Sustainability at the heart of our business strategy
Pioneering ceramic solutions for extreme industrial applications and a greener world
Sustainability is a key tenet of modern Environmental, Social, and corporate Governance (ESG).
At Saint-Gobain Performance Ceramics and Refractories, our business model directly contributed to critical ESG outcomes with a dual approach to sustainable development goals. We minimise our environmental footprint while maximizing our virtuous impact acorss the entire value chain.
How Do We Achieve Carbon Neutrality?
A core part of our sustainability goals is to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement. The United Nations (UN) highlights the push for industrial net-zero carbon emissions as the world's most urgent mission. Our ambition to reduce our environmental footprint is inseparable from how we provide customers with solutions that help them decarbonize their industry. Our pledge for carbon neutrality by 2050 is a concrete manisfestation of our purpose to Make the World a Better Home.
Reducing Our Environmental Footprint
We are pursuing various methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in all scopes. Reducing energy consumption is a persistent goal that underlies the long-term reduction of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. To achieve this, we focus on product and process innovation, taking concerted actions against energy increases from non-renewable sources. We also champion efficiency improvements wherever possible. This is a key approach to reducing our environmental footprint, with the goal of adapting our processes to take advantage of the latest technological advances towards green energy sources.
Step one in reducing direct emissions (Scope 1) is gas firing optimization through best practice sharing, heat recovery, and infrastructural improvement. Electrification of our industrial equipment in the mid to long term is essential. We are committed to converting gas-fired equipment to alternative fuels wherever technically feasible. Many of our monolithic sites, including our Seto plant in Japan and our Shanghai site, are already equipped with all-electric processes with no burning of natural gas.
Reducing indirect emissions (Scope 2) follows a similar roadmap. The initial stages focus on equipment upgrades and electricity consumption awareness. We are also championing the transition to a 100% green electricity mix; a feat which has already been achieved at our UK Rainford plant. Our site in Niagara Falls, NY, USA uses hydroelectricity for the majority of their electricity needs. Several of our sites have plans for photovoltaic installations.
Reducing Our Environmental Impact across the value chain
We understand that sustainability goals are all-encompassing, and we must act against emissions generated in all the different parts of the value chain (Scope 3).
Our prerogative is to reduce value chain emissions by acting on the categories under the Scope 3 GHG framework, from purchased goods and services (cradle-to-gate emissions) to end-of-life solutions.
Alongside producing high-performance ceramics and monolithic solutions that reduce the environmental footprint on the customer side, we also strive to reduce emissions related to transportation, capital goods, and waste generated. Leader among our sustainable solutions is our range of silicon carbide (SiC) Total Burner Solutions.
Making the World a Better Home
Saint-Gobain Performance Ceramics and Refractories play an integral role within the Saint-Gobain Group. Our teams around the world share an ambitious and meaningful purpose: Making the World a Better Home. A purpose that not only inspires but calls for action.
As well as being a member of the United Nation’s Global Compact since 2003, Saint-Gobain also encourages partners and suppliers to commit to the Global Compact’s ten principles. The Group also pays particular attention to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These commitments enable Saint-Gobain to better evaluate its impact and work towards a fairer, more sustainable world.
Since 2019, Saint-Gobain has supported the UN’s Global Compact’s Business Ambition for 1.5°C. The Group has committed itself to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 in line with the goal of limiting the rise of global temperatures to 1.5°C. This ambition is part of the Group’s strategy to limit its environmental impact and contribute to decarbonising its markets.
