Report reveals Pact’s greenhouse gas emissions halved in first year since net zero pledge

One year after announcing a commitment to net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its operations by 2030, Pact reveals that its GHG emissions were halved to nearly 2,500 tons of GHG emissions according to the latest figures. The report generated by Eco Evolutions, an independent, woman-owned, sustainability consulting firm, is based on data reported by Pact offices across more than 20 countries.

Climate change is among the biggest threats to the wellbeing and futures of the communities Pact serves. Last year, the organization publicly committed to achieving net zero by 2030, a top priority that aligns both with its current strategy and overall environmental sustainability pledge. Each year, Pact’s environmental impact is measured through an Environmental Sustainability Key Performance Indicator, which includes total greenhouse gas emissions. 

To measure progress toward its net zero commitment, Pact developed a dashboard to streamline the compilation of country office data, the basis for office-specific action plans to reduce