Sun Chemical, DIC Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Targets Validated by SBTi

The greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets of Sun Chemical and its parent company, DIC Corporation, have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as being consistent with levels that climate science says are necessary to limit average global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

“To be validated by the SBTi is a major accomplishment, especially for an organization the size and complexity of Sun Chemical and the entire DIC Group,” said Mike Simoni, global sustainability director, Sun Chemical. “It shows our entire organization’s commitment to lead the industry charge toward sustainability.”

Recognizing climate change as a critical social imperative, Sun Chemical and the entire DIC Group, has a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by working to lower total Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 27.5% taking 2019 as baseline.

Additionally, Sun Chemical and the DIC Group are working to curtail greenhouse gas emissions by 13.5% by 2030 by advancing the use of recycled and biomass raw materials, assisting customers to improve recycling rates, decreasing the disposal of used products, and enhancing the efficiency of material recycling employing proprietary technologies. The targets also include an acceleration of supplier sustainability engagement for 80% of procurement spending by 2027.

“Sun Chemical, as part of the DIC Group, have demonstrated our deep commitment to sustainability over many years, and achieving the Science Based Targets Initiative endorsement is an important next step in that journey,” said Dr. Nikola Juhasz, global technical director of sustainability, Sun Chemical. “Our plans include focus on exciting product and service innovations to enable circularity and that will have cascading environmental benefits throughout our value chains.”

“This endorsement from SBTi is recognizing our commitment to greenhouse gas emissions reduction and circularity, and will further support our customers’ efforts to meet their own sustainability targets,” said Nicolas Bétin, global sustainability business leader, Sun Chemical.

Since 2020, Sun Chemical’s Corporate Sustainability Committee has met to further strengthen its approach to addressing the sustainability needs of the industries it serves. DIC also has an established Climate Change Subcommittee which is responsible for discussing and debating responses to climate change-related issues as well as considering climate change targets and initiatives.

Energy-Saving Promotion Committees have been established at all locations. These committees verify the progress of initiatives, engage in discussions and conduct energy-saving measures. Some of these key CO2 emissions reduction efforts include:

• Energy-saving initiatives, including site assessments and five- to 10-year plans for investment.
• Digital control systems to maximize energy management for production and utility equipment.
• Net zero-energy buildings by investing in energy-efficient equipment, such as cogeneration systems, LED lighting, insulation, etc.
• Renewable infrastructure investments, such as biomass boilers or wind and solar power.
• Purposeful energy-efficient options for new facility construction or building expansions.