The French company is one of only six companies – among 8,400 organizations assessed – with a AAA score by CDP, the international charity that runs the global disclosure system allowing investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts.
A detailed and independent methodology is used by CDP to assess companies, allocating a score of A to D- based on the comprehensiveness of disclosure, awareness and management of environmental risks and demonstration of best practices associated with environmental leadership.
As part of its journey towards carbon neutrality on its full value chain by 2050, Danone set intermediate carbon reduction targets for 2030 which were officially approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative in 2017.
Danone’s strategy is based on reducing emissions, transforming agricultural practices to sequester more carbon in the soil, eliminating deforestation from its supply chain in key commodities, and offsetting the emissions that remain.
Emmanuel Faber, chairman and CEO at Danone, said, “We are very proud to get a ‘triple A’ score by CDP, which is truly helping organizations build a more sustainable economy by measuring and understanding their environmental impact. I would like to thank our teams for this great achievement, which acknowledges the resilience of the model we are building through our ‘One Planet. One Health’ business model, in a transparent way.
This encourages us to keep working with partners to drive change and better take into account major positive and negative externalities that are both crucial and available to finance a radically more inclusive, multidimensional and resilient growth."
Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP, said, “Congratulations to the companies that achieved a position on CDP’s A Lists this year, for leading in environmental performance and transparency. The scale of the business risks from the climate emergency, deforestation and water insecurity are vast – as are the opportunities from addressing them – and it’s clear the private sector has a vital role to play at this critical time. The A List companies are leading the market in corporate sustainability, tackling environmental risks and setting themselves up to thrive in tomorrow’s economy.”
Danone recently strengthened its commitments through the signature of “Business Ambition for 1.5°C” pledge, alongside 190 other institutions.
Danone said it remains fully committed to eliminating deforestation on key commodities in its supply chain by 2020. In 2019, Danone along with 18 forward-thinking companies and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) launched a business-led coalition - “One Planet Business for Biodiversity” (OP2B) - to protect and restore biodiversity within its supply chain and portfolios of products, with the aim to eliminate deforestation, enhance the management, restoration and protection of high-value natural ecosystems.
To continue its transparency efforts, Danone is going to join The FSB Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which develops voluntary, consistent climate-related financial risk disclosures for use by companies in providing information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders.