Calling climate change “an imminent global threat that demands urgent action from all segments of society,” Avery Dennision has signed the American Business Act on Climate Pledge, a White House initiative to enlist US companies in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
With this pledge, Avery Dennison is joining more than 140 companies that have voiced support for a strong outcome at the United Nations Climate Change Conference being held in Paris (30 November 30 - 11 December), and have underscored a commitment to reducing emissions from operations.
“Signing the pledge was an easy decision because we’re already doing the things that the pledge asked of us,” said Dean Scarborough, Avery Dennison chairman and CEO. “We unequivocally support an agreement coming out of Paris that takes a strong step toward a low-carbon future. We are cutting our own carbon emissions and taking additional measures to tackle climate change.”
Building on a 2009 pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, indexed to net sales, by 15% from 2005 to 2015, Avery Dennison has pledged to:
- Reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions from operations by at least 3% annually, and by at least 26% overall, between 2015 and 2025.
- Eliminate deforestation from the production of agricultural commodities by 2020, in alignment with the 2014 New York Declaration on Forests.
- Purchase 100% of its paper from certified sources by 2025
- Purchase at least 70% of its paper from FSC-certified sources by 2025
- Develop long-term business plans that align with the deep decarbonisation necessary to keep global average temperatures from rising more than 2°C.
Scarborough is speaking in Paris as part of the Sustainable Innovation Forum, which will run concurrently with the COP21 climate talks. Avery Dennison supports an agreement that will cut emissions enough to keep the average global temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius, which scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
“Climate change is an imminent global threat that demands urgent action from all segments of society - including business - while we still have time to act,” he said.