MC ASSUMES LEADING POSITION IN SUSTAINABILITY AT A GLOBAL LEVEL
MC reinforces its commitment to sustainability, having achieved prominent positions, globally. The company became the first Portuguese retailer with targets validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), obtained the highest distinction in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) ranking and achieved a prominent place in the top 3 of The Global Commitment Report 2023 by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF).
Sustainability is an integral part of MC’s corporate strategy, based on transversal commitments and goals. In 2023, the company achieved extraordinary milestones, consolidating its position as a global leader in the fight against climate change.
The Science Based Targets Initiative aims to help companies set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in line with climate science to limit global warming to safe levels. MC is a pioneer by becoming the first Portuguese retail company with emissions reduction targets validated by SBTi.
In this context, MC has established ambitious goals until 2032. The company aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 51% and emissions from its supply chain by 31% when compared to 2022. MC is also committed to the carbon neutrality of its operations by 2040.
Last year, MC recorded a reduction of more than 34% in its emissions (scope 1 and 2), compared to 2018. Among the main actions, investment in on-site production and acquisition of energy actually produced from renewable sources, the implementation of eco-efficiency measures, the electrification of consumption and the altering of cold storage plants.
Regarding the value chain’s emissions, MC has been developing joint work with its suppliers. Of particular note is “Footprint MC”, a platform developed by the company that allows producers to measure their products’ carbon and water footprint and identify opportunities for improvement; and the work developed by the Continente Producers Club, over these 25 years of activity, which aims to align producers with the best practices, with this vision being translated into the creation of the “Declaration for Sustainability” to be signed by its members.
The installation of charging stations for electric vehicles (Plug & Charge) represents a relevant contribution to MC’s Climate Action Roadmap, not only by promoting electric mobility, but also because it allows the integration of renewable energy produced in Continente stores. This initiative, financed by the European Investment Bank and the European Fund for Strategic Investments, has already installed, since the beginning of the project in September 2020, 294 charging points in 76 stores and has registered more than 450 thousand uses. The network, with a daily average of 85,000 km charged, has already prevented the release of 4,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
At the beginning of this year, MC was also distinguished for its leadership in the fight against climate change by the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project). The global non-profit environmental organization included the company on its “A-List”, which brings together the companies with the best performance and transparency worldwide.
The assessment, carried out by CDP, scored more than 23 thousand companies around the world, with only around 1% recording MC’s level of excellence. The company achieved level “A” from the organization that holds the largest environmental database in the world, having entered the exclusive list of leading companies.
MC’s commitment and performance towards the responsible use of plastics was once again highlighted, within the scope of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s The Global Commitment Report 2023, with a performance that places MC among the best retailers globally. This report assesses the progress of more than 1,000 organizations, united around a common vision of a circular economy for plastics.
The report confirms that the Portuguese company performs above the retail average, when compared with signatories from around the world and in its sector, being in the top 3 in the percentage of plastic packaging that is already reusable, recyclable or compostable, as well as in the incorporation of recycled plastic.
MC has an ongoing plan to change its packaging, to ensure the development of recyclable packaging for its products from scratch. Last year these guidelines were revised, giving rise to the MC Sustainable Packaging Manual, as well as the provision of a training route for employees and suppliers.
The results achieved reflect MC’s commitment to the sustainable development of its business and are based on active sustainability policies. Mariana Pereira da Silva, Head of Sustainability at MC, states “At MC, sustainability is one of the foundations of the Corporate Strategy. It is based on concrete commitments and goals for the most relevant areas of our activity. An ambition supported by roadmaps that guide the lines of action and initiatives to be implemented by our teams within a specific time horizon. These are actions that go beyond the borders of our organization and aim to support and accelerate the necessary transformation throughout our value chain, as the building of a sustainable future will only be possible through a joint and concrete effort from the different stakeholders.”
Sustainability is an integral part of MC’s corporate strategy, based on transversal commitments and goals. In 2023, the company achieved extraordinary milestones, consolidating its position as a global leader in the fight against climate change.
The Science Based Targets Initiative aims to help companies set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in line with climate science to limit global warming to safe levels. MC is a pioneer by becoming the first Portuguese retail company with emissions reduction targets validated by SBTi.
In this context, MC has established ambitious goals until 2032. The company aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 51% and emissions from its supply chain by 31% when compared to 2022. MC is also committed to the carbon neutrality of its operations by 2040.
Last year, MC recorded a reduction of more than 34% in its emissions (scope 1 and 2), compared to 2018. Among the main actions, investment in on-site production and acquisition of energy actually produced from renewable sources, the implementation of eco-efficiency measures, the electrification of consumption and the altering of cold storage plants.
Regarding the value chain’s emissions, MC has been developing joint work with its suppliers. Of particular note is “Footprint MC”, a platform developed by the company that allows producers to measure their products’ carbon and water footprint and identify opportunities for improvement; and the work developed by the Continente Producers Club, over these 25 years of activity, which aims to align producers with the best practices, with this vision being translated into the creation of the “Declaration for Sustainability” to be signed by its members.
The installation of charging stations for electric vehicles (Plug & Charge) represents a relevant contribution to MC’s Climate Action Roadmap, not only by promoting electric mobility, but also because it allows the integration of renewable energy produced in Continente stores. This initiative, financed by the European Investment Bank and the European Fund for Strategic Investments, has already installed, since the beginning of the project in September 2020, 294 charging points in 76 stores and has registered more than 450 thousand uses. The network, with a daily average of 85,000 km charged, has already prevented the release of 4,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
At the beginning of this year, MC was also distinguished for its leadership in the fight against climate change by the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project). The global non-profit environmental organization included the company on its “A-List”, which brings together the companies with the best performance and transparency worldwide.
The assessment, carried out by CDP, scored more than 23 thousand companies around the world, with only around 1% recording MC’s level of excellence. The company achieved level “A” from the organization that holds the largest environmental database in the world, having entered the exclusive list of leading companies.
MC’s commitment and performance towards the responsible use of plastics was once again highlighted, within the scope of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s The Global Commitment Report 2023, with a performance that places MC among the best retailers globally. This report assesses the progress of more than 1,000 organizations, united around a common vision of a circular economy for plastics.
The report confirms that the Portuguese company performs above the retail average, when compared with signatories from around the world and in its sector, being in the top 3 in the percentage of plastic packaging that is already reusable, recyclable or compostable, as well as in the incorporation of recycled plastic.
MC has an ongoing plan to change its packaging, to ensure the development of recyclable packaging for its products from scratch. Last year these guidelines were revised, giving rise to the MC Sustainable Packaging Manual, as well as the provision of a training route for employees and suppliers.
The results achieved reflect MC’s commitment to the sustainable development of its business and are based on active sustainability policies. Mariana Pereira da Silva, Head of Sustainability at MC, states “At MC, sustainability is one of the foundations of the Corporate Strategy. It is based on concrete commitments and goals for the most relevant areas of our activity. An ambition supported by roadmaps that guide the lines of action and initiatives to be implemented by our teams within a specific time horizon. These are actions that go beyond the borders of our organization and aim to support and accelerate the necessary transformation throughout our value chain, as the building of a sustainable future will only be possible through a joint and concrete effort from the different stakeholders.”