CDP Climate Change 2022 Reporting Guidance

(C4.1a) Provide details of your absolute emissions target(s) and progress made against those targets.

Question dependencies

This question only appears if you select “Absolute target” in response to C4.1.

Change from last year

Modified question

Rationale

The question is aimed at encouraging best practice in target setting, such as the use of science-based targets where available.

Connection to other frameworks

TCFD

Metrics & Targets recommended disclosure c) Describe the targets used by the organization to manage climate related risks and opportunities and performance against targets.

SDG

Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy

Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production

Goal 13: Climate action

2018 RobecoSAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment (DJSI)

Climate-related targets

NZAM (FS only)

Commitment 1

Response options

Please complete the following table. The table is displayed over several rows for readability. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

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*This column only appears if you select one of the “Yes…” options in column “Is this a science-based target?”

Is this a science-based target? drop-down options:

Select one of the following options:

• Yes, and this target has been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative
• Yes, we consider this a science-based target, and the target is currently being reviewed by the Science Based Targets initiative
• Yes, we consider this a science-based target, and we have committed to seek validation of this target by the Science Based Targets initiative in the next two years
• No, but we are reporting another target that is science-based
• No, but we anticipate setting one in the next 2 years
• No, and we do not anticipate setting one in the next 2 years

Requested content

General

• Note that CDP is requesting data on gross emissions targets. Gross means total emissions before any deductions or other adjustments are made to take account of offset credits, avoided emissions, and/or reductions attributable to the sequestration or transfer of GHGs (except in a specific case of bioenergy use for science-based targets – see “Additional information” for more details).
• If you have a target that will be met in part by offsetting (including carbon neutrality targets), or CO2 removals except for the bioenergy case specified in “Additional information”, only the proportion of the target that relates to emissions reductions (and not offset purchases or CO2 removals) should be reported here. If you are uncertain of the proportion that will be achieved through emissions reductions, make an estimation based on the initiatives that you have in place or planned. Targets to reduce emissions in the product use phase or to reduce emissions from the supply chain should be captured as Scope 3 targets.

Target reference number (column 1)

• Select a unique target reference from the drop-down menu provided to identify the target in subsequent questions and to track progress against the target in subsequent reporting years.
• If you reported a target to CDP last year and will be reporting progress against the same target this year, ensure you use the same target reference number as last year. For any new targets you are adding, always use a new reference number that you have not used previously.

Year target was set (column 2)

• Enter the year in which your company set the target.
• This must be either before or during the reporting year, but cannot be after the reporting year. It also cannot be after the target year.
• If you have a year-on-year rolling target, enter the year your first set the target. This can be before the base year.
• If you set the target based on financial years, enter the year that applies to the end of your financial year and specify this in the “Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions” column.

Target coverage (column 3)

• If the target applies to the whole company, select “Company-wide”. Note that “company” refers collectively to all the companies, businesses, organizations, other entities or groups that fall within your definition of the reporting boundary.
• It is considered best practice to report one overarching target covering total company-wide Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Sub-targets may also be reported in additional rows.
• If the target does not apply to the whole company, select the option that best describes the coverage of the target, and provide further details in the “Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions” column. E.g. if your target applies only to your European operations, select “Country/region” in this column and specify the country/region in the “Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions” column.

Scope(s) (column 4)

• This refers to the Scope(s) of emissions to which the target relates. Note that the target does not have to comprise all emissions within a particular Scope.

Scope 2 accounting method (column 5)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 2” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• Indicate whether the target relates to your location-based or market-based Scope 2 emissions.

Scope 3 category(ies) (column 6)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 3” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• Select the Scope 3 emissions category(ies) that relate to this target.
• The categories of Scope 3 emissions have been taken from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard. Refer to the Standard for additional information on the sources that each category comprises and how to calculate these emissions. If you are specifying a Scope 3 source under “Other, please specify” please make it clear whether it is an upstream or downstream source.

