Target tracker

• Result type: Step 1 (Assess)
• Subsidiary/ business unit: Arla Foods has looked at the full company scope for setting its science-based targets for nature, and has therefore not used the Business Unit Approach.

Arla Foods has completed a materiality assessment of its impacts on nature as part of the SBTN framework, using the technical guidance in Step 1 V1.0.

Material pressure categories for Direct Operations

Water consumption, water pollution (included in direct operations for consistency, even though it was not material according to MST), GHG emissions (excluded because the company has SBTi targets validated), soil pollution, and solid waste

Material pressure categories for upstream activities

Land use, water consumption, water pollution, GHG emissions (excluded because the company has SBTi targets validated), soil pollution, air pollution (included even though it was not material according to MST)

Presence of high-impact commodities: Yes

Presence of conversion-driving commodities: Yes

Presence of EUDR commodities: Yes

Presence of threatened species as per IUCN and CITES: The company does not source any IUCN or CITES threatened species.

• Result type: Step 2 (Prioritize)

Arla Foods has completed a prioritization of its impacts on nature as part of the SBTN framework, using the technical guidance in Step 2 V1.0.

Percentage of upstream volumes in target boundary A: Arla Foods has subnational or better traceability for 88.3% of upstream volumes across all pressure categories.

• Target type: Freshwater quantity
• Model selection: Hogeboom’s water quantity global model
• Hydro-basin ID: 4061066980

GSK will reduce its freshwater net withdrawal in its direct operations in the Upper Godavari basin 100% by 2030 compared to an average 2018-2022 baseline.

• Target type: No Conversion of Natural Ecosystems

Direct Operations

GSK will have zero conversion of natural ecosystems in its direct operations by 2025, compared with a 2020 cutoff year. 

GSK has low exposure (43.7 hectares) to natural ecosystems in its direct operations and will not convert these natural ecosystems (as defined by the methods) by 2025. GSK is committed to maintaining its state by restoring its green spaces.

*GSK will remediate all past conversion occurring between 2020 and 2025.

Upstream – sourcing from downstream of the first point of aggregation

GSK shall achieve 100%* of volumes of Annex 1a: conversion-driving commodities from areas known to be conversion-free (in all natural lands) by 2030, compared to a 2020 cutoff year. 

GSK will achieve 100%* of volumes of soy, cattle, oil palm, and wood (traded within the EU) from areas known to be deforestation-free by 2026 (in line with EUDR), compared to a 2020 cutoff year. 

GSK will also achieve 100%* of volumes of soy from conversion-free areas (SBTN-defined Conversion Hotspots) by 2030, compared to a 2020 cutoff year.   

GSK will also achieve 100%* of volumes of cattle from conversion-free areas (SBTN-defined Conversion Hotspots) by 2030, compared to a 2020 cutoff year.   

GSK will also achieve 100%* of volumes of oil palm from conversion-free areas (SBTN-defined Conversion Hotspots) by 2030, compared to a 2020 cutoff year.   

GSK will also achieve 100%* of volumes of wood from conversion-free areas (SBTN-defined Conversion Hotspots) by 2030, compared to a 2020 cutoff year.   

Footnotes:

*Based on supply chain position, certain levels of the minimum conversion are permitted, though bounded by cumulative values as described in section 1.5 of the Land Guidance.

GSK does not source coffee and cocoa as a production input, and therefore, it is not included in the scope for SBTN target setting. 

The Annex 1a: conversion-driving commodities in scope for GSK are maize, sugarcane, sugar beets, bauxite, and derivatives. GSK has excluded the following conversion-driving commodities given that they comprise <10% of total conversion-driving commodities (by volume): animal feed by default of being associated with eggs, and iron, zinc, copper, and nickel, which are present in trace amounts embedded in chemical compounds, as well as small amounts of natural rubber. 

GSK does not source any conversion-driving commodities from producers or the first point of aggregation.

• Target type: Landscape Engagement

GSK is engaged in the Hertfordshire Living Rivers Project and committed to a substantial improvement in ecological and social conditions by 2030.

