Environment

Cargotec is committed to doing its share to limit global warming to 1.5°C. We will do this by capturing profitable growth from the business opportunities that climate action brings.

Cargotec has signed the United Nations Global Compact’s Business Ambition for 1.5°C, where leading companies promise to pursue science-based measures to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. Our  science-based target for greenhouse gas emission reduction, which has been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), is in line with this ambition.

Our impacts

The use phase of Cargotec products by customers is where the large majority of our greenhouse gas emissions (64% in 2023) are generated, mostly due to emissions from diesel-powered machinery. Similarly, CO2 emissions from our supply chain, specifically from the extraction and manufacturing of our raw materials and components (mostly steel) are significant (32%). And while emissions from our own operations represent only a very small share of our total emissions (1%), they do have an impact on the climate.

Cargotec impacts the climate but climate change also impacts Cargotec. We have tested the resilience of our climate strategy in line with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) for disclosing climate-related risks and opportunities. More information about this analysis can be found here and in the Board of Directors' report in our Annual report.

Our targets and progress

To tackle our greenhouse gas emissions, we have chosen to set challenging climate targets for ourselves. Cargotec’s science-based climate target, validated by the SBTi, is to reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to a 2019 baseline. With an absolute reduction target, we need to be able to reduce our emissions even with increasing sales volumes. The target boundary includes biogenic emissions and removals from bioenergy feedstocks. We do not count offsets as emission reductions towards our target.

In our own operations, we aim to go beyond our science-based target and be carbon neutral by 2030.

In 2023, our total emissions increased by 6% compared to 2019. While emission intensity improved, it was not enough to compensate for the increase in emissions.

How we will get there

Cargotec’s strategic climate programme guides us in achieving our science-based target and future-proofing our business through, for example, electrification. The programme has three focus areas: 1) decarbonising the supply chain, 2) decarbonising our own operations and 3) boosting our sustainable offering.

32 percent of our value chain emissions were generated in our supply chain in 2023. To tackle these emissions, we must find better alternatives to the components we buy and work closely with our suppliers. We have, for example, partnered with the steel manufacturer SSAB to introduce fossil-free steel to the cargo and load handling industry in Cargotec’s equipment. For more information about Cargotec's steel use, read this article about the benefits and challenges of steel use as well as potential solutions. In 2023, Cargotec also joined WWF Finland’s Ready for Green Steel campaign to encourage the steel industry to move towards cleaner production.

While only 1 percent of our emissions come from our own operations, they do have an impact on the climate. To reach carbon neutrality by 2030, we focus on electricity use and fuel usage by our service fleet. During 2023, Hiab completed the installation of solar panels at its assembly site in Spain. The installation aims to replace more than 34 percent of the site’s energy consumption with
renewable energy and is expected to reduce the emissions of the assembly site by 75 tonnes CO2e annually. Overall, we achieved a 32 percent emission reduction across Cargotec in 2023 compared to 2019.

As 64% of our footprint comes from the use-phase of our products, it is crucial that we develop low and zero-emission products and services that our customers are willing to buy. Our eco portfolio is our most important tool in this work.

For more details on our progress, see our Annual Report 2023.

How we calculate our scope 3 emissions

We improved the calculation and collection methodology of our scope 3 emissions in 2022. Despite their minor share under scope 3, we report emissions related to transportation and distribution, business travel, and fuel- and energy-related activities.

For purchased goods and services, we apply separate calculation methodologies for direct and indirect purchases. For direct purchases, we apply a 'hybrid' approach where a mixture of methodologies are used depending on data availability (when supplier-specific data or weight data of the sourced materials are not available, we depend on the spend-based approach to calculate emissions). For indirect purchases (which account for a minor share of all purchases), we apply spend data and calculate it with the Scope 3 Evaluator tool (GHG Protocol/Quantis).

For the use of sold products, we use product-specific information and emission factors for diesel and electricity (location-based). We account for scope 1 and 2 emissions (i.e. from use of fuels and electricity) over the products' expected lifetime.

For transportation and distribution, we apply spend data and calculate it with the Scope 3 Evaluator tool (GHG Protocol/Quantis).

Business travel data originates from our travel agency. Fuel and energy related activities cover the upstream emissions for fuel, electricity and heating, and for transmission & distribution losses for electricity and heating - DEFRA emission factors are used to calculate the relevant emissions in this category.