Decarbonizing our activities
Climate change is an urgent challenge and we are working to reduce our carbon footprint. We strongly believe that all companies have an obligation to the planet and to future generations to play their part in the global effort to mitigate the climate crisis.
Accelerating our decarbonization efforts
Imerys is committed to taking action to combat climate change since 2017. In 2018, we joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to ensure our targets are based on scientific criteria.
To go further and faster, in 2022 we made a public pledge to align our Scopes 1 & 2 strategy with the 1.5°C trajectory and set near-term sustainability targets for the next seven years (2023-2030). Our updated greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets for 2030 that we present below were reviewed and validated by the SBTi in 2023.
Read our latest Climate Transition Plan report which describes the ways in which we are decarbonizing our operations and value chain, and adapting our product portfolio to support the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Five levers to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (scope 1 & 2)
We are committed to reduce the direct (scope 1) and indirect (scope 2) GHG emissions from our operations by 42% (tons of CO₂ equivalent) by the end of 2030 from a 2021 base year, in alignment with the 1.5°C trajectory.
We pursue our target of reducing these emissions through improving energy efficiency and recovery, switching from fossil fuels to biofuels and biomass, electrifying our processes, increasing the use of renewable electricity, and investing in research and development to reduce process-related emissions.
Working closely with our suppliers and customers to reduce scope 3 emissions
We know that managing our own carbon emissions is not enough. Our main source of CO2 emissions is generated from in our value chain (Scope 3) by the purchase of transport, raw materials and equipment, and we work with our suppliers to identify levers to keep emissions as low as possible. We are committed to reduce these emissions by 25% by the end of 2030 from a 2021 base year.
Managing climate stakes transparently and systematically
In 2025, Imerys achieves A-list rating from CDP for climate leadership for the second year in a row. CDP is an international environmental charity which runs the disclosure system for investors, companies, cities and governments to report and manage their environmental impacts. Our comprehensive environmental reporting is available to the public via the CDP.
Related documents
- Imerys earns A for Climate and B for Water in CDP ranking
- Recognition of Imerys’ action, transparency and progress towards its long-term objectives to align its activities on the 1.5°C trajectory and manage water resources sustainably
- Second year of A-list ranking for Climate
- Improved Water Security ranking from B- in 2024 to B in 2025
We announced today the signature of a ten-year Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA) with ENGIE, a global leader in low carbon energy and services. This contract will both allow ENGIE to supply annually the grid with 200 GWh per year of renewable electricity in Spain and contribute to the equivalent of 24% of our operations annual electricity needs in Continental Europe.
Imerys has signed an important 15-year Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA) with French renewable energy provider, Akuo, to source approximately 30% of its electricity needs in the U.S. from renewable sources. This strategic partnership involves the construction by Akuo of a 153 GWh solar park in Texas and marks a key milestone in Imerys’ journey to decarbonize its activities, in accordance with the trajectory of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
China’s electric vehicle (EV) market continues to experience exponential growth, with over half the population projected to drive fully electric or hybrid vehicles by 2025. Inaugurated in October 2023, Imerys’ talc processing plant in Wuhu China is now successfully fueling the Chinese automotive market with the essential mineral solutions it needs to drive its transition towards more sustainable mobility.