This article explores how 17 of the most successful companies in the world have used greenhouse gas accounting to tackle climate change and reduce their carbon footprint. Focusing on both direct emissions and indirect emissions, companies have shown varieties of approaches to managing emissions data and curbing carbon dioxide release.
From ambitious net-zero targets to sustainable supply chain practices, they highlight the importance of transparency and accountability in corporate sustainability efforts.
Brands including Tesco, Adidas, Starbucks, Unilever, Nestlé and more showcase their main contributors towards emissions as well as a timeline of the business’ ambitions, targets and goals, whether they have been met decades later, else the main steps that have been taken.
Google – Carbon Neutral Operations
Google achieved complete carbon neutrality in 2007 with carbon offsets and energy efficiency. In 2017, they matched 100% global electricity consumption with renewable energy offsets, positioning themselves as leaders in environmental sustainability.
As artificial intelligence (AI) gained headway in recent years, this shifted. Google’s greenhouse gas emissions grew with their expansion of AI infrastructure, contributing a 48% rise over the last 5 years. Their supply chain is comprehensive, causing around 75% of the company’s emission total in 2023. Moreover, their data centres consume masses of energy, growing each year as Google expands.
To address this, an ambitious goal has been set for Google to operate solely 24/7 on carbon-free energy by 2030, with new strategic partnerships in the works to support this.
Microsoft – Carbon Negative Commitment
In the same vein, Microsoft’s expansion of data centres to facilitate growing AI technologies has significantly increased emissions. Their Scope 3 impact is immense, due to their global success—consider the production and transportation of hardware components alone.
In 2020, they committed to become carbon negative (a step beyond neutrality) by 2030.
In a recent 2024 report, works were steadily underway, with new carbon-free electricity, carbon renewal investment, and a massive expansion of their renewable energy portfolio.
IKEA – Climate Positive Target
46.6% of IKEA’s emissions are from the production of their raw materials such as cotton and wood, followed by product use at home at 15.9%, then customer travel and home deliveries at 8.4%.
IKEA GreenTech was established in 2008, with €50 million to be invested into sustainable tech and renewable energy, which followed into 2012 with focuses on solar and wind power.
In 2016 IKEA launched their ‘People & Planet Positive’ strategy which pledged to become ‘climate positive’ by 2030 (removing more carbon than the company emits), which was later changed to becoming net zero (balancing the two) by 2050. This was a more realistic, scientific approach.
Unilever – Supply Chain Emissions
Unilever contributes most to emissions from their raw material production, logistics and distribution, product manufacturing, as well as product use and disposal.
In 2010, they launched a Sustainable Living Plan which aimed to halve their products’ environmental footprint by 2020. 10 years later, they didn’t fully meet their goals, but made substantial progress—such as reaching over 1 billion people through health and hygiene programs.
British Airways – Carbon Offsetting for Flights
By no surprise, British Airways’ aircraft operations—namely jet fuel combustion—contribute primarily to their carbon footprint.
Their initial commitment to carbon accounting was in 2002 when they joined the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.
They are also committed to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and in 2021, had their first plane using SAF (sustainable aviation fuel).
As of 2023, just over 1% of their fuel consumption is SAF. A light figure, but SAF’s limited production capacity, cost barrier, and gaps in infrastructure must be noted. It marks a small but crucial step toward decarbonizing aviation.
Apple – Carbon Neutral Products and Supply Chain by 2030
In 2023, product manufacturing accounted for around 59% of Apple’s carbon emissions, and beyond this, the energy consumed by customers using their products is a significant contribution.
Shipping products and retail locations adds to this, as well as emissions from Apple’s 43 office locations and over 500 stores.
In 2015, Apple grew carbon-conscious. By 2020 they achieved carbon neutrality for their global corporate operations, and in 2021 they set a goal to expand this status across their entire value chain by 2030.
Their aim to reduce emissions by 75% compared to the 2015 levels is well underway, with a 55% reduction reported in 2023.
Tesco – Reducing Food Supply Chain Emissions
With 4,942 stores worldwide, a significant portion of Tesco’s emissions stems from energy use in stores, offices, and distribution centres. Additional emissions arise from their supply chain—including the production, processing, and transportation of goods—as well as logistics operations.
In 2009, Tesco became the first business globally to declare a goal of becoming a zero-carbon business by 2050 (zero-carbon = carbon-neutral = net zero emissions. Definitions can fluctuate but remain broadly the same, so check company specifics if needed). In 2017, they committed to sourcing 100% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
As of 2023, Tesco reported a 61% reduction in absolute emissions from operations compared to 2015, surpassing their 2025 target of 60%, and achieved their goal of sourcing 100% renewable electricity.
Amazon – The Climate Pledge
Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge in 2019, committing to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. By 2023, Amazon reached 100% renewable energy for its operations and continues to invest in sustainable technologies through its $2 billion Climate Pledge Fund.
BP – Net Zero by 2050 Commitment
British Petroleum (BP)’s extensive oil and gas production contribute primarily to their emissions, alongside refining crude oil processes and marketing petroleum products. A notable addition are the emissions resulting from their products within transport and industry.
In 2020, they announced their goal to become net-zero by 2050 or sooner, and by 2023, reported a 41% decrease in Scope 1 and 2 emissions from their 2019 baseline (however Scope 3 accounted for around 90% of their total carbon emissions in 2021).
In 2024 they continue to invest in renewable energy and low-carbon tech, expanding their sustainable energy portfolio.
Nike – Sustainable Manufacturing Initiatives
Around 70% of Nike’s overall emissions come from the production of their raw materials, seconded by the energy-intensive processes used to manufacture the footwear and apparel, plus shipping and distribution.
