Global spirits and beer company Diageo announced today that its 2030 GHG emission reduction targets have been approved by the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) as meeting the criteria to keep global warming to 1.5°C.

The announcement follows the launch late last year by Diageo of a wide-ranging sustainability program, ‘Society 2030: Spirit of Progress,’ with the introduction of 25 goals aimed at making a positive impact on the world by 2030. Among the commitments were goals to harness 100% renewable energy to achieve net zero carbon emissions across direct operations and working with suppliers to reduce indirect carbon emissions by 50% by 2030.

SBTi, a collaboration between CDP, World Resources Institute (WRI), the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), is one of the key organizations focused on aligning corporate environmental sustainability action with the global goals of limiting climate change. Achieving approval of targets by SBTi is a significant milestone for companies’ sustainability efforts, with many companies joining the initiative.

Earlier this year, SBTi tightened its criteria for approved climate targets, announcing that it will soon only accept targets aligned with its 1.5°C warming ambition, as required to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.        

Diageo stated that its goal to achieve net zero in direct operations by 2030 (scope 1 and 2 emissions), and a 50% emission reduction in scope 3 have been validated by SBTi as meeting the criteria for the 1.5°C pathway.

Dr Kirstie McIntyre, Global Sustainability Director, Diageo PLC, said:

 “We are passionate about protecting the future of the planet. This demonstrates that our carbon targets are going much further than the required minimum in this critical decade of action to 2030.”