We are committed to managing the environmental impact of our business by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from our operations and wider value chain, by reducing and recycling the packaging and materials in our packaging stream and reducing the waste we generate.
|
Our commitments |
Our key targets |
|
Pursuing net zero carbon emissions |
|
|
We reduce our operational emissions by introducing lower energy equipment and increasing our use of renewable energy; and emissions in our value chain by adapting our menus to provide more plant-based meals. |
By 2040, achieve net zero carbon emissions (Scopes 1, 2 and 3). In support of this, we are setting science-based targets in line with a 1.5-degree scenario within the next year. |
|
Reducing, reusing and recycling our packaging |
|
|
We eliminate unnecessary single-use plastic and move our own brand packaging to be recyclable, reusable or compostable. |
By 2025, remove unnecessary single-use plastic packaging and move all packaging of own brand products to be recyclable, reusable or compostable. |
|
Reducing food waste |
|
|
We reduce food waste at all stages of our business and ensure that unsold food is donated to those who need it. |
By 2025, all divisions to have programmes to target food waste through reduction, recycling, anti-food waste partnerships, charitable donations and landfill diversion. |
We recognise the significance of climate change on our business, our people, customers and communities. We are committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and playing our part in tackling the global climate crisis.
We have signed a Letter of Commitment to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) Business Ambition for 1.5°C. We aim to reach net zero across our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2040 in order to help limit global warming to 1.5°C. We are currently working with specialists to improve the accuracy of our Scope 1 and 2 footprint and to calculate our Scope 3 footprint (which we expect to be significantly higher); to set science-based targets in line with a 1.5-degree scenario within the next year; and develop a roadmap of how we will reach these.
We are tackling food waste through a hierarchy of actions:
Prevent: We continue to prioritise efficient ordering, production and display to prevent the opportunity for food waste
Reduce: Working with surplus food app providers enables us to offer discounted food towards the end of the day to prevent waste of unsold products. By 2022, all of our divisions will work with one or more partners (such as Too Good To Go or similar), to reduce food waste in rail units. Currently ten markets have partnerships in place. If food is still unsold, we work with charity partners to arrange collections to ensure the food goes to those who need it. By 2025, all divisions globally will have programmes to donate unsold food to charity.
Reuse: Our waste coffee ground composting and cooking oil recycling prevents these items from ending up as waste and gives them another life, including as biofuels. By 2022, 80% of our own brand units will recycle waste cooking oil, and 50% will reuse or compost waste coffee grounds.
Recover: By 2025, where unsold food is not discounted or donated, it should be diverted from landfill.
Too Good To Go is a free app that enables surplus food to be sold at discounted prices to save it from going to waste. Surplus food is bundled into ‘Magic Bags’ of food that is bought through the app by local users who collect at a time convenient to the unit.
This year, our 279 units in 10 countries using Too Good to Go have sold over 56,000 bags which has resulted in over 56 tonnes of food being saved from disposal and a saving of more than 142 tonnes of CO2e. Since the first SSP unit in Norway started using Too Good to Go in 2016, 166 tonnes of food has been saved, resulting in saving 415 CO2e (to 30 September 2021) – the equivalent of 466 flights from London to New York!
SSP units this year have been saved as a favourite location by over 122,000 users across the 10 countries and over 987,000 users have viewed the offers available in SSP locations, demonstrating the popularity of the app and the potential such apps have to divert food from disposal.
For more information on our sustainability commitments and targets, view our Annual Report and Accounts 2021 in full here.
