Action Library
A comprehensive collection of decarbonization resources
100+ decarbonization expert action guides and case studies, with business & implementation details
Action Type
Quick Wins
Action Area
Design a supplier engagement program
Develop supplier engagement plans for Scope 3 upstream decarbonization by securing buy-in, segmenting, tailoring engagement, and supporting the decarbonization journey of suppliers
BCG
Reduce enteric fermentation emissions from ruminant animals
Reduce enteric fermentation emissions from ruminant animals by improving feed quality, animal productivity, and using dietary additives
WBCSD
Opt for mixed land use to generate clean energy
Mixed land use provides an opportunity to generate renewable energy while improving land productivity and enhancing livestock welfare
The Carbon Trust
Use geothermal energy to decarbonize warehouses and offices
Shallow geothermal, also called geoenergy, significantly reduces CO2 emissions to heat and cool buildings, and reduces energy consumption and operational costs
Optimize sorting & recycling for paper and textile
Adopt sorting technologies combined with improved design and better integration of recovered paper into manufacturing processes can reduce GHG emissions improving resource efficiency.
Forest Solutions Group
Incentivize regenerative agriculture in dairy production
Support the transition into a sustainable and regenerative milk production by implementing programs to encourage, technically support, and renumerate dairy farmers.
Reduce fuel oil through hydrogen substitution
By retrofitting an oil-fired lime kiln, the Pacífico pulp mill aims to reduce fuel oil consumption and GHG emissions by using residual hydrogen from a nearby sodium chlorate plant.
Use biostimulants to reduce fertilizers and increase yields
Ajinomoto Agri Solutions used amino-acid rich biostimulant substances to reduce nutrient use, reduce fertilizer inputs, and increase yields of rice cultivation in their operation in Thailand.
Ajinomoto Agro Solutions
Invest in solar power for affordable and clean energy supply
Companies can develop rooftop solar power infrastructure to cut emissions and achieve energy independence
Ekol Logistics
Adopt heat recovery technologies in the sawmill
Adopting heat recovery technologies in the sawmill can increase efficiency and reduce heat loss which saves energy, reduces fuel combustion and emissions associated with operations.
Forest Solutions Group
Integrate carbon dioxide removal into climate strategies
Develop responsible carbon dioxide removal (CDR) investment strategies to maximize climate impact and broader sustainability goals and minimize risk.
WBCSD
Decarbonize low-temperature heating using heat as a service
Heat as a service (HaaS) enables companies to source sustainable heat through a long-term contract without the need for upfront investment.
WBCSD
Implement metrics system for circular packaging
DS Smith Packaging created a set of Circular Design Metrics with five focus areas including design, recovery, and efficiency, applying them into the manufacturing process.
DS Smith
Switch to regenerative furnace system in glass production
Beta Glass PLC has implemented a regenerative heat technology and electricity boost system to reduce energy intensity by 8% using less energy to melt a ton of glass.
Beta Glass
Reduce food waste with efficient packaging
Packaging can reduce food waste by extending shelf life and preventing contamination. However, packaging strategies should be carefully designed to minimize waste and emissions.
The Carbon Trust
Develop in-house web-based tools to calculate CO2 footprint
Şekerbank developed an automatic digital system to monitor its carbon and water footprints, and customers can also have their emissions calculated using the application
Şekerbank
Integrate carbon pricing in supplier tenders
A program to incentivize decarbonization, baselining, drive low carbon supplier selection while educating procurement teams by building carbon pricing into procurement tenders.
Haleon
Move to offshore wind electricity generation
Wind offshore electricity generation harnesses higher and more consistent wind speeds and can reduce CO2 emissions compared to coal-based electricity
WBCSD
Switch to renewable energy to decarbonize industrial heat
Low- or zero-carbon fuels and renewable energy technologies allow heat-intensive industries to reduce emissions from combustion of fuels (e.g., in manufacturing facilities)
BCG
Convert biowaste into biogas to accelerate decarbonization
Manufacturers can significantly reduce their carbon footprint and recycle their organic waste by using it as biomass feedstock to generate biogas and biomethane
ENGIE Impact
Deploy high wave-resilient offshore floating solar
This floating offshore demonstrator proved significant efficiency and production gains over comparable onshore rooftop solar installations.
