to reduce emissions in our supply chains.
Biodiversity
Protecting and restoring healthy soils and intact ecosystems is crucial to shaping a sustainable future. Native plants in particular make a valuable contribution to preserving biodiversity. In close cooperation with NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union) Herford, we have developed effective measures to make the green spaces at the company site flora and fauna-friendly. Instead of frequent mowing, we are focussing on a reduced maintenance cycle by only mowing the green areas on our company premises twice a year. This creates space for a natural diversity of plants and animals.
Our supply chains bear the greatest potential for exerting a positive influence and promoting the ecologically sustainable cultivation of agricultural commodities: Diversified farms, the reduction of pesticide use through the use of organic farming methods and the integration of agroforestry systems (combining trees and shrubs with agricultural raw materials) are decisive measures.
You can find more information on the topics from the environment scope of action in our sustainability report.
Back to the sustainability strategy.