Base year (column 7)

• The base year is the year against which you are comparing your emissions reduction target
• If you have a year-on-year rolling target, the base year will be the previous reporting year.
• If you have a target based on financial years, enter the year that applies to the end of your financial year and specify this in the “Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions” column.
• If you have a target based on average emissions over a period of time (e.g. 5-year average), enter the year that applies to the end of the average period and specify this in the “Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions” column.
• You cannot have a base year that is in the future.

Base year Scope 1 emissions covered by target (metric tons CO2e) (column 8)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 1” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• Enter the base year Scope 1 emissions covered by the target in this column.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this figure should be based upon the Scope 1 proportion only.
• E.g. if your target is to reduce Scope 1+2 emissions arising from your European operations, enter the base year Scope 1 emissions for your European operations in this column.

Base year Scope 2 emissions covered by target (metric tons CO2e) (column 9)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 2” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• Enter the base year Scope 2 emissions covered by the target in this column.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this figure should be based upon the Scope 2 proportion only.
• E.g. if your target relates to Scope 1+2+3 company-wide emissions, enter your Scope 2 company-wide base year emissions in this column.

Base year Scope 3 emissions covered by target (metric tons CO2e) (column 10)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 3” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• This figure should be the total Scope 3 base year emissions covered by the target for the Scope 3 category(ies) selected in column 6.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this figure should be based upon the Scope 3 proportion only.
• E.g. if your target relates to Scope 1+2+3 emissions of a particular business activity (e.g. office-based operations, etc.), enter the base year Scope 3 emissions relating to that business activity for the Scope 3 category(ies) selected in column 6 in this column.

Total base year emissions covered by target in all selected Scopes (metric tons CO2e) (column 11)

• This figure should be the total base year emissions covered by the target in all Scopes selected in column 4.
• E.g. if your target relates to Scope 1+2+3 company-wide emissions, enter your Scope 1+2+3 company-wide base year emissions in this column.
• If the target relates to a single Scope, this figure will be the same as the figure reported in either column 8, column 9, or column 10.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this figure will be equal to the sum of the figures reported in columns 8, 9 and/or 10

Base year Scope 1 emissions covered by target as % of total base year emissions in Scope 1 (column 12)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 1” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• Enter the base year Scope 1 emissions covered by the target (reported in column 8) as a percentage of your total company-wide base year emissions in Scope 1.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this percentage should be based upon the Scope 1 proportion only.
• E.g. if your target is to reduce Scope 1+2 emissions arising from your European operations, and the Scope 2 emissions from your European operations accounted for 80% of your total, company-wide Scope 1 emissions in the base year, then you should enter 80 into this column.
• Note that entering a value of 100% indicates that the target covers your company’s total, global gross emissions in the base year for Scope 1.

Base year Scope 2 emissions covered by target as % of total base year emissions in Scope 2 (column 13)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 2” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• Enter the base year Scope 2 emissions covered by the target (reported in column 9) as a percentage of your total company-wide base year emissions in Scope 2.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this percentage should be based upon the Scope 2 proportion only.
• E.g. if your target relates to Scope 1+2+3 emissions of a particular business activity (e.g. office-based operations, etc.), and the Scope 2 emissions from that business activity accounted for 20% your total, company-wide Scope 2 emissions in the base year, then you should enter 20 into this column.
• Note that entering a value of 100% indicates that the target covers your company’s total, global gross emissions in the base year for Scope 2.

Base year Scope 3 emissions covered by target as % of total base year emissions in Scope 3 (in all Scope 3 categories) (column 14)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 3” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• Enter the base year Scope 3 emissions covered by the target (reported in column 10) as a percentage of your total company-wide base year emissions for all Scope 3 categories calculated in the base year.
• E.g. If you have selected only one Scope 3 category in column 6 (e.g. “Business travel”), you should enter the base year emissions in that category covered by the target as a percentage of your total base year Scope 3 emissions as a whole.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this percentage should be based upon the Scope 3 proportion only.
• Note that entering a value of 100% indicates that the target covers your company’s total, global gross emissions in the base year for Scope 3.

