Net Zero Goal Setting and Implementation for Ecolab

Objectives

To enhance its leadership position amongst its peers and with its customers, Ecolab wanted to develop a suite of climate commitments that built upon its strong track record of achieving operational emissions reductions alongside its other environmental and customer facing sustainability goals.

Project

Anthesis has supported Ecolab’s sustainability team for over a decade. For this project we evaluated the requirements for setting a science-based carbon target across Ecolab’s scope 1 2 3 emissions that would align with the requirements of the UN Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign. Future business growth alongside existing and planned emissions reduction initiatives were modelled to evaluate the feasibility for Ecolab to achieve the goal and to understand any gaps in currently planned programs. Anthesis managed a cross-functional team consisting of fleet, facilities and manufacturing, procurement and supply chain resources through the goal evaluation, setting and feasibility testing process in the lead up to executive approval by Ecolab’s Chairman and CEO.

Services

• Carbon + water footprinting, GHG emissions inventory data collection, management and reporting on an ongoing basis
• Software implementation and management of 3rd party environmental metrics database
• Climate risk modeling and analysis
• Peer benchmarking; market insights and customer needs assessment
• 100% renewable energy roadmap development
• Science-based target (SBT) development and net zero roadmap planning, through to submission to SBTi and the UN Business Ambition 1.5°C Pledge commitment
• Carbon reduction strategy development across Scopes 1, 2 and 3
• Supplier engagement
• Public + internal communications campaigns

Impacts

Ecolab announced a commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050 and a 1.5°C SBT, along with supporting goals to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2030, to electrify its global vehicle fleet, and to engage suppliers representing 70% of Ecolab’s Scope 3 emissions to set their own SBTs. Early progress was driven by a 100 MW vPPA project completed in 2020 that will cover 100% of Ecolab’s North American electricity consumption through 2030.