Over the last decade, the responsibility on corporations to take environmental sustainability seriously has become paramount. As we experience the impact of global warming and climate change, what was once an intangible threat has become an increasingly stark reality. Last week saw COP26 bring together world leaders, business leaders and subject matter experts to build an environmentally responsible future. It is in that spirit that we launched our Environmental, Social, and Governance strategy “Working to Save the World” in August. And, last week, we proudly added ambitious science-based targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions across ManpowerGroup.
I am pleased to say these new targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the leading authority driving corporate climate action. We know that what is measured gets done; that is why having a validated science-based plan is not only important, but an essential step in taking environmental responsibility seriously. Of the more than 4,200 companies in the G20 that have set climate targets, only 20% are science-based – we’re proud to have made this commitment to our people, candidate and clients.
ManpowerGroup has committed to reducing operational emissions by 60% and supply chain emissions by 30% by the end of this decade. These targets are a key part of our ambition to reach net zero by 2045 or sooner, and show how we are working towards becoming a carbon-neutral company in a renewed commitment to People and Planet. SBTi has provided independent, scientifically validated confirmation that our emissions targets are consistent with reductions required to limit warming to 1.5°C. ManpowerGroup joins over 1,000 of the world’s leading organisations in hitting this target, making a critical contribution to combat the effects of climate change.
I’m proud of ManpowerGroup’s history on climate action. We have been committed to transparency on climate, joining UN Global Impact in 2006 and publishing our first Social Responsibility Report in 2007. We’ve disclosed to the Carbon Disclosure Project for over a decade, and have recently moved towards aligning with the Task Force of Climate-Related Financial Disclosures guidelines. Moreover, we are actively engaged in the World Economic Forum Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders. In anticipation of COP26, we co-signed an open letter pushing world leaders to pursue ambitious public-private collaboration on climate action.
However, we know it isn’t possible for one business to make the difference on its own. It is vital that organisations across our sector – indeed across all sectors – make a collaborative effort towards decarbonisation. A sustainable climate plan is essential for accelerating job creation and demand for new skills. Setting and meeting science-based targets is how we act faster to prevent ongoing climate change. This is a future we can build together, working collaboratively to scale to positively impact the world.
Read more and follow our journey via our Working to Change the World report.