Base year emissions covered by target in all selected Scopes as % of total base year emissions in all selected Scopes (column 15)

• Enter the total base year emissions covered by the target (reported in column 11) as a percentage of your total company-wide base year emissions in all Scopes selected in column 4.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, note that you should not sum the percentages reported in columns 12, 13 and/or 14.
• E.g. if your target relates to Scope 1+2+3 emissions for your UK operations, and the Scope 1+2+3 emissions from your UK operations accounted for 10% your total, company-wide Scope 1+2+3 emissions in the base year, then you should enter 10 into this column.
• If the target relates to a single Scope, this figure will be the same as the figure reported in either column 12, column 13, or column 14.
• Note that entering a value of 100% indicates that the target covers your company’s total, global gross emissions in the base year for all Scopes selected in column 4.

Target year (column 16)

• If you have a year-on-year rolling target, the target year will be the reporting year.
• If you have a target based on financial years, enter the year that applies to the end of your financial year and specify in the “Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions” column.
• If you have a target based on average emissions over a period of time (e.g. 5-year average), enter the year that applies to the end of the average period and specify this in the “Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions” column.

Targeted reduction from base year (%) (column 17)

• Enter your targeted emissions reduction as a percentage reduction in emissions in all Scopes relevant to the target to be achieved in the target year, when compared to the base year.
• E.g. if your target is to reduce your Scope 1+2 emissions by 3000 metric tons CO2e and your base year Scope 1+2 emissions were 150,000 metric tons CO2e, you should enter 2 into this column (i.e. (3000/150000)=0.02; then multiply by 100 for percentage value).
• If your target is to stabilize emissions at the base year level, you should enter 0 in this column.
• Note that this column is intended to describe the targeted percentage reduction from the base year that is to be achieved in the target year, and not the percentage reduction from the base year observed in the reporting year.

Total emissions in target year covered by target in all selected Scopes (metric tons CO2e) [auto-calculated] (column 18)

• This column will be auto-calculated in the ORS.
• The total emissions in your target year covered by the target will be calculated from the “Total base year emissions covered by target in all selected Scopes” (column 11) and the “Targeted reduction from base year” (column 17) columns. Ensure that you have entered data into these columns.
• E.g. if your base year emissions were 150,000 metric tons CO2e, and your targeted reduction is 2%, this column will display 147,000.

Scope 1 emissions in reporting year covered by target (metric tons CO2e) (column 19)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 1” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• Enter the Scope 1 emissions in the reporting year covered by the target in this column.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this figure should be based upon the Scope 1 proportion only.
• E.g. if your target is to reduce Scope 1+2 emissions arising from your European operations, enter the Scope 1 emissions in the reporting year for your European operations in this column.

Scope 2 emissions in reporting year covered by target (metric tons CO2e) (column 20)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 2” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• Enter the Scope 2 emissions in the reporting year covered by the target in this column.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this figure should be based upon the Scope 2 proportion only.
• E.g. if your target relates to Scope 1+2+3 company-wide emissions, enter your Scope 2 company-wide emissions in the reporting year in this column.

Scope 3 emissions in reporting year covered by target (metric tons CO2e) (column 21)

• This column only appears if you select “Scope 3” in column 4 “Scope(s)”.
• This figure should be the total Scope 3 emissions in the reporting year covered by the target for the Scope 3 category(ies) selected in column 6.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this figure should be based upon the Scope 3 proportion only.
• E.g. if your target relates to Scope 1+2+3 emissions of a particular business activity (e.g. office-based operations, etc.), enter the Scope 3 emissions in the reporting year relating to that business activity for the Scope 3 category(ies) selected in column 6 in this column.

Total emissions in reporting year covered by target in all selected Scopes (metric tons CO2e) (column 22)

• This figure should be the total emissions in the reporting year covered by the target in all Scopes selected in column 4.
• E.g. if your target relates to Scope 1+2+3 company-wide emissions, enter your Scope 1+2+3 company-wide emissions in the reporting year in this column.
• If the target relates to a single Scope, this figure will be the same as the figure reported in either column 19, column 20, or column 21.
• If the target encompasses multiple Scopes, this figure will be equal to the sum of the figures reported in columns 19, 20 and/or 21.

