Our Commitment: The latest report from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects the next two decades to be critical in limiting global warming and minimizing climate variability. Achieving this will require transformations in both energy supply and demand to reduce, and where possible eliminate, GHG emissions. As a global consumer packaged goods company, we have a responsibility to our stakeholders to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emission impacts in alignment with leading science and scenario projections, while also building resiliency to acute and chronic climate events and emerging climate-related policies. We are committed to a 30% reduction in the GHG emissions in our direct operations (scope 1 and scope 2) by 2030 (fiscal year 2020 baseline). Weetabix is currently piloting the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) process, and insights are shared with the Sustainability Operations Council during monthly meetings.
- In this Section
- Environmental Data
- GHG Emissions and Climate Change
- Water Stewardship
- Biodiversity and Deforestation
- Sustainable Packaging
- Waste Minimization
- Collective Action
Post is committed to reducing the GHG emissions in our direct operations (Scope 1 and Scope 2)
with a goal of 30% reduction by 2030.
Post is committed to reducing the GHG emissions in our supply chain (Scope 3) with a goal of 30% reduction in emission intensity from sourced ingredients and packaging by 2030.
Weetabix is committed to becoming a net zero business by 2050 and made a formal commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in 2023.
Our Progress: Our approach to pursuing GHG reduction in our direct operations (Scope 1 and 2) is based upon the following phases. We are currently in Phase 3 of our 2030 GHG Goal Pathway, with a continued focus on reducing our scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions while growing our businesses.
| Phase | Year | Theme | % Reduction Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 2021 | Set goal and baseline | 0% |
| Phase 2 | 2022 | Inventory recent and planned projects, plan site assessments, share best practices | 5% |
| Phase 3 | 2023-2024 | Implement high return on investment opportunities and best practices, drive optimization culture specific to energy and GHG emissions, evaluate capital investments | 5-10% |
| Phase 4 | 2025-2027 | Realize benefits of capital investments and take advantage of more accessible renewable energy sourcing options | 10-15% |
| Phase 5 | 2027-2030 | Strategically pursue closing the goal gap including leveraging available innovations and technologies | 5% |
The following are key action areas deployed across our businesses during fiscal year 2024:
Post is pursuing energy and GHG reductions across all of our businesses with a focus on energy sourcing and optimization of processes and equipment. For example:
- Weetabix switched to purchasing renewable electricity and conducting annual Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon footprint assessments.
- Post Consumer Brands and Michael Foods businesses pursuing solar energy projects.
- Michael Foods joined the Department of Energy (DOE) Better Plants Program.
Compared to our fiscal year 2020 goal baseline, we have decreased scope 1 and 2 GHG absolute emissions by 10% and emissions intensity by 21%. Our purchased grid electricity decreased by 3% compared to fiscal year 2023 with intensity decreased by 11% compared to our fiscal year 2020 baseline.
Our total energy consumption for fiscal year 2024 was 2,445 million megawatt-hours (MWh), a 7% reduction versus the previous fiscal year. The inclusion of pet operations would increase scope 1 GHG emissions by 42,978 MTCO2e and scope 2 GHG emissions by 32,314 MTCO2e. We are working to collect historical data for all new acquisitions and will include a revised baseline and combined performance graphs in future reporting.
Post is also pursuing GHG reductions and climate resiliency in our supply chain (Scope 3) with our upstream (sourcing and packaging) and downstream (transportation, logistics and retail) supply chain partners. For example:
- Post is a member of CDP Supply Chain and request annual GHG data from packaging and ingredient suppliers representing ~90% of global spend and also is a member of the Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition (Supplier LoCT) program to support suppliers with advancing their GHG and climate programs.
- Weetabix sourcing 100% of wheat for Weetabix Original within 50 miles of their factory and growers abiding by their Wheat Protocol.
Our most up-to-date Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions data is available here.
For the largest category of scope 3 GHG emissions, purchased good and services, the following sub-categories are estimated to be the largest contributors:
73% – Agricultural-based ingredients and raw materials
14% – Electricity, gas and water supply
6% – Pulp and paper, rubber, plastics
The remaining emissions are split across multiple small portion sub-categories.
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
Post is committed to demonstrating alignment with recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), including an annual TCFD Disclosure, and also participates in the annual CDP Climate disclosure.
For climate change, Post maintains a TCFD-aligned global assessment of climate risks and opportunities with the following core elements:
- Consideration of three categories of factors based upon TCFD recommendations:
- Acute Physical Factors
- Extreme weather (avalanches/winter weather/cold waves, earthquakes, hail, hurricanes, ice storms, landslides, lightning, strong winds/tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, and wildfires)
- Inland/Riverine Floods
- Chronic Physical Factors
- Water stress (availability and quality)
- Drought / Heat waves
- Coastal Floods / Sea level rise
- Biodiversity and sensitive habitats
- Transition Factors
- Country-level (e.g., United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Registry)
- Location-specific contextual data from various sources (e.g., energy mix, utility renewable energy targets, net metering status, and carbon pricing mechanisms)
- Acute Physical Factors
- Evaluation of all global operational locations using leading external datasets.
- Completion of a Facility Climate Risk Applicability Survey by all global production locations.
- Consolidation of data into an analysis tool.
Post also annually evaluates our global ingredient and packaging suppliers following a similar four-scenario method and also an evaluation of proximity to water stressed regions, areas of high biodiversity and deforestation. Additional detail on these assessments is available on the following pages: Water Stewardship and Biodiversity and Deforestation.