Port de Sète
Integrate climate into strategic planning
Use scenarios and sensitivity analysis in climate-based strategic planning to identify risks/opportunities, prioritize actions for resilience & align portfolios with climate goals.
BCG
Adopt an internal carbon price to drive decarbonization
Incentivize low-carbon decision-making by setting a price on carbon, enabling a direct linkage of the low-carbon transition to the business strategy.
WBCSD
Replace industrial boilers with biomass boilers
Industrial boilers were replaced with newer technology using biomass, for malt production at Agraria, based on GHG Protocol Brazil
Agraria
Procure natural climate solution carbon credits
Investing in high-quality natural climate solution (NCS) carbon credits is crucial for companies to demonstrate leadership, for climate mitigation, nature conservation, and socio-economic growth.
WBCSD
Reduce rice cultivation emissions via integrated methods
Integrated approaches for more sustainable rice cultivation significantly reduce methane (CH4) emissions while also generating positive impacts for nature and farmer livelihoods.
WBCSD
Build partnerships through alliances and co-investments
Partnerships help solve multiple supplier decarbonization challenges. When selecting partners, consider who to work with, what issues to target, and how to ensure effectiveness.
BCG
Use regenerative practices to reduce agricultural emissions
Regenerative agriculture uses a combination of various sustainable farming techniques to capture GHGs in soil while improving soil health, crop yields, and biodiversity
BCG
Optimize solvent recycling and recovery
Solvent recovery and recycling initiative significantly reduces carbon emissions and promotes sustainable processes in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Finance climate action with green bonds
Green bonds is a broad term for the raising and use of debt specifically for decarbonization or sustainability-related efforts
BCG
Decarbonize low-temperature industrial heat with heat pumps
Industrial heat pumps generate low-temperature process heat with higher efficiency and lower GHG emissions than conventional fossil fuel heating options.
WBCSD
Design a voluntary carbon credit portfolio
Understand the effectiveness of a portfolio approach for the use of voluntary carbon credits and how to construct one successfully
WBCSD
Maximize value from climate reporting
Transform climate reporting from a compliance exercise to a strategic advantage by turning reporting into a tool for sustainable growth and societal impact.
PwC UK
Implement circularity in value chains to reduce emissions
Circular economy approaches in the value chain address inputs, product design, production, and end-of-life activities to increase reuse and recycling of raw materials and products
BCG
Optimize nutrient management for reduced on-farm emissions
Companies striving to reduce emissions derived from mineral fertilizers should adopt fertilizer best management practices and Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE)
WBCSD
Transforming sewage sludge into agricultural fertilizer
Transforming waste water treatment plants sludge into fertilizer, called biosludge, for planting or restoring pastures
Use molten salt energy storage in heating and industry
Kyoto Group's Norbis Park Heatcube, a molten salt thermal energy storage system, supports Norbis Park with replacing coal-generated district heating by renewable energy, reducing CO2 emissions.
Norbis Park
Use eco-driving application for logistics and heavy vehicles
Adaptive eco-driving reducing emissions and fuel/energy consumption in heavy-duty vehicles through real-time speed adjustments based on vehicle-to-everything (V2X) road and vehicle data.
Trans Italia
Optimize company-wide management of energy efficiency
LYB’s value enhancement program (VEP) is a company-wide program reducing costs and emissions by saving energy in procurement, logistics, and customer service improvements.
