The journey toward a climate-neutral society

In 2019, the Board of Directors of Assemblin adopted a new climate strategy that will allow the company to keep pace with the transition in its business environment to a climate-neutral society. To accomplish this, we have chosen to supplement our climate strategy with a climate agenda, which is a more concrete climate plan for this transition.

Background and basis

Being a relevant member of the community means keeping pace with the times, and where issues of the climate and energy are concerned, the ambitions for climate policy in our business environment are a natural starting point. This means we must take a position on the global climate treaty in Paris (the Paris Agreement), which all the Nordic countries have ratified, and on the national targets and action plans for achieving net zero emissions that have been presented in Sweden, Norway and Finland.

This is why Assemblin adopted a climate agenda in 2020 that presents targets and action plans for a gradual transition to carbon-neutral operations in line with the national climate targets. The plan also contains concrete interim goals, as well as forms of governance and monitoring.

Our climate impact

In general, Assemblin’s climate footprint is limited. The direct carbon emissions that our operations generate and can control are primarily emissions from transportation (Scope 1 emissions), emissions from purchased energy, mainy heating of own offices (Scope 2 emissions) and emissions from business travel (part of Scope 3). Of these categories, emissions from our vehicle fleet are the largest.

Moreover, Assemblin’s operations give rise to indirect climate impact via carbon dioxide emissions in the entire value chain (scope 3), not least in the extraction and manufacture of purchased materials as well as transport to/from points of purchase.  Because the availability of relevant environmental data (EPD) for installation products is currently limited, making accurate calculations of the emissions from scope 3 is difficult. 

Our carbon emissions and efforts to reduce them are further described in our Sustainability Report, which is presented annually.

Overall climate targets – our commitment

Assemblin’s long-term climate goal is to have climate-neutral operations[1] by 2040. This means that by 2040, our operations are to have no direct net emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and thereafter to achieve negative net emissions. We will also work to reduce our indirect emissions.

As an interim goal, our direct carbon emissions must be reduced at least 50 per cent by 2030 and at least 85 per cent by 2040 (with 2019 as the base year). The remaining fossil fuel emissions can be mitigated through carbon offsets.

Climate plan based on clear interim goals 

All parts of our operations need to be involved to ensure the success of this climate transition. For particularly business-critical areas, Assemblin has established special interim goals that apply to the Group as a whole. In addition, local climate plans may also be drawn up.

The Group-wide interim goals have been established for Assemblin’s main areas of emissions:

• Rapid phaseout of fossil fuels, and gradual transition to fossil-free service vehicles
  At present, the range of electric transportation vehicles is too short, and charging opportunities in Sweden and Finland are unsatisfactory. Development is proceeding rapidly, however, and over the long term Assemblin’s vehicle fleet will be switched over to fossil-free vehicles (electricity, HVO and biogas). As an interim goal, at least 50 per cent of new service vehicle purchases must be fossil-free by 2030 and 75 per cent by 2035. By 2040, 100 per cent of the vehicle fleet is to be fossil-free (apart from exceptional cases determined by the management groups of the business areas). Old models will meanwhile be phased out where possible and smaller models will be used. 

• Company car policy adapted to EU norms for emissions limits in new vehicle production
  The introduction of a common company car policy adapted to EU norms for emissions limits in new vehicle production. The limit value for new purchases will be tightened as of 2025 to 95 grams of CO2 per km as an average for new vehicle production by car manufacturers. 

• Climate-neutral heating of our offices as of 2030
  Fossil-free electricity will be used for heating our offices where possible; where it is not possible, carbon offsets will be applied as of 2030.

• Climate-neutral travel as of 2030
  Gradual reduction of travel through increased use of remote meeting technology. For distances less than 500 kilometres, travel by train or vehicle will be the main alternative. Carbon offsets will be applied to emissions generated by our travel as of 2030.

• Increased circularity and resource efficiency
  All resources—fossil fuels in particular—must be used as efficiently as possible. We will impose requirements regarding waste sorting facilities at all our work sites and offices, and where this does not occur we will ensure that waste is sorted to the greatest extent possible. Insofar as it is possible, waste materials will be taken care of and re-used. We will establish a life-cycle perspective in all our projects and work, and preferably suggest solutions and products with a long useful life.

• Supplier requirements
  Assemblin will also encourage and impose requirements on our suppliers to work on transitioning to fossil-free operations and developing climate-neutral products.

• A proactive approach to our customers
  Actively enable our customers’ transition process by strengthening our competence in energy efficiency. We must also participate actively in this transition through a well-developed offering in energy efficiency, charging posts, and so on.

• Communication and involvement
  Communicate our efforts and promote the development of the industry by sharing our know-how and experience. We will also be part of such initiatives as Fossil Free Sweden to make our ambitions clear.

Governance and monitoring

Responsibility for implementing our climate agenda lies with Assemblin’s business areas, but developments will be centrally monitored through routine measurement and follow-up of select key metrics. Monitoring and analysis will be performed by Assemblin’s Sustainability Committee and reported twice a year in Group Management and the Board of Directors, and annually in our external Sustainability Report.

[1] Direct emissions from our operations are defined as Scope 1 and 2, as well as emissions from business travel