• Target type: Freshwater quantity
• Model selection: Hogeboom’s water quantity global model
• Hydro-basin ID: 753240

Holcim will reduce its freshwater withdrawals in its direct operations in the Moctezuma basin to 90,808 m3/year by 2030 (39% reduction compared to an average 2022-2023 baseline).

• Target type: Freshwater quantity
• Model selection: Hogeboom’s water quantity global model
• Hydro-basin ID: 2060551020

Kering will reduce its freshwater withdrawal in its direct operations in the Arno basin to 199.33X ML/year by 2030 (21% reduction compared to an average 2018-2022 baseline).

Kering will reduce its surface water withdrawal for upstream operations in the Arno Basin to 471.14 ML/year by 2030 (21% reduction compared to average 2018-2022 baseline) and its groundwater withdrawal to 548.87 ML/year by 2030 (21% reduction compared to average 2018-2022).

• Target type: No Conversion of Natural Ecosystems

Direct Operations

Kering has low exposure to conversion of natural ecosystems in its direct operations, and commits to maintaining this state. Any conversion associated with Kering direct operations will not convert critical habitat or high conservation value areas by 2025.

Kering will remediate any conversion occurring until 2025.

Upstream – sourcing from producers or first points of aggregation

Kering will achieve 100% volumes of cattle (derived leather) sourced from Europe in areas known to be deforestation-free by 2025 compared to a 2020 cutoff year.

Kering will achieve 100% volumes of cattle (derived leather) from areas known to be deforestation-free by 2027, compared to a 2020 cutoff date.

Kering will achieve 100% volumes of cattle (derived leather) from areas known to be conversion-free in SBTN conversion hotspots by 2027, compared to a 2020 cutoff date.

Kering will remediate all past conversion occurring between 2020 and the target year indicated above (associated with its share of volumes sourced).

*Kering does not source soy, oil palm, wood, cocoa, coffee or rubber from producers or the first points of aggregation.

*Kering does not source any other conversion-driving commodities (Annex 1a) from producers or the first points of aggregation.

Upstream – sourcing from downstream of the first point of aggregation

Kering will achieve 100% volumes of cattle (derived leather) sourced from Europe in areas known to be deforestation-free by 2027, compared to a 2020 cutoff year.

Kering will achieve 100% volumes of cattle (derived leather) sourced from areas known to be conversion-free in SBTN-defined conversion hotspots by 2027.

Kering will achieve 100% volumes of wood as conversion-free by 2030, with 100% deforestation-free by 2025.

Kering will achieve 100% volumes of rubber as conversion-free by 2030, with 100% deforestation-free by 2025.

Kering will achieve 100% volumes of cotton from areas known to be deforestation and conversion-free by 2030, compared to a 2020 cutoff year.

*Kering does not source soy, oil palm, cocoa, or coffee from downstream of the first point of aggregation.

*Kering does not source any other conversion-driving commodities (Annex 1a) from downstream of the first point of aggregation.

• Target type: Land Footprint Reduction

Kering commits to reduce absolute agricultural land footprint (in hectares), from upstream impacts by 3% by 2030 from a 2022 base year. 

• Target type: Landscape Engagement

Kering is engaged in the Good Growth Company Mongolia Regenerative Cashmere Project in Mongolia, the Olive Leaf – GRASS Project Sheep Wool & Leather in South Africa, and the Organic Cotton Accelerator Regenerative Cotton Project in India, and committed to a substantial improvement in ecological and social conditions by 2030.

These targets were approved during a validation pilot conducted by the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) between June 2023 and June 2024. The pilot started right after SBTN released the first corporate science-based target setting methods for nature in May 2023. These methods have now been updated and were published in July 2024, alongside new enabling corporate materials.

Learn more about results from the corporate pilot here and about the way SBTN leveraged learnings to issue updated technical guidance in July 2024. Case studies featuring the target-setting journeys of individual pilot companies can be found here.

