Accelerating emissions reductions with SBTi
NLTG has had emission reduction targets for different greenhouse gas metrics since 2019. These have now been redefined and validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), giving NLTG a clear path towards reducing emissions in line with the goals laid out in the Paris Agreement.
“As a company, our mission is to enrich life. We do that by giving our customers enriching holiday experiences and our employees an enriching place to work. But our commitment goes deeper. We also want to contribute to taking care of the planet that we all share. So doing what we can to limit global warming is a key part of our mission,” says Camilla Malmose, Head of Strategy & ESG at NLTG.
Meet Camilla Malmose
Camilla Malmose began in NLTG as a Business Development Manager in Airshoppen in 2014. Since then, she has been involved in opening a new airline in Majorca, headed the Brand Development Team at SENTIDO Hotels and was a part of the Transformation team in Thomas Cook Group Airlines. Today, she is Head of Strategy & ESG and plays a key role in ensuring NLTG sets and hits its ESG targets.
In line with this, we launched a Sustainability Strategy in 2019 with clear goals to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25% by 2030, compared to our 2019 baseline, and to hit net-zero by 2050. In 2024, we took a significant step towards these goals when we had our emission reduction targets reviewed and validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
The Science behind the targets
It’s widely accepted that limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels will ensure the planet can avoid the worst effects of climate change. This is the goal defined by the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty adopted at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) on 12 December 2015. For the agreement to succeed, it’s essential that companies, as well as governments, play a part. This is where SBTi comes in. As an independent organisation, SBTi has developed standards, tools and guidance to help companies set emission reduction targets in line with the 1.5°C goal.
By having our targets validated by SBTi, we have confirmed that they are both achievable and in line with the Paris Agreement, as Camilla explains: “The debate around climate change can become very values driven. But to deliver results – measurable reductions in emissions – it must be supported by solid data and rigorous processes. SBTi validation confirms that what we are doing is enough; that we are working in the right direction; and have the right processes and tools in place to succeed,” she says.
Recalibrating our targets
While the validation process with SBTi confirmed that NLTG’s existing focus areas are correct, it did initiate changes.
In our 2019 Sustainability Strategy, we set targets for specific areas, such as shifting to 100% renewable energy in our offices and hotels. As part of the SBTi validation process, these targets have been consolidated under scope 1, 2 and 3. As a result, we now have clear targets for scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, with 2023 as the baseline year.
“In general, the changes that have come about through the SBTi validation process have been related to bringing our targets in line with scope 1, 2 and 3 reporting,” says Camilla. “But the shift in baseline year has also had an effect. For example, Sunclass Airlines makes up almost 80% of our scope 1 emissions. The goal in our 2019 Sustainability Strategy was to reduce emissions from the airline by 25% by 2030. This target has now been restated as a reduction of 19% by 2030, based on a new baseline year of 2023. This may look like a lower target, but it’s not. It’s simply due to the adjustment in the baseline year.”
About SBTi
About SBTi The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a climate action organisation that enables companies and financial institutions worldwide to play their part in combating the climate crisis. At the time of writing, around 10,000 companies globally had committed to science-based targets.
Emissions reporting is broken down into three areas:
- Scope 1 emissions come from sources that are directly controlled or owned by the company, such as fuel combustion in vehicles and boilers, or process equipment.
- Scope 2 are emissions that the company makes indirectly, such as emissions from the use of electricity, steam, heat or cooling.
- Scope 3 emissions are all the emissions that come from activities up- and downstream in the value chain.
Everyone has a role to play
For most companies working with emission reductions, scope 3 are the most complex to calculate. This is because the level of detail required is extremely high, right down to the emissions generated from the production, use and disposal of office supplies, like pens, computers and paper.
Calculating these emissions was a huge task, involving people in every NLTG business unit. To make this simpler in future, we’re designing a specific scope 3 data collection tool that each NLTG business unit can use when tracking, assessing and reporting scope 3 emissions.
“The tool will give each of our business units a clear oversight of its scope 3 emissions,” says Camilla. "By combining this data with the data they gather on scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, they will be able to see and report on their progress more easily. When each business unit can see their numbers, they can take ownership of, and pride in their initiatives.”
Making a difference for employees
According to Camilla, the decision to have our emission targets validated by the SBTi is supported by the entire company, including the Board of Directors and main investors. But perhaps most importantly, it has been extremely well received by our employees. “I gave a presentation to the whole company about SBTi validation. Afterwards, many people approached me in person or by email to tell me that they’re really proud of what we’re doing. It means a lot for our employees to work for a company with a clear climate focus.”
As a company, NLTG contributes less than 0.002% of the world’s total emissions. But, as the Paris Agreement makes clear, every company, government and organisation need to play a part. Together with our employees, and with the support of our investors and Board, we are committed to hitting our targets and helping safeguard our planet for the future.
DID YOU KNOW
By 2029, 50% of our travel service suppliers must have SBTi-approved emission reduction targets.
