SCHOTT updates its climate targets – SBTi validates emissions reduction path

Since 2019, SCHOTT has been working to decarbonize its energy-intensive glass manufacturing operations as well as upstream and downstream processes. Based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the company has reduced direct emissions from its own operations (Scope 1) and indirect emissions from purchased electricity and heat (Scope 2) by approximately 70% compared to 2019 levels. A key driver has been the transition, beginning in 2021, to procuring electricity backed by Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) from renewable energy sources as well as Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). Going forward, renewable electricity will remain a central pillar of SCHOTT's decarbonization strategy, alongside continued technological innovation in manufacturing and ongoing efforts to improve energy efficiency.

"The climate targets we set several years ago provided an important foundation for our transformation,” said Dr. Torsten Derr, CEO of SCHOTT AG. ”We are now taking the next step. We will continue to rely on renewable electricity while advancing the technological development of our manufacturing processes. At the same time, we are placing an even greater emphasis on reducing emissions throughout our value chain. The Science Based Targets initiative's validation of our updated climate targets marks an important milestone on that journey."

Carbon credits generated through climate protection projects outside the company's own value chain are not part of the validated targets. Against this backdrop, SCHOTT will discontinue its internal 2019 goal of achieving carbon-neutral production (Scope 1 and Scope 2) by 2030, which had included carbon offsets as a key component.

2026: Greater Focus on the Value Chain and Electrification

SCHOTT sees its greatest emissions reduction potential in Scope 3. In fiscal year 2025, more than 80% of the company's corporate carbon footprint came from emissions across the value chain, primarily because Scope 2 emissions have already been significantly reduced. As a result, future reduction efforts will increasingly focus on suppliers and other upstream and downstream activities. SCHOTT has committed to reducing selected Scope 3 emissions by 27.5% by fiscal year 2030.

"We see significant opportunities to reduce Scope 3 emissions together with our suppliers,” said Dr. Martin Bleider, Head of Sustainable Procurement. “That's why we will continue expanding our engagement across the value chain through pilot projects."

To reduce selected Scope 3 emissions by 27.5% by 2030, SCHOTT is implementing a broad range of initiatives. Particular emphasis will be placed on emissions associated with purchased goods. Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) for purchased materials will become part of supplier evaluations, sustainability dialogue with suppliers will be intensified, and SCHOTT will continue providing knowledge sharing and practical support on topics such as renewable electricity, SBTi target setting, and PCF calculations.

While the company is placing greater emphasis on value chain emissions, SCHOTT also continues to see significant opportunities to reduce emissions within its own operations. Decarbonizing the glass melting process remains a key priority. Electrification is one of the most important technological levers for further reducing direct manufacturing emissions. The first electric pilot melting tank with a small share of gas firing for SCHOTT's Tubing Business Unit is scheduled to begin operation in Mitterteich, Bavaria, during 2027. SCHOTT is investing approximately €40 million in the project. The new furnace will enable the company to test the technology under industrial operating conditions. In parallel, SCHOTT is evaluating additional technologies for reducing CO₂ emissions in glass melting, including microwave and plasma technologies.

"We are investing in technologies with the potential to further reduce emissions from our manufacturing processes over the long term,” Dr. Derr said. “At the same time, these investments strengthen industrial expertise in Germany."

Background: Advancing Science-Based Climate Targets

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is an internationally recognized standard for validating science-based corporate climate targets. In 2023, SBTi approved SCHOTT's combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reduction target as well as a Scope 3 supplier engagement target.

With the validation of its updated targets, SCHOTT is advancing its climate target framework. For Scope 1 and Scope 2, the company has already exceeded its SBTi-validated goal of reducing emissions by 46.2 percent compared to 2019. For Scope 3, SCHOTT is replacing its previous supplier engagement target with a measurable emissions reduction target: selected greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain are to be reduced by 27.5 percent by 2030.