% of target achieved relative to base year [auto-calculated] (column 23)

• This column will be auto-calculated in the ORS.
• The target’s percentage completion (in terms of emissions) relative to the base year will be calculated from the “Total base year emissions covered by target in all selected Scopes” (column 11), “Targeted reduction from base year” (column 17) and the “Total emissions in reporting year covered by target in all selected Scopes” (column 22) columns. Ensure that you have entered data into these columns.
• E.g. if your target is to reduce your Scope 1 emissions by 10% and in the reporting year your Scope 1 emissions had reduced by 3% compared to the base year, this column will display 30 as your target is 30% complete.
• Negative values indicate an increase in emissions relative to the base year.
• Values greater than 100 indicate that you have exceeded your target.
• This column will not appear if you set a target to stabilize your greenhouse gas emissions at the base year level, i.e. if you have entered 0 (zero) in column “Targeted reduction from base year (%)” (column 17).

Target status in reporting year (column 24)

• New - Select this option for targets that have been set in the reporting year and are still in progress.
• Underway - Select this option for targets that were set before the reporting year, with a target year in the future, that have not been achieved and continue to be pursued.
• Achieved - Select this option for targets that have been achieved or exceeded in the reporting year.
• Expired - Select this option for targets with a target year of the reporting year, that have not been achieved and have therefore expired in the reporting year.
• Revised - Select this option for targets that were set before the reporting year but a revision has been made to any of the elements in columns 2 to 22 in the reporting year, for example due to a recalculation of the base year emissions or a change to the target year.
• Replaced - Select this option for previously reported targets that have been replaced with another target in the reporting year, for example where a facility target has been incorporated into a company-wide target.
• Retired - Select this option for targets with a target year in the future, that have not been achieved, but will no longer be pursued. Provide more information as to why this target was retired in the “Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions” column.

Is this a science-based target? (column 25)

• A brief description of science-based targets and why CDP is asking companies to set them is provided as additional information to this question.
• In addition, refer to the CDP Technical Note on Science-Based Targets for what qualifies as a science-based target and how to assess your target against the Science Based Targets initiative’s criteria.
• Yes, and this target has been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative – Companies are very strongly encouraged to have their targets officially evaluated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). CDP considers targets approved by the initiative to reflect best practice in science-based target setting. Select this option only if the target has been approved by the SBTi.
• Yes, we consider this a science-based target, and the target is currently being reviewed by the Science Based Targets initiative – If your company has set a target and has self-assessed it to be science-based, and it has been submitted to the SBTi for validation and is currently being reviewed by the SBTi, you should select this option. You should use the “Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions” column to explain why you believe your target to be science-based.
• Yes, we consider this a science-based target, and we have committed to seek validation of this target by the Science Based Targets initiative in the next two years – Not all companies have had their target assessed by the SBTi. If your company has set a target and has self-assessed it to be science-based but has not yet submitted it to the SBTi for validation, you should select this option. You should use the “Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions” column to explain why you believe your target to be science-based. If you are currently in the process of revising your target to meet SBTi criteria, indicate this by selecting “No, but we anticipate setting one in the next 2 years.
• No, but we are reporting another target that is science-based: Another target (absolute or intensity) disclosed is science-based, either in another row in this table, or in C4.1b.
• No, but we anticipate setting one in the next 2 years: While not necessary, it is recommended that the company publicly state this by submitting a Science Based Target initiative commitment letter.
• No, and we do not anticipate setting one in the next 2 years: No science-based targets have been set and there are no plans in place to set one in the next 2 years.

Target ambition (column 26)

• This column only appears if you select any “Yes” option in column 25 “Is this a science-based target?”.
• Select the level of ambition of your science-based target. Note that as of July 2022, the SBTi requires Scope 1 and 2 targets to be consistent with the level of decarbonization required to keep global temperature increase to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial temperatures, and Scope 3 targets to be consistent with the level of decarbonization required to keep global temperature increase to well-below 2°C compared to pre-industrial temperatures.

