Ahold Delhaize aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 — here’s how

Low carbon heating, renewable energy, LED lighting and refrigeration  systems with lower greenhouse gas alternatives all figure into Ahold Delhaize’s ambitious sustainability commitment. 

The supermarket conglomerate  and its brands have pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across their operations by no later than 2040. (Ahold Delhaize previously worked toward a net-zero carbon emissions target of 2050.) They are also to become net-zero businesses across their entire supply chain, products and services by no later than 2050. 

Ahold Delhaize’s current goal is to lower carbon emissions from its brands’ own operations by 50% by 2030, the 2018 baseline. It noted that more than half of the carbon emissions come from energy consumption and more than one-third  come from refrigeration systems. (Fewer than 10% of the carbon emissions originate from transport).

Consequently, the company said its brands will continue to improve their respective operations in the following ways:

• Replacing or retrofitting refrigerator systems with lower greenhouse-gas alternatives, installing natural/hybrid systems and minimizing leakage from all systems.
• Accelerating the switch to renewable power, with a number of the brands using 100% renewable electricity by 2023.
• Building and remodeling stores in the most energy-efficient way by installing LED lighting, adding doors to refrigerators and improving insulation.
• Switching to low-carbon heating, including heat pumps and heat recuperation
• Converting the light and heavy transportation fleet to zero-carbon alternatives, including battery electric vehicles, and leveraging route optimization technology and improved fill mechanism to reduce overall energy use
• Incorporating an internal carbon price model into investment proposals from its local brands.

“As a 150-year-old company, we are committed to do our part and ensure we can keep serving our customers and communities in a responsible way for the next 150 years,” said Frans Muller, CEO, Ahold Delhaize. “We believe we are taking the right steps, through stakeholder feedback and third-party recognition like the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, ranking us in the top 10% of companies and from MSCI, recently upgrading Ahold Delhaize from an ‘A’ to an ‘AA’ ESG rating.”

Ahold Delhaize said it has joined the Business Ambition for 1.5°C, an international coalition of UN agencies, business and industry leaders, in partnership with the Science Based Targets initiative and the UN-led campaign Race to Zero. Ahold Delhaize previously worked toward a net-zero carbon emissions target of 2050.

Based in the Netherlands, Ahold Delhaize operates 19 brands across 10 countries. Its U.S. division, Ahold Delhaize USA, operates more than 2,000 stores across 23 states under banners including Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Co., Hannaford, and Stop & Shop.

[Read More: Ahold Delhaize sets ambitious sustainability, health goals]