Yes, SBTN will publish a beta target tracker in 2025 with more information about these companies’ completion of Step 1: Assess and Step 2: Interpret and Prioritize. Learn more about the SBTN’s five-step framework here. 

SBTN is currently developing the target tracker and testing it with companies; it’s part of SBTN’s commitment to transparency and accountability. Please consult section 4 of SBTN’s Claims Guidance to learn more about the target tracker. 

At SBTN, a core goal is to combat biodiversity loss by guiding companies to protect, regenerate and restore nature, while using natural resources more sustainably. 

Biodiversity is a core component of nature, along with non-living elements (such as the water in freshwater and marine systems, the soil, and the atmosphere). It can be viewed through multiple lenses, each intricately dependent on the others: genes, species, ecosystems, and nature’s contributions to people (NCP). 

Our approach addresses some of the primary drivers of biodiversity loss, determined by the IPBES assessment, by reducing negative corporate environmental impacts and increasing positive ones. Our guidance addresses threats to species, ecosystems, and nature’s contributions to people (NCP) but does not currently cover genetic diversity. Elements of biodiversity are embedded across all SBTN steps – see here.

Response options refer to the actions that a company could take when implementing science-based targets for nature to make progress toward its achievement — likely reflected in the target indicator – that results in improvements in the State of Nature.

In terms of corporate response options, the current freshwater targets for quantity and quality, as well as the current land targets on no conversion and land footprint reduction, focus primarily on avoidance and reduction actions, while the landscape engagement target primarily drives regeneration and restoration actions.

SBTN will be releasing guidance on target implementation (Step 4: Act) in 2025. 

In the meantime, the response option database provides initial resources for companies.

In all cases, implementing the full range of response options within SBTN’s Action Framework will help companies reach their targets more effectively and generate positive, long-lasting changes for nature. SBTN introduced the Action Framework (AR3T) in its initial guidance in 2020 to highlight key types of actions all companies can get started on:

• Avoid and reduce the pressures on nature loss, which would otherwise continue to grow.
• Regenerate and restore so that the state of nature can recover
• Transform systems, at multiple levels, to address the drivers of nature loss.

Companies setting science-based targets for nature will be expected to use some combination of these actions in order to meet their targets. To retain legitimacy and avoid greenwashing, companies will be expected to put sufficient effort into avoidance and reduction (i.e. mitigation actions), before moving to the other steps.

After validating and disclosing targets, companies are required to publicly report the company’s pressure indicators and progress against published targets on an annual basis. 

There are no specific requirements regarding where progress against published targets should be disclosed, as long as it is publicly available. SBTN recommends disclosure through standardized, comparable data platforms such as CDP’s Water Security and/or Forests annual questionnaire, though annual reports, sustainability reports, and a company’s website are acceptable. This is part of SBTN’s general requirements for companies.

During the validation pilot, SBTN gained an understanding of opportunities to improve the validation process. As a result, SBTN opted for a mid-term validation model (2024-2026) where the Global Commons Alliance’s (GCA) Accountability Accelerator (the Accelerator) will host the independent validation function for SBTN methods. This model will be used for the next 2-3 years while exploring options for a long-term solution. This announcement was made in May 2024. 

Visit the Accelerator’s website to learn more about the progress to date in preparing validation services for companies beyond SBTN’s validation pilot.

As per SBTN’s general requirements for validation, companies have six months from the date of approval to disclose their targets publicly in coordination with SBTN. 

Pilot companies with validated targets that have not yet proceeded with publicly adopting the targets have six months from the conclusion of the pilot (until January 10, 2025) to do so. SBTN will be publishing a corporate target tracker on its website in early 2025, to provide transparency of targets set. In addition, some pilot companies plan to resubmit their targets using SBTN’s updated methods published in July, while others viewed the pilot solely as a test and learn opportunity to gain insights for future commitments.

This is just the beginning. SBTN is pleased to see these trailblazing companies leading the way, and looks forward to seeing more companies follow suit in the months ahead. With over 150 additional companies already preparing to set targets through SBTN’s Corporate Engagement Program and service provider program, momentum is building.