The targets set by Systembolaget's board on August 24 apply to all significant emissions in both the company's internal operations and the entire value chain. This means a substantial increase in ambition for Systembolaget's already existing focus on limiting climate emissions.
– All the world's companies and organizations need to shoulder their role in the climate challenge, and as a state-owned company, the board sees that Systembolaget should lead the way. Therefore, we have now decided on these ambitious targets to limit the climate impact to the greatest extent possible, says Systembolaget's chairman of the board Göran Hägglund.
The new science-based targets are based on what is considered necessary to reach the Paris Agreement's ambition to keep global warming to a maximum of 1.5oC. This means that emissions from Systembolaget's entire value chain must be halved by the year 2030. It includes cultivation, production, beverage packaging, transportation and the journeys customers make to and from our stores.
In addition, by 2025 the emissions from Systembolaget’s internal operations must have been reduced by 90% compared to the year 2019. These are interim targets on our journey towards 2045, when Systembolaget is aiming for net zero climate impact.
– I am proud we’ve set these tough and necessary climate targets to deliver on. They are ambitious and in order to reach them we look forward to continuing the good cooperation we have with our many suppliers and others. The entire value chain, from cultivation to recycling of beverage packaging, affects how significant the emissions become. We bear a great responsibility to do everything we can when it comes to reducing climate emissions in the entire chain, says Ann Carlsson Meyer, CEO of Systembolaget.
Systembolaget is already implementing a series of measures aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. For example, reducing emissions from beverage packaging, reducing emissions from the transport of beverages to and from our stores and depots, and reducing emissions from electricity consumption and travel. But now Systembolaget will enhance the efforts by including cultivation and production as well as international transports and customer transports in the targets. Emissions from heating our stores will also be targeted.
The next step involves getting the targets approved in accordance with the international Science Based Target Initiative. Getting the new climate targets approved is an important milestone for Systembolaget’s sustainability strategy.
Systembolaget’s mission is to sell alcohol beverages responsibly while offering first class service. It is a retail monopoly not driven by profit or sales but rather based on Sweden’s restrictive alcohol policy which aims to limit the harmful effects of alcohol.
Our vision is a society in which everyone can enjoy alcoholic drinks with consideration about health and without harming either themselves or others.