Net Zero Carbon Reduction Plan

Sopra Steria is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2028

Introduction

Sopra Steria adopts the UN Climate Neutral Now definition of Net Zero as “the state where a balance between anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals is achieved”. It will reach Net Zero defined in this way by taking the following actions:

Measuring all of its GHG emissions
Reducing its GHG emissions at source as far as possible; and
Offsetting its remaining emissions through projects that remove carbon from the atmosphere in the long term.

The Net Zero Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) lays out Sopra Steria’s approach and annual progress towards its objective of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2028.

Baseline and Current Emissions Footprint

opra Steria’s total absolute emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3) declined by 12%, from 40,661 tCO2e (in thebaseline year, 2015) to 35,944 tCO2e (in the reporting year, 2020).

The PDF version of Sopra Steria’s Net Zero CRP provides a full breakdown of its emissions.

Emissions Reduction Targets

Sopra Steria will implement a phased approach, through intermediate targets, to achieving Net Zero emissions by the end of 2028. The Net Zero CRP document gives the milestone dates.

To support its progress to Net Zero, Sopra Steria has adopted the following emissions carbon reduction targets, against a 2015 baseline:

24% reduction in Scope 1+2 emissions per full-time employee by the end of 2020; and
20% reduction in Business Travel emissions per full-time employee by the end of 2020.

We project that Sopra Steria’s absolute GHG emissions will decrease to 32,469 tCO2e by 2025 (a reduction of 20%) and to zero by 2028 (a reduction of 100%).

Science-Based Targets

42% reduction in Scope 1+2 (market-based emissions) by end of 2025.

This is our 10-year SBT for all our Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Sopra Steria expects to achieve this target by procuring more renewable energy and through emissions reduction activities.

Ensure that the Group’s suppliers that account for at least 70% of its supply chain emissions control their GHG emissions by 2025; and

Ensure that 90% of the Group’s suppliers that account for at least 70% of its supply chain emissions have set GHG emissions reduction targets by 2025.

85% reduction in Scope 1+2 (market-based emissions) by end of 2040.

This is our 25-year SBT for all our Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Sopra Steria expects to achieve this target by procuring more renewable energy and through emissions reduction activities.

SBTs do not include carbon offsets.

The SBTi is currently developing a new standard for ‘Near Term’ (5 to 10 years) and ‘Long Term’ (to 2050) Net Zero, to be released in late 2021. Sopra Steria Group is one of the companies road-testing this standard.

We project that with carbon removal offsets, our GHG emissions will decrease to zero by 2028, a reduction of 100%.

Carbon Reduction Projects

Renewable Electricity

By 2019 Sopra Steria had raised to 100% the proportion of electricity consumed in the UK from renewable sources, reducing Scope 2 emissions to zero on a market basis.

Energy Efficiency

Measures include the replacement of a oil-fired boiler with one fuelled by gas; replacement of fluorescent tubes with LED lighting; installation of solar control film on office windows to reduce solar glare; and extending the application of a shadow internal carbon price to office and data centre emissions. These measures have contributed to a 33% reduction in energy intensity (per full-time employee) in 2020 compared with the previous year.

Energy-Efficient Data Centre Solutions

migration of on-site data centres to off-site cloud-based solutions; reducing the proportion of electricity consumed by on-site data centres from 78% in the baseline year to 47% in 2020.

Business Travel and Internal Carbon Price

In the UK Sopra Steria applies an internal shadow carbon price to business travel. This facilitated a year-on-year reduction of 47% in business travel emissions per employee in Q1 of 2020 (pre-pandemic) against Q1 in 2019.

Waste Management

100% of waste from collections managed directly by Sopra Steria is diverted away from landfill. Over 242,000 items of single-use plastic food and drinks packaging eliminated from on-site canteens each year.

Sustainable Purchasing

To reduce the environmental impact of printing, Sopra Steria goes beyond double-sided and “pull” printing to using “closed loop” paper made from recycled fibre. Closed loop paper requires no deforestation and uses less resources to manufacture than paper from virgin fibre: 83% less water; 72% less energy and 53% lower CO2 emissions.

Carbon Offset Initiatives

Since 2015 Sopra Steria has offset unavoided emissions from offices, business travel and data centres to become certified carbon neutral. In 2020 it migrated its offsets for offices and data centres to a new partner accredited by the United Nations Climate Neutral Now programme. This partner invests in projects that remove the primary GHG carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, particularly afforestation projects in Uruguay that create new land for trees, and that do not simply replace trees in deforested areas. As a result, Sopra Steria became Net Zero for office and data centres while remaining carbon neutral for business travel.

Future Initiatives

As part of its Future Ways of Working Strategy, Sopra Steria is enabling its employees to work more flexibly. This has created an opportunity for the business to consolidate its UK property portfolio into a smaller number of offices operating as regional collaboration hubs. This consolidation will facilitate a reduction in energy consumption.

Sopra Steria will continue to extend its use of carbon removal offsets to all relevant sources of emissions, so that 100% of all emissions are Net Zero by 2028:

2022: All operations under direct control
2025: Certain indirect operations (i.e. waste, indirect fuel & energy, employee commuting and downstream leased assets) added
2028: Indirect operations related to the supply chain (purchased goods and services) added.

The Carbon Reduction Plan for Net Zero 2028, incorporating the UN Climate Neutral Now initiative, is a key component of our wider Environmental Sustainability programme.

This programme integrates our ISO14001 certified Environment System, efficient resource consumption, renewable energy, circular economy, sustainable supply chain and support for our clients with solutions and services in their transition to a Net Zero economy.

During 2022, Sopra Steria Group plans to embrace the new SBTi standard (to be released in late 2021) for ‘Near Term’ and ‘Long Term’ Net Zero Targets in addition to continuing with the UN Climate Neutral Now Net Zero Initiative.