Sweco’s climate targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative

Sweco’s short-term targets for reducing emissions have just been validated and approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The approved 2030 climate targets cover emissions across the company’s Scope 1, 2, and 3 and align with the goals of the UN Paris Agreement.

As Europe’s leading architectural and engineering consultancy, Sweco is committed to actively supporting the transition to a low-carbon society.  By setting science-based targets for its own emissions reduction, Sweco has taken an important step towards decarbonisation. In the short term, Sweco is committed to reducing Scope 1 and 2 absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 90 per cent, and Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, with 2020 as the base year. The targets have been validated and approved by SBTi and are consistent with halving total emissions by 2030.

“I am pleased that our short-term climate targets have been validated by a recognised entity like SBTi, and that as a company, we are acting in accordance with what the latest climate science deems necessary to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees,” says Dariush Rezai, CEO in Sweco Danmark. He elaborates:

As an architectural and engineering consultancy, we are deeply involved every day in helping our clients with projects and solutions that address climate challenges. The SBTi validation is a clear signal to our clients and partners of our dedication to transforming society together.”

Sweco’s long-term goal is still to reduce emissions across the company’s value chain and to achieve climate neutrality by 2040.

Sweco’s climate goals and footprint in brief

1. Reducing Scope 1 and 2 absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2030 from the base year of 2020 (approved by SBTi)
2. Reducing Scope 3 absolute greenhouse gas emissions from purchased goods and services, capital goods, fuel- and energy-related activities, waste management, business travel, and employee commuting by 30% by 2030, using 2020 as the base year (approved by SBTi)
3. Achieving climate neutrality by 2040
4. Sweco’s carbon footprint in 2023 was 66,449 tonnes of CO2. Compared to the base year 2020, Scope 1 emissions decreased by 25 percent, Scope 2 emissions decreased by 36 percent, and Scope 3 emissions increased by 18 percent due to increased business activities. In total, emissions increased by 2 per cent in 2023 compared to the base year 2020

About SBTi

SBTi is a global partnership between the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the UN Global Compact, the We Mean Business Coalition, the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Science-based targets provide a clearly defined pathway for companies and financial institutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to prevent the worst impacts of climate change and future-proof business growth. Targets are considered science-based if they are consistent with the level of decarbonisation required to keep global warming well below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels while striving to limit it to 1.5 degrees.