They set Science-Based Targets to lower Scope 1 and 2 by 65% and Scope 3 by 30% by 2030. In 2023 they reported a 69% reduction in emissions from owned and operated facilities, and implemented initiatives to lower Scope 3.
Their sustainable manufacturing initiative aims to reduce environmental impact by using recycling materials.
Starbucks – Greener Stores Framework
In 2020, Starbucks announced their goal to become resource-positive (making a net positive impact on natural resources). In 2021 they set goals to reduce their water and carbon footprint in half by 50% by 2030. By 2023, they reported progress in this, including reusable cup model testing and 6,000+ greener stores globally.
PepsiCo – Positive Agriculture and Net Zero Goals
PepsiCo sells a range of highly successful products such as Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Doritos, with significant contributions from their agricultural practices (around 37%), packaging (26%) and transport and distribution (11%).
In 2015 they established a GHG emissions baseline, and announced their ambitions to become net-zero by 2040. By 2021 they had achieved a 25% reduction in value chain emissions, and in 2023, the company had achieved a 4% decrease in all scopes of emissions.
Walmart – Project Gigaton
Walmart had 10,623 stores worldwide in 2024, which their energy comes largely from (plus offices and distribution centres). Emissions from their supply chain are also significant, involving the producing, processing, and transporting of goods.
In 2017, they launched Project Gigaton, which invited their suppliers to reduce or avoid 1 billion tons (a gigaton) of GHG emissions by 2030. In 2024, they met the goal 6 years ahead of schedule, with over 5,900 suppliers involved.
Nestlé – Net Zero by 2050 Commitment
Nestlé dominates the food and beverage industry. They set a GHG emissions baseline in 2018, announcing their ambitions to hit net zero by 2050 the year after, then launching a Net Zero Roadmap in 2020.
By 2023 they had achieved a 13.5% net reduction against the 2018 baseline, putting them on the right track to meet their goal 27 years from now.
Shell – Reducing Operational and Product Carbon Footprint
Shell’s oil extraction and processing make up the large majority of their emissions, as well as refining crude oil and marketing of petroleum products.
In 2020, they also announced the goal to become net-zero by 2050. In 2023, they reported a 30% reduction in carbon intensity compared with 2016.
In 2024, they remain committed to the 2050 target, with its Energy Transition Strategy 2024 announcing a $10-15 billion investment in low-carbon energy.
Adidas – Low Carbon Production and Supply Chain
In 2015 Adidas partnered with Parley for the Oceans, making shoes out of recycling ocean plastics. In 2016 they revealed the ‘Futurecraft Biofabric’ shoe, made from 100% biodegradable Biosteel fibre.
Beyond a vast range of sustainable Adidas products and marketing, they have adopted low-carbon coloration—dying technologies that use less energy. Moreover, they have collaborated with various suppliers on low-carbon tech and have a curated portfolio.
They aim for 90% of their articles to be sustainable by 2025.
H&M – Climate Positive by 2040
H&M has set ambitious sustainability targets, aiming for 100% of its packaging to be recycled or sustainably sourced by 2030, and for all materials used in its products to be sustainable by the same year. Additionally, the company is committed to achieving a climate-positive supply chain by 2040 and sourcing 100% renewable electricity for its operations by 2030.
The Importance Reducing Carbon Emissions
With carbon being the leading driver of climate change, businesses have a critical responsibility to acknowledge and address their impact. One person can make a positive environmental impact by reducing CO₂ emissions, but the scale at which businesses operate holds immense potential to significantly help preserve the planet’s atmosphere. They contribute to greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, trapping heat and raising the planet’s surface temperature, causing extreme weather events, rising sea levels, droughts, biodiversity loss and ocean acidification.
Carbon accounting softwares are digital platforms for businesses to measure their carbon emissions, then analyse and uncover areas of reduction. They allow them to effectively track and report their reduction progress to comply with regulations and meet sustainability targets.
This can involve scope tracking, energy efficiency, supply chain analysis, carbon offset management, renewable energy integration, and real-time data monitoring.
‘Large’ companies in the UK (with over 250 employees, £36 million in turnover, or £18 million in balance sheet total), must meet carbon accounting standards by law, under the SECR (Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting) framework.
Beyond regulatory compliance, carbon accounting prevents green-washing and other misleading claims regarding environmental responsibility. It combines reduction processes with effective reporting tools for corporate transparency, enhancing brand reputation by demonstrating environmental responsibility to customers, investors, and stakeholders. Businesses future-proof their operations against increasingly stringent environmental regulations, and keep up with consumers increasingly seeking eco-friendly brands.
Using Carbon Accounting Software
Ready to start? At Gaia, we offer one of the strongest AI-powered carbon accounting software solutions for UK businesses.
It’s aligned with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol framework as the leading industry standard, including the annual UK GHG conversion factors provided by DEFRA and DESNZ. This allows you to calculate your carbon emissions while ensuring best practices.
You can generate compliance reports in one click, such as the SECR (Streamlined Energy and Carbon Report). Furthermore, you can forget the admin burden linked to collecting and reporting with our AI-powered data collection features, which offer the easiest way to measure Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
You can integrate seamlessly with your favourite apps with the data-sync feature, or import from a spreadsheet for a streamlined experience. Track and report your reduction progresses, with Gaia’s out of the box compliance reports. Pull comprehensive insights from our advanced analytics dashboard to help you make data-driven decisions that boost sustainability efforts.
To learn more, visit here or contact info@gaiacompany.io.
More Information
https://ghgprotocol.org/standards
https://www.iso.org/standard/66453.html
https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/capabilities/environment/pas-2060-carbon-neutrality