LyondellBasell
Reduce shipping emissions with renewable fuels & efficiency
Alternative fuels, as well as operational and technological efficiency measures, offer pathways for the shipping industry to meet decarbonization challenges
BCG
Enhance building energy efficiency through AI automation
AI-powered automation solution to optimize the energy efficiency of the HVAC system of a large office complex, resulting in significant energy and cost savings.
Patrizia AG
Reduce carbon footprint in packaging coatings value chain
Carbon reduction plan for coatings value chain, incl. process efficiency, circular solutions, solvent reduction, and water-based materials, led to 9% Scope 3 CO2e reduction in 2023 vs 2018 baseline.
AkzoNobel
Change product standard requirements to reduce food waste
Large volumes of food are discarded because they don’t meet aesthetic standards. Changing product standards could reduce food waste, associated emissions, and financial losses.
The Carbon Trust
Create Sustainability-linked financial instruments
ACCIONA creates financing instruments that are subject to clear and transparent criteria, pursue economic and sustainable/green objectives, and deliver additional local impact
Engage employees on decarbonization
Encourages individuals to calculate and track their carbon footprint through a dedicated app, while motivating behavioral change
Swiss Re
Measure and reduce Scope 3.1 purchasing emissions
Use AI to calculate and measure primary emissions data from suppliers and assess the type of engagement required to assist them in decarbonizing hotspots.
CBRE
Transform product portfolio with assessment methodology
Evaluation methodology for sustainability evaluates products in the portfolio based on set criteria, promoting innovation and classifying offerings
Sika
Apply solar thermal water heating in industrial processes
Givaudan implemented solar concentrators to preheat boiler water, significantly reducing natural gas consumption and GHG emissions in Cuernavaca.
Givaudan
Optimize lubricant application in industrial turbines
SRP, a major US power utility, partnered with Fluitec to transform their consumable turbine oils into lubricants that will last the life of their turbines, reducing costs and CO2e
SRP
Transition to a just, net-zero, and nature positive economy
Addressing the climate emergency and nature loss is impossible without putting people at the center and ensuring a just transition that is equitable and inclusive for all.
WBCSD
Build with biobased materials
Building with biobased materials instead of CO2 intensive materials like concrete reduces CO2 emissions and energy consumption in buildings.
Switch to carbon-free fertilizers in agriculture
Wyckoff Farms Inc. conducted an effective collaboration with Atlas Agro in growing hops with a carbon-free fertilizer, reducing carbon emissions by nearly 1000 tons.
Wyckoff Farms
Integrate climate into corporate financials
Companies must establish systems to integrate climate with financials to support decision-making processes and align with value and risk drivers to fund essential transformations.
BCG
Optimize electric vehicle design to reduce energy use
Aptera Motors collaborated with AirShaper to optimize the aerodynamics of a solar electric vehicle resulting in significant energy efficiency gains and reduced environmental impact.
Adopt heat recovery technologies in the pulp mill
Adopting heat recovery technologies in the pulpmill can increase efficiency of operations, recovering waste generated as a by-product of the pulping and papermaking process.
Forest Solutions Group
Reduce CH4 & N2O emissions with livestock manure management
Manure management can significantly decrease methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, as well as prevent loss of nutrients to the environment.
WBCSD
Decarbonize suppliers through a collaborative approach
Decarbonize the supply chain by incentivizing suppliers and collectively building decarbonization capacity, as well as connecting them to CDP
Philips
Integrate energy management systems in pulp and paper mills
Integrating the ISO 50001 Energy Management System leads to significant GHG emissions reductions and cost savings.
Create additive renewables within grid
Kalsec enrolled in its energy provider's Large Customer Renewable Energy Program; in 2028, half of the primary site’s yearly electricity will come from in-grid utility scale renewable sources.
Kalsec
Switch to hybrid-electric furnace design in glass production
Ardagh Glass’s NextGen Furnace uses hybrid technology to reduce the carbon footprint of commercial-scale glass production, by replacing fossil fuel energy with renewable electricity.
