Scope 3 GHG emissions
Our scope 3 emissions
Our absolute scope 3 GHG emissions amounted to 9.9 million tons of CO2eq in 2022, which is a significant decrease compared to emissions in 2021. The decrease is primarily driven by lower sourced volumes compared to 2021 and an improved carbon footprint for Niacin in Animal Nutrition & Health. In the Materials cluster, we saw main contributions from DSM Engineering Materials, benefiting from higher volumes of caprolactam from our supplier Fibrant/HighSun, which offers a greatly improved carbon footprint. As a result, the Scope 3 GHG intensity improved 17% versus our 2016 baseline.
Other scope 3 categories reported comparable figures in 2022 compared to 2021.
Scope 3 GHG emissions1
in CO2eq, million tons
Engaging with our suppliers through our CO2REDUCE program
In 2022, the supplier engagement program CO2REDUCE continued to build on supplier emissions reduction action plans and progressed as planned, with a key focus on the main contributors to the emissions related to our Nutrition products. Company-wide scope 3 emissions reduction roadmaps are being develope through our cross-functional teams, and in 2022 we identified the first wave of our products where additional reduction initiatives may be possible by applying a value chain approach. These will be further validated in 2023. Collaboration with key suppliers for key contributing raw materials continues and reduction action plans are being further developed. We continued to explore new opportunities for scope 3 emissions reductions through multiple supplier emissions plans.
Calculation and tracking of our scope 3 emissions developed further in 2022. Digitalization of the reporting and improved insight into the value chain emission factors enable further transparency and better program steering. The reported emissions reflect the latest insights and are based on an increased share of supplier-specific emissions, instead of using industry average figures.
In 2022, we continued to actively share our experiences from the CO2REDUCE program in peer-group platforms such as Together for Sustainability. These platforms aim to define best practices in supplier engagement and scope 3 calculations within the industry, while also serving as an inspiration to improve the program further. At the time of writing, the CDP Supplier Engagement Ratings for 2022 had not been published.
1 Due to rounding, the numbers presented above may not add up to the total scope 3 emissions.
