Metsä Board, a leading European producer of fresh fibre paperboards and part of Metsä Group, has received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its updated near-term emissions reduction targets. Metsä Board has had SBTi validated targets in place since 2019.
With the update, Metsä Board extends its climate targets beyond its own production to address greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain. This reflects a shift from focusing solely on operational emissions to managing climate impacts throughout the lifecycle of its products.
As part of this expanded approach, Metsä Board has introduced a new Scope 3 target covering emissions from the end-of-life treatment of sold products, committing to reduce these emissions by 25% by 2030 from the 2024 baseline.
In addition, the company commits that 47% of its suppliers by spend – covering purchased goods and services, capital goods and upstream transportation and distribution – will have science-based targets by 2030, further strengthening climate action across the value chain.
The updated Scope 1 and 2 target reflects a broader accounting of all greenhouse gases and does not change Metsä Board’s earlier ambition to phase out fossil energy in production by 2030.
“Metsä Board has already reduced its emissions significantly and today operates with 93% fossil‑free energy in its production. By extending our targets to cover end‑of‑life emissions of our paperboards, we are supporting our customers in reducing packaging-related climate impact, for example through our recyclable materials and packaging design collaboration,” says Esa Kaikkonen, CEO of Metsä Board.
Link to SBTi’s target dashboard.
About SBTi:
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a charity that develops standards, tools, and guidance, which enable companies and financial institutions worldwide to take credible, science-based climate action. The SBTi has a subsidiary, which delivers target validation services. The SBTi’s 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).