Yorkshire-based trade kitchen manufacturer Howdens has committed to set near- and long-term company-wide emission reduction targets – which include to halve emissions by 2030 and to achieve net zero by 2050 – in line with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).
The goals are based on the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), and Howdens is the first major UK kitchen to base targets in line with the SBTi. The Science Based Targets initiative is a global body enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reduction targets in line with the latest climate science.
Rob Black, director of environmental, social, and governance at Howdens, said: “We are proud to make this commitment to working towards the SBTi Net-Zero Standard. We join over 2,000 companies across the world that have had emissions targets approved or have ongoing commitments with the SBTi.
“Our ESG vision to be the UK’s leading responsible kitchen and joinery business means that we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment in all areas, and we will continue to search for innovative ways in which we can effect change.”
As well as these targets, Howdens has done many other eco-friendly initiatives like the ‘Plant a tree for the Jubilee’ campaign in February 2022. This is where the company has has donated 2,750 saplings as a Platinum Supporter of The Queens’ Green Canopy (QGC). The trees have been planted at The Lozenge in Hull in partnership with Trees for Cities.
In January 2022, Howdens achieved carbon-neutral manufacturing at its critical sites in Howden and Runcorn, certified by The Carbon Trust. As a result, Howdens’ manufacturing and distribution facilities reached zero waste to landfill in 2019, and 99% of all Howdens UK depot waste avoids landfills.