Please explain target coverage and identify any exclusions (column 27)

• If the target is not company-wide (i.e. it does not apply to the whole company in line with your definition of the reporting boundary), provide further details of your target coverage in this column. E.g. if you have selected “Country/region” in column 3, please specify which countries/regions your target covers.
• If your target is science-based, please specify if CO2 emissions and/or removals from bioenergy are relevant for your organization and, if so, how you have included them in your target boundary. Please refer to the “Additional Information” for more details.
• You can use this column to identify where you have a financial year or average year based target.
• If your target was originally in a different format, you may wish to give the original target before it was converted into the format required for the purposes of this table.
• If your target is part of a wider carbon neutrality goal, a regulatory requirement, or a longer term target, you can also explain this here.

Plan for achieving target, and progress made to the end of the reporting year (column 28)

• This column only appears if you select “Underway”, “Revised”, or “New” in column 24 “Target status in reporting year”.
• Describe how you plan to achieve the target, including any emissions reduction initiatives your organization plans to implement.
• List the emissions reduction initiatives which have contributed most to any progress towards the target to the end of the reporting year (as indicated in column 23).
• If you are not on track to achieve the target, explain how you plan to get back on track.
• If possible, specify your anticipated and/or observed progress curve in this column, i.e.:
  • Linear – the rate of progress towards the target is anticipated and/or observed to be steady over time
  • Logarithmic – the rate of progress towards the target is anticipated and/or observed to be faster at the start
  • Exponential – the rate of progress towards the target is anticipated and/or observed to be faster at the end
  • Variable – the rate of progress towards the target is anticipated and/or observed to change from year to year

List the emissions reduction initiatives which contributed most to achieving this target (column 29)

• This column only appears if you select “Achieved” in column 24 “Target status in reporting year”. List the initiatives which contributed most to the emissions reductions achieved over the lifetime of the target.

Example response

Worked example of absolute target table

The following table shows two absolute target examples:

• A target to reduce covered Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 80% in 2023 compared with the base year (ID=Abs1);
• A target to reduce covered Scope 3 emissions by 75% in 2027 compared with the base year (ID=Abs2);

Additional information

Science-based targets

• Nearly 200 nations at COP21 wrote into the Paris Agreement that globally we will aim to limit warming to below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit warming to under 1.5°C. However, there is a large gap between the level of ambition of the country commitments and targeted temperatures. Companies, which are responsible for a vast majority of the world’s emissions, must play a critical role in filling the gap left by country commitments by raising the level of ambition in their target setting and reducing their emissions in line with climate science.
• Science-based target setting methods enable companies to set emissions targets that are consistent with conserving the remaining global emissions budget. A number of factors are taken into consideration in order to determine what is most appropriate for a given company. Please see the Technical Note on Science Based Targets and the 2022 climate change scoring methodology for information on best practices in target setting and what CDP considers a science-based target.
• Companies are very strongly encouraged to have their targets officially evaluated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). CDP considers targets approved by the initiative to reflect best practices in science-based target setting. Targets submitted to the SBTi for an official evaluation by the deadline (tbc) with all information needed to assess the target, will be used for scoring in CDP’s 2022 climate change questionnaire.
• Regardless of submission to SBTi, companies are expected to report emissions reductions targets in their CDP response. Targets that did not pass the SBTi’s review process or that have not been submitted for review prior to the deadline will still be evaluated using the information disclosed by each company in their CDP response. See the Technical Note for more details.

Science-based targets — bioenergy accounting

• As per the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, CO2 emissions from the combustion, processing, and distribution of bioenergy and the land use emissions and removals associated with bioenergy feedstocks, should be reported alongside a company’s GHG inventory, separately from the Scopes. However, SBTi criterion 10 requires CO2 emissions from the combustion, processing and distribution of bioenergy and the land use emissions and removals associated with bioenergy feedstocks to be included in the target boundary when setting a science-based target (in Scopes 1, 2 and/or 3, as relevant) and when reporting progress against that target, even though such CO2 emissions and/or removals are reported separately in a company’s GHG inventory. Companies are expected to adhere to any additional GHG Protocol Guidance on bioenergy accounting when released in order to maintain compliance with criterion 10.