Sealed Air Global Impact Report: Mitigating Climate Change

Originally published in Sealed Air's Global Impact Report

Sealed Air (SEE) is developing a strategy to effectively manage and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with our operations and achieve the goals we have set to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. We are building a technical roadmap for our transition to net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2040. The roadmap will inform the actions we take to reduce energy consumption, increase efficiencies in our operations, and find renewable energy opportunities for our manufacturing facilities across the globe.

Net Zero by 2040

SEE has committed to net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2040 across its operations (Scopes 1 and 2).

Reporting Year 2021 Performance

• SEE generated 146,113 tonnes of CO₂eq global Scope 1 CO₂ emissions
• SEE generated 285,848 tonnes of CO₂eq global Scope 2 CO₂ emissions

Science-Based Targets

According to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which defines and promotes best practice in emissions reductions and net-zero targets in line with climate science, SEE “commits to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 46% by 2030 from a 2019 base year.” The company “commits to reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services as well as use of sold products 15% within the same timeframe.” SBTi’s target validation team classified SEE’s Scope 1 and 2 target ambition and determined it is in line with a 1.5°C trajectory.

Scope 1

2021: 146,113 tonnes GHG

2020: 123,025 tonnes GHG

2019: 131,377 tonnes GHG

Scope 2

2021: 285,848 tonnes GHG

2020: 342,145 tonnes GHG

2019: 323,950 tonnes GHG                 

For consistency in reporting against SBTi-aligned goals, market-based emission factors are used whenever possible and supplemented with location-based data where market-based data is not available.

Contributing factors from refrigerants and fire suppressants have not been included in Scope 1 emissions calculations.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

SEE follows the revised edition of the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard with a centralized approach to quantify GHG emissions.

Absolute Emissions – Scopes 1 and 2* 

Scope 1

2021: 146,113 tonnes GHG

2020: 123,025 tonnes GHG

2019: 131,377 tonnes GHG

Scope 2

2021: 285,848 tonnes GHG

2020: 342,145 tonnes GHG

2019: 323,950 tonnes GHG

*Scope 1 = GHG emissions in SEE facilities and fleet

*Scope 2 = GHG emissions from the electricity SEE purchases and includes owned and leased offices and facilities

For consistency in reporting against SBTi-aligned goals, market-based emission factors are used whenever possible and supplemented with location-based data where market-based data is not available.

Contributing factors from refrigerants and fire suppressants have not been included in Scope 1 emissions calculations.

CO2 – 73.59%

CH4 – 0.03%

N2 O – 0.30%

SF6 – 26.08%

A third party performed limited assurance verification of SEE’s emissions and usage data for the 2021 reporting year in accordance with the ISO 14064-3 Standard. The third party verified 85% of SEE’s greenhouse gas emissions. SEE did not generate perfluorocarbons nor nitrogen trifluoride emissions during reporting year 2021.

Greenhouse Gas Intensity Reductions

Reduce GHG Intensity (Scopes 1 and 2) 30% by 2025 and 46% by 2030 from a 2019 Base Year.

SEE measures and manages GHG emissions generated by its operations on a monthly basis. Scope 1 includes GHG emissions from fleet, operations or sources owned by SEE. Scope 2 is the indirect GHG emissions from purchases of electricity. The values for global warming potential for each source of GHG emissions are obtained using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report. SEE calculates total metric tons of GHG emissions expressed as CO₂eq. Intensity is calculated by dividing the total metric tons of CO₂eq by the net trade sales.

Greenhouse Gas Intensity of Operations 

Reduction of 17.5% in GHG intensity from a 2019 base year.

2021: 0.078 kg CO₂eq / USD*

2020: 0.094 kg CO₂eq / USD

2019: 0.095 kg CO₂eq / USD

*To normalize foreign exchange rates and inflation fluctuations, net trade sales are adjusted to 2019 foreign exchange rates, except for one currency which has been designated as highly inflationary under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) and continues to utilize 2021 foreign exchange rates.

Read Sealed Air's Global Impact Report here.

Learn More About Sealed Air’s ESG efforts here.