Dixons Carphone and Dassault Systèmes unveil new science-based climate targets

Dixons Carphone operates 14 brands across eight countries

Dixons Carphone, which has stores in the Nordics and Greece as well as the UK, had already committed to achieving net-zero by 2040 and had joined the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Climate Action Roadmap, along with more than 60 other businesses.

Now, to support this vision, it has pledged to halve absolute emissions by the financial year 2029-2030, against a 2019-2020 financial year baseline. Scope 1 (direct), Scope 2 (power-related) and some Scope 3 (indirect) emissions are covered by the commitment.

Dixons Carphone has chosen to account for Scope 3 emissions from purchased goods and services and the use of sold products under the new targets. These sources account for more than 99% of the business’s total Scope 3 emissions. Earlier this year, the business announced plans to help its 10,000 suppliers measure and reduce their own emissions.

In a statement, the retailer said it would deliver the new targets by improving resource use, assessing and responding to climate risks and opportunities and creating circular business models, as a large portion of its emissions footprint is attributable to resource use. On climate risk, Dixons Carphone will produce its first report aligned with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Disclosures (TCFD) this financial year. To the circular economy point, Dixons Carphone notably offers recycling for used household appliances, as well as repair, resale and recycling for electronics.

Elsewhere in its plans for delivering net-zero, Dixons Carphone has joined The Climate Group’s EV100 initiative, pledging to switch its commercial fleet to electric and alternative fuel vehicles by 2030 and to transition more than half of its medium-duty vehicles. 

“Earlier this year we pledged our support to the Business Ambition for 1.5C campaign, so we’re proud to be able to cement that commitment with new ambitious targets,” Dixons Carphone’s group director of sustainability Moira Thomas said. “The climate crisis remains one of the greatest threats to our planet and we have a responsibility to play our part in tackling it.”

The new targets build on previous ambitions to halve energy-related emissions between 2013 and 2020 and to reduce energy consumption within the same timeframe. These targets were exceeded; the firm delivered a 65% reduction in energy-related emissions and a 43% reduction in energy consumption.

In related news, US-based home improvement retailer Home Depot has this week announced plans to have the SBTi approve new targets covering Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2023. Home Depot’s latest ESG report states that it reduced the carbon intensity of its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 22% last financial year despite recording growth of 20%.

Dassault Systemes

Also announcing verification from the SBTi for new 1.5C-aligned emissions goals this week is French multinational software company Dassault Systemes.

The approved targets will require the company to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 34% by and to reduce Scope 3 emissions associated with business travel and employee commuting by 23%. Both targets have 2030 deadlines and a 2019 baseline. On Scope 3 emissions, there is also a new commitment for 52% of Dassault Systemes’ suppliers of goods, services and capital goods to set their own approved science-based targets by 2025.

These new targets underpin a new long-term ambition to reach net-zero by 2040. Dassault Systèmes said in a statement that once the emissions reductions through to 2030 are delivered, further progress is expected through to 2040. Remaining emissions will then be addressed using carbon removal, with the business stating that it has a “preference for innovative technical solutions” that provide “permanent” removal.

“By providing the industry solutions and best practices that support business in its transition toward sustainability, we can further harmonize product, nature and life, and make a meaningful contribution to deliver on the Paris Agreement goals within the next decade,” Dassault Systemes’ chief executive officer and vice chairman Bernard Charles said.

Earlier this month, the SBTi announced plans to transition away from allowing businesses to certify in line with the Paris Agreement’s “well below 2C” pathway, towards verifying only 1.5C-aligned targets. Any corporate that had 2C targets approved in 2020 or earlier has until 2025 to update targets. New applications for 2C targets will stop being taken from July 2022.

Sarah George

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe