SIG signs CEO call for governments to align COVID-19 recovery with latest climate science
25 May 2020
Recover Better
Signed by 155 major multinationals, the Recover Better statement is the largest ever UN-backed CEO-led climate advocacy effort. It calls for policies that will build resilience against future shocks by supporting efforts to hold global temperature rise to within 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, in line with reaching net-zero emissions well before 2050.
The Recover Better campaign is being convened by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), together with the UN Global Compact and the We Mean Business coalition. “Governments have a critical role to play by aligning policies and recovery plans with the latest climate science, but they cannot drive a systemic socio-economic transformation alone,” said Lila Karbassi, Chief of Programmes at the UN Global Compact, and Science Based Targets Initiative Board Member.
“To address the interconnected crises we face, we must work together as an international community to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. As the largest ever UN-backed CEO-led climate advocacy effort, these companies are leading the way in driving ambitious science-based action and advocacy to help reduce vulnerability to future shocks and disasters.” SIG and the other Recover Better signatories are all members of the SBTi.
Today, they are reaffirming their own science-based carbon commitments and urging world leaders to target a zero-carbon recovery from COVID-19. SIG’s commitment SIG has taken decisive action to protect its employees, serve its communities and support its customers and supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging, SIG has a critical role in the global food supply system. Many SIG plants have been running day and night through the COVID-19 crisis to help customers provide a continuous supply of food and beverages to consumers. While fighting COVID-19 is an immediate priority, SIG is equally committed to fighting climate change and delivering sustainable solutions in the long term. SIG’s climate goals – to reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 60% and value chain greenhouse gas emissions by 25% per litre of food packed by 2030 – have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative as in line with the latest science to keep global warming below 1.5°C. These goals are part of SIG’s roadmap to deliver on its ambition to go Way Beyond Good for society and the environment.
“The impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt around the world and it’s encouraging to see people uniting to weather this crisis, but we must not lose sight of the urgent need for collective action to tackle the climate emergency,” said Rolf Stangl, CEO at SIG. “At SIG, we’re committed to delivering low-carbon solutions for our customers and reducing our own emissions in line with the latest science. We’re joinng other leading corporates to call on governments to ensure efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic support the transition to a zero-carbon economy and deliver on the climate commitments of the Paris Agreement.”
