Corporate leaders rally for concrete action on climate change

The Hague, October 10, 2024 – This morning, leading Dutch companies have committed to the Net-Zero Science Based Targets of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) during a CEO breakfast in The Hague. This marks a significant step toward achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement and limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C.

The breakfast session, attended by senior executives from various sectors, including technology, finance, and consumer goods, emphasized the need for urgent and collaborative action. The participating companies - Signify, Fairphone, OMDUS, Ortec, Arbo Unie, Nobian and Fugro - reaffirmed their commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The event highlighted the Dutch private sector’s leadership in climate action and the shift from setting goals to implementing real-world solutions.

While previous editions of the CEO breakfast focused on creating the urgency of corporate climate action, this year’s edition emphasized the shift from merely setting sustainability targets to implementing actionable strategies. The discussions centered around overcoming challenges in operationalizing these goals and creating real-world solutions to achieve them. Paul Polman, Business leader, campaigner and co-author of "Net Positive and chair of the event, expressed his support, stating,

“Today’s gathering showcases the progress Dutch companies are making in the fight against climate change. However, setting targets is only the first step and success depends on delivery. More than ever, business has a crucial role driving forward meaningful action in achieving climate targets and ensuring a habitable and prosperous planet for humanity.”

Key Highlights and Outcomes:

• Collective Commitment to Net-Zero: The nine signatories have reaffirmed their alignment with the Net-Zero Standard, targeting full value chain emissions reduction by 2050, with a 50% cut by 2030.
• Focus on Innovation and Collaboration: Participating companies pledged to collaborate across sectors and value chains to develop technologies and share best practices that will accelerate decarbonization efforts.
• Sustainable Growth: The leaders also emphasized that achieving net-zero will unlock new economic opportunities and drive sustainable growth, making environmental responsibility compatible with business success.

From targets to actionable strategies

The companies joining this commitment are determined to set clear emission reduction targets for both the short and long term. They aim to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across their entire value chain by 2050, independently validated by SBTi. This entails significantly reducing emissions, with a target of halving them by 2030. By 2050, any remaining emissions must be minimized, and unavoidable emissions will need to be offset. The SBTi Net-Zero Standard represents the highest level of ambition that companies can pursue today, encompassing emissions throughout the entire value chain. 

“We are very proud that Nobian's emission reduction targets are recognized by the SBTi” said Marco Waas, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer of Nobian, “Nobian’s science-based targets are a key element in our decarbonization journey, and our progress towards becoming carbon neutral by 2040 in scope 1 and 2, ahead of the Paris agreement. It supports our mission to “Grow Greener Together” as well as our ambition to be one of the most sustainable chemical companies in Europe.”

Moving forward, these companies will work with SBTi to validate sector-specific targets and provide annual progress reports to ensure transparency and accountability.

About SBTi

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is incorporated as a charity. SBTi partners are CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, the We Mean Business Coalition, the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

About the CEO Breakfast

The CEO breakfast and the commitment of participating companies were organized by the UN Global Compact Network Netherlands, the sustainability consultancy IMPACTING.today, Purpose Day XL co-organizer Folkert van der Molen (Van der Molen E.I.S.), Charlotte de Voogd and Tamara van Tulder.

Photo by Aad van Vliet.