Orkla’s total greenhouse gas emissions from own operations (scope 1 and scope 2) were 31% lower than in 2022 and 62% lower than in the base year 2016. The renewable energy proportion of total energy consumption was 50% in 2023. This means that we are well on the way to achieving our targets of a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from own operations and 60% renewable energy by 2025. Further improvement initiatives and investments are required to achieve the target of a 70% reduction in emissions from own operations by 2030. The cost of these measures is estimated at around NOK 360 million. The Orkla companies have continued their efforts to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the value chain (scope 3), but the overall emission reductions achieved thus far are modest. Orkla launched an internal programme focusing on the transition to net zero emissions in 2023, and we will develop more detailed plans for achieving emission reductions at both Orkla and company level in 2024.

During the year, the Orkla companies continued their efforts to develop new packaging solutions which minimise the use of fossil raw materials, are easy to recycle and facilitate higher recycling rates. In 2023, 97% of packaging materials used were recyclable, 69% of the materials were recycled or renewable, and 12% of plastic packaging materials were recycled or renewable. The Orkla companies have also made significant progress on ensuring that supply chains are deforestation-free. In 2023, 87% of Orkla’s purchases of raw materials entailing a risk of deforestation either came from low-risk countries or were covered by certification programmes.

Gender equality is an important strategic priority for Orkla, and the companies have been working towards a goal of gender balance on all management levels for many years. These efforts have resulted in a steady increase in the proportion of women managers, and in 2023 the proportion of women managers at Orkla and company level was approximately 40%