Stella McCartney receives SBTi approval for net-zero emissions target
Our science-based targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This validation confirms that the goals Stella McCartney has set are based on the latest climate science and in line with the Paris Agreement’s ambition for a 1.5°C pathway.
As a brand, we remain committed to investing in sustainability and the future of our planet and people. We believe in making every action count and managing our environmental impact by pushing towards solutions that will protect our better tomorrow.
The latest climate science shows it is still possible to limit a global temperature rise to 1.5°C – but we are dangerously close to that threshold already. As we step forward into the ‘Decisive Decade’, it is more obvious than ever that we are facing climate change and biodiversity crises head on.
Stella McCartney’s science-based targets
Overall net-zero target
Stella McCartney Ltd commits to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by 2040 from a 2019 base year.
Near-term targets
- Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 75% by 2030 from a 2019 base year
- Reduce scope 3 GHG emissions 46.2% by 2030 from a 2019 base year.
Long-term targets
In the long term, we commit to reducing absolute scopes 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions 90% by 2040 from a 2019 base year.
Scopes 1 and 2 cover emissions generated from Stella McCartney’s own operations, such as electricity and gas in stores, warehouses and offices. Scope 3 refers to emissions in Stella McCartney’s extended supply chain, such as energy usage by manufacturing, logistics and distribution and material sourcing partners.
I am thrilled that our science-based targets have been approved by the SBTi. The Science Based Targets initiative plays an essential role in making sure that the ambitions set by businesses are in line with the latest climate science – crucial for tackling the climate emergency together. I am incredibly proud of the actions we have taken, the positive changes we have implemented and the innovations we are supporting. This is the future of fashion.
What Stella McCartney are doing now
We are already ramping up our regenerative agriculture sourcing and working with farmers to improve agricultural practices. We want to accelerate the change to regenerative and restorative approaches. Regenerative sourcing increases carbon sequestration of soils – working to tackle climate change, improving and protecting local biodiversity and putting Mother Earth first. Through our partnership with our regenerative cotton supplier, SÖKTAS, an average carbon capture rate of 48.18 tonnes CO2 (eq)/ha/year placed in the top 45cm of the soil profile was documented in 2023.
Through continuous engagement and collaboration with our value chain partners, we can collectively commit to our science-based targets. Stella McCartney’s involvement in the Clean by Design (CbD) initiative by Apparel Impact Institute (AII) is an approach to supply chain efficiency that brings together fashion brands to improve upon environmental impacts in their factories globally. CbD supports suppliers in undertaking energy assessments and provides a roadmap to suppliers for improvement around efficiency and transitioning to renewables.
The SBTi is a partnership between the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The initiative provides a clearly defined pathway for companies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, helping prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Targets are considered ‘science-based’ if they are in line with what the latest climate science deems necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement – limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