Ardagh Glass Packaging
Maximize waste recovery in the pulp and paper mill
Adopting processes to recover energy from waste, such as black liquor gasification, can lead to higher resource and energy efficiency, while reducing GHG emissions
Forest Solutions Group
Design low-carbon products with circular economy principles
Design low carbon products by incorporating circular economy principles into product design focusing on eco-friendly materials & energy efficiency.
Create financial incentives for suppliers
Supplier decarbonization can be incentivized financially or non-financially. Understanding supplier context and related benefits and risks is key for implementation.
BCG
Align investment portfolio to net-zero goals
CTBC Holding adopted the PCAF methodology to assess portfolio emissions and set up near- and long-term SBTi carbon reduction targets to enable a pathway toward Net Zero by 2050
Lower product emissions with recycled (PCR) plastics
Replace virgin plastic by using PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastics in products to reduce GHG emissions, conserve natural resources and divert waste from landfills and oceans
Acer
Industrialize filterless ambient air purification
Industrialize filterless APA pollution abatement technology to reduce air pollution in manufacturing environments, protecting workers' health and the environment.
Comau
Prioritize and implement decarbonization levers
Choosing the right decarbonization levers for your organization is essential to success. Understand key considerations, methods of lever prioritization, and how to overcome challenges.
PwC UK
Redesign the value chain and source strategies
To meet emissions targets and decarbonize at scale, companies need to pursue innovative business models and technologies, and transform their value chains for sustainability.
BCG
Switch to low-carbon fuels: deep dive on low-carbon hydrogen
Low-carbon hydrogen has several advantages as a fuel, as it does not emit CO2 into the atmosphere when burned and can be stored in large volumes compared to electricity
Forest Solutions Group
Apply 3-phase program for global supplier decarbonization
The Zero Carbon Project’s 3-phase program uses digital solutions, active engagement, and agile governance to reduce GHG emission intensity by 38% across 1,000 suppliers, aiming for 50% by 2025
Schneider Electric
Switch to variable volume oil reservoir in heavy machinery
Traditional hydraulic oil reservoirs in heavy machinery were replaced with Smart Reservoir technology of variable volume reservoirs, resulting in lighter machines and a reduced carbon footprint.
MBI Global
Engage your SME suppliers and customers
Reduce Scope 3 emissions and drive a just transition by helping suppliers and customers commit to net zero. Use the SME Climate Hub to support them in measuring, reducing, and reporting emissions.
SME Climate Hub
Utilize floating solar power plant installations
HelioRec installed a 25kW floating solar project in Brest Port, France, overcoming extreme tidal changes, waves and high winds, while saving electricity costs and creating renewable energy.
BrestPort
Produce sodium chlorite with clean energy
Cutting emissions by reducing imports while addressing Scope 2 emissions through the use of clean electrical energy.
Collaborate with peers to set and meet supplier targets
Decarbonize supply chains by collaborating with peers to set industry-wide supplier targets (e.g., for renewable energy) and help suppliers achieve these by aggregating demand
BCG
Use renewable energy through distributed generation
Neutralizing GHG emissions from Iguá's electrical matrix using renewable energy from distributed generation.
Re-use excess energy from operations to heat buildings
Novonesis uses captured energy from operations to heat homes through a district heating system in Greater Copenhagen.
Novonesis
Enable Scope 3 data transparency
T-Systems leverages The Climate Choice's intelligence platform to automate Scope 3 data collection and analysis, enabling transparency and targeted supplier engagement
T-Systems
Use a simplified lease program for renewable energy
Cathay Life will purchase renewable energy on behalf of its tenants and redistribute it based on clients’ RE100 annual goal
Leverage MACCs to inform decarbonization strategy
Decarbonization lever deployment should be prioritized by cost and abatement impact, and non-financial considerations in line with organizational goals.
