Guinness-owner Diageo has become the latest business to revise its net-zero commitments, citing challenges with policy and infrastructure.
The drinks giant, whose brands also include Baileys and Johnnie Walker, said it would now aim to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030, reaching net-zero in direct operations by 2040. The new scope 3 emissions target is for a 26% reduction by 2030 and for net-zero across scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 2050.
The original target had been to achieve net-zero for scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and cut scope 3 emissions by 50% by the same year.
Diageo said it had updated its baseline from 2020 to 2022 and has had the new targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
The company has also revised down its plan to increase the percentage of recycled content in its packaging from 60% to 50% by 2030. It noted however that is has hit its 2025 goal for 35% recycled content in PET bottles, reaching 43%.
Addressing the extended timescale for achieving its net-zero targets, Diageo said in a statement: “In 2020, when we set ambitious environmental sustainability goals as part of our Sprit of Progress action plan, we didn’t have all the answers. But we knew progress would require innovation, long-term commitment and supportive policy environments.
“Five years on, we have better data, deeper insights and a clearer view of the practical realities to deliver net-zero. Climate resilience is complex and key systems like regulation, policy frameworks and infrastructure have not advanced at the scale required.”
Diageo becomes the latest FMCG giant to revise down its sustainability targets following similar moves by the likes of PepsiCo, Unilever and The Coca Cola Company.
