MUMBAI : Birla Carbon, a subsidiary of Aditya Birla Group and global manufacturer of carbon black, has announced its intent to bring down its net carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
The company's net zero ambitions align with The Paris Agreement, signed as part of the United Nations Framework Convention on climate-change mitigation, adaptation, and finance.
It also aligns with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Tire Industry Project SDG Roadmap aimed at addressing health and environmental impacts associated with the lifecycle impact of tyres towards a sustainable future. Within the Aditya Birla Group, Birla Carbon is collaborating with sister companies to develop decarbonization initiatives through the Aditya Birla Science and Technology Center.
"By setting its aspiration to be net-zero by 2050, Birla Carbon is making its choice with the rest of the industries that have chosen to step up to the challenge," said Dr Santrupt B. Misra, group director, Carbon Black, adding that the company will focus on Sustainable Operational Excellence (SOE), combined with sustainable materials for its customers, and many more solutions to make its aspiration a reality in the years to come.
Birla Carbon will focus on all three scopes in the measurement, reduction, and offsetting of carbon emissions. The majority of its carbon footprint reduction is expected to come from Scope 1 and 2 based on its direct and indirect emission reduction initiatives. A smaller portion of its reduction will come from scope 3 based on the operations of upstream and downstream industries in the value chain.
The company’s goal of net zero carbon emission by 2050 will be achieved by focusing on four overarching segments—research to discover new ways for the capture and conversion of carbons); reduce the dependence on traditional processes in manufacturing; replace with alternative energy and feedstock; and repurpose carbon solutions for sustainability through circularity.
The company said it is creating a league of partnerships with leading sustainability solution providers, exploring new and advanced technologies that will be used to achieve its goal.
Birla Carbon will also reference the Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTi). Over the next 12 months; it will commit to evaluate and release interim targets that are in alignment with the SBTi.
“By the nature of our business, we have our own carbon stewardship responsibility and we are choosing to lead through bold commitment and industry-first initiatives for a more sustainable tomorrow," said John Loudermilk, chief executive officer, Birla Carbon.
The company said it is in the process of mapping its existing and future technologies, adding that next steps will be the development of partnerships with customers and suppliers, engage experts, and create long-term associations and programmes, including its collaboration within the Aditya Birla Group, to achieve this goal.