BCG
Recycle polyurethane reactor in refrigeration industry
Imbera/EOS implemented a reactor that can chemically process up to 400 tons of waste polyurethane from old coolers, and transformed it into recycled raw material for new coolers.
Imbera
Build a strategic approach to renewable electricity sourcing
A well-designed renewables strategy reduces a company’s carbon footprint and hedges against energy market volatility, often lowering energy costs
ENGIE Impact
Invest in innovative pulping and paper making technologies
Adopting technologies that are more efficient than conventional methods will reduce GHG emissions from fuel combustion, and reduce the energy inputs associated with paper production
Forest Solutions Group
Switch to industrial electric boilers
Electric boilers convert electricity into heat to produce steam, with almost 100% efficiency, reducing the greenhouse gas emissions typically associated with heat production
Forest Solutions Group
Use an AI air compressor system to reduce energy consumption
To minimize carbon emissions from facility equipment while ensuring production, an adaptive system of air compressors can reduce power consumption per finished good by 41%
Wistron Corporation
Activate the organization to support sustainability goals
To achieve climate goals, companies must embed sustainability throughout their operating models, including in aspects of org design, business processes, and corporate culture.
BCG
Reduce furnace CO2 emissions with a heat exchanger
Installing a Heat Recovery Tower recovers generated heat and reduces HFO (heavy fuel oil) consumption, reducing costs and with no impact on production
Unilever
Reduce food waste & costs with data analytics & tech system
Hotels Magic Costa Blanca uses LightBlue's FIT Food Waste Tech system with significant reductions in food waste, costs, and carbon emissions.
Increase carbon removals with sustainable forest management
Sustainable forest management is critical for maintaining and increasing carbon removals in working forests, and reducing operational emissions associated with forest production
Forest Solutions Group
Adopt BECCS technologies
As the pulp and paper industry is the largest industrial consumer of biomass, there are many large sources of biogenic GHG emissions that could be captured with BECSS
Forest Solutions Group
Embed decarbonization requirements in procurement
Decarbonize procurement by defining requirements tailored to: supplier context, timing in negotiation, desired inputs/outcomes, degrees of fulfillment, rewards/penalties, and scale
BCG
Adopt smart storage solutions to reduce food waste
Around 13% of food loss occurs due to inadequate refrigeration; sustainable cold chains can reduce emissions and increase revenue by keeping perishable items fresher for longer.
The Carbon Trust
Switch to alternative proteins in commercial food production
Commercial food producers can adopt meat alternatives by sourcing proteins from plants, fermentation, or cultivated animal cells to reduce emissions from animal-based foods
BCG
Maintain and enhance forest carbon sinks with silviculture
The impacts of climate change on forest health and productivity are constantly evolving. Weyerhaeuser manages their forests to ensure they remain part of the climate solution
Weyerhaeuser Company
Provide sustainability platform for smallholder farmers
Symrise created a platform for a partnership to empower smallholder farmers with sustainable practices, improving livelihoods, environment, and product quality for a sustainable future.
Symrise
Optimize water use for rice irrigation
Adecoagro implemented Precision Leveling, Polypipes, and several technologies to reduce the use of water in rice fields up to 30%, optimizing irrigation and minimizing environmental impact.
Adecoagro
Utilize solar thermal HaaS to cut industrial emissions
Heineken uses a Heat-as-a-Service model to utilize solar thermal power to reduce emissions from heat generation.
Heineken
Reduce building emissions with energy management systems
Energy management systems optimize the operations and maintenance of energy assets in buildings, allowing energy savings of around 10-15% and emissions reductions
BCG
Adopt wood products to reduce construction emissions
Using sustainably sourced wood products in construction can mitigate GHG emissions from the built environment while providing other benefits such as ease of installation.
Forest Solutions Group
Design climate transition plans – an overview
Actionable climate transition planning must be integrated into broader corporate strategy and backed by robust roadmaps that are underpinned by value creation.
BCG