PPG is establishing company-wide emission reduction targets in line with the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), an organization that helps companies define their decarbonization strategy.
PPG, based in Pittsburgh, has an existing goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by 15 percent by 2025 from a 2017 baseline with a 9.7 percent reduction in 2021. It plans to unveil its new goals for 2020 in the coming months. The company has long reported emissions intensity from its own operations (Scope 1) and purchased electricity, steam, heating, and cooling (Scope 2). Moving forward, PPG will evaluate indirect emissions from sources outside of the organization (Scope 3).
“In this critical moment for climate change, we are committed to further evaluating and reducing emissions throughout our value chain,” Diane Kappas, PPG vice president, Global Sustainability, said. “We are working across our organization to define additional actions we can take to help prevent the earth from warming more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Following our validation work with SBTi and an emissions analysis, we intend to announce new, aggressive 2030 goals that will define our decarbonization strategy to help protect the planet for current and future generations.”
PPG also released its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, which outlines the advancements of its ESG initiatives.
“Sustainability is at the heart of our purpose to protect and beautify the world,” Kappas said. “Our employees’ hard work and dedication helped us meet and surpass several of our near-term 2025 goals, and we continue to look for additional ways to reduce our emissions and overall environmental impact. While we are proud of our achievements, we recognize that now is the time for further action. We look forward to unveiling science-based targets as we complete the validation process.”
Among some of the highlights of the report, PPG reduced process waste, increased renewable energy use in its facilities, and increased sales from sustainably advantaged products last year. It also introduced new diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) commitments, including increasing Black, Latino, and Asian employees by 45 percent to 55 percent over time. At the end of 2021, PPG increased non-frontline Black employees by 13 percent, Latino employees by 9 percent, and Asian employees by 8 percent. Also, the company invested $7.4 million through 2021 to advance racial equity by funding educational pathways for Black communities and people of color.