Denmaur pledges to reach Net Zero by 2045, beating the UK national target by five years

Sustainability has been at the core of everything we do at Denmaur, long before it was the business buzzword that is used today.

It is no surprise then that, as one of the UK's leading national paper merchants, we have set our sights high: aiming to achieve Net Zero by 2045.

That is five years ahead of the UK's national target.

The goal comes hot on the heels of Denmaur becoming the first UK national paper merchant to have its near-term reduction target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

The SBTi is a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

It has quickly become the leading framework for defining, validating and recording the science-based targets of more than 1,000 UK firms and almost 6,000 worldwide.

It will also be used to validate our 2045 Net Zero target.

To achieve Net Zero, we plan to reduce our total Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by a minimum of 90% by 2045, with any remaining emissions neutralised.

Scope 1 emissions

These are emissions from sources that we directly control or own directly, such as the fuel used to power our delivery fleet.

Scope 2 emissions

These are indirectly caused by us, and are generated by the energy we buy to heat our offices, for example.

Alongside our net zero by 2045 pledge, we will also cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2030.

Scope 3 emissions

These emissions are generated by the stakeholders in our value chain, and so we are indirectly responsible for them. Products we buy and use from third-party firms are a good example of this.

This 2045 target is five years ahead of the global deadline first defined by the landmark Paris Agreement, which came into force in November 2016.

"We targeted 2045 based on the Net Zero work and aspirations of our customers, as well as the decarbonisation plans and initiatives that are starting to come through from paper and board manufacturers," said Danny Doogan, marketing and sustainability director.

"During discussions with several manufacturers in the last year, it was apparent there is a strong intent to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, fossil fuel-based energy in paper production, a significant Scope 3 element of our carbon footprint."

To measure our greenhouse gas emissions in line with leading worldwide standards including the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, a comprehensive global standardised framework, and ISO 14064-1, which specifies principles and requirements for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, we turned to carbon specialists Nero Carbon.

Greg Selfe, director of Nero Carbon, said: "Denmaur is a fantastic example of a major company proactively measuring and reducing its carbon footprint to stay ahead of both environmental regulation and its competition."

In 2023, manufacturer Burgo plans to turn some of its mills into green paper plants, including Belgium-based Burgo Ardennes, where Denmaur's flagship Amadeus range is produced.

As well as our pledge to achieve Net Zero by 2045, we will also continue to promote and invest in the World Land Trust's Carbon Balanced paper programme.

We know the benefits of the programme go far beyond cutting CO2 emissions. It conserves and protects an area that is intensely rich in biodiversity, as well as home to 41 threatened species on the IUCN Red list - six of which are critically endangered.

The climate crisis is never far from the headlines but we can help your business reduce its impact on the environment.

Whether you're looking for greener paper for your printed communications, or want to respond to customer demand for sustainable packaging, we can help.

Email us at info@denmaur.com, or our team will get back to you straight away.