H10. Air emissions: Scope 3

Essity’s target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 18% within Science Based Targets’ Scope 3, which applies to the most important suppliers of raw materials, transportation and waste, until 2030 and starting in 2016. The target applies to wholly owned companies.

An inventory of all greenhouse gas emissions from 2016 found that Scope 3, meaning indirect emissions generated upstream and downstream in the value chain, accounted for 54% of all emissions. The most important categories were emissions from production of Essity’s suppliers, transportation (upstream and downstream), waste from the company’s own production and product waste after use. The categories represent the majority of total Scope 3 emissions in the value chain. Remaining emissions were assessed but are not included in Essity’s Science Based Targets as these are not deemed material. Essity is also striving to reduce other emissions such as emissions from business travel and commuting to work.

Essity calculates these emissions using data from several providers in the company’s value chain. To ensure that Essity has complete and reliable data, Scope 3 emissions are reported with a one-year delay.

Read more about how Essity works with air emissions in the chapter More from less and Circularity.

Sourced raw material

Essity purchases raw materials from suppliers in order to manufacture hygiene and health products. Most of the raw material is from wood-based fresh or recycled pulp for tissue and fresh wood-based pulp, super absorbents and non-woven for Personal Care products. Essity collaborates with the company’s largest suppliers to jointly reduce environmental impact.

Read more about how Essity works with fiber in Note H8.

Transport

Raw materials are transported to Essity’s production plants and finished products are delivered to Essity’s customers. Transportation is carried out by external suppliers. Sea freight accounts for the greatest portion of Essity’s inbound transportation and most of the outbound consists of road and rail. Essity’s total transportation amounted to 13 (13; 14) billion ton-kilometers in 2020.

Distribution of transport modes 2020

Scope emissions, Science Based Targets, 2016 inventory

Scope 3 emissions, Science Based Targets, results

Waste in production and after use

Essity’s target is that all production waste will be subject to material and energy recovery by 2030. By reducing the amount of production waste sent to landfill and instead recycling the waste or extracting energy from it, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced, thereby helping Essity to achieve its Science Based Targets (Scope 3).

In 2020, Essity’s production waste amounted to a total of 1.49 (1.68; 1.65) million tons. In Essity’s production process, particularly when recycled fiber is used as input goods, waste is generated in the form of ash, sludge, organic waste and plastic. The production sites work to reduce waste and to find alternative solutions for their waste. Waste that cannot be recovered, is sent to landfill or composted. In 2020, 65% (63; 60) of Essity’s waste was recovered.

A small proportion, 0.2% or 3,159 tons, is hazardous waste, which is primarily waste oil, but also includes organic solvents, batteries and strip lights.

Waste from products after use is managed in various ways. Toilet paper is flushed into the sewer system. Other products are sent to municipality waste facilities where the used products are composted, incinerated or sent to landfill. In order to reduce waste from products after use and thereby reduce its climate footprint, Essity aims to increase the use of renewable materials and study new reusable concepts and recycling. One example of new methods introduced by Essity is Tork PaperCircle^®, where used paper hand towels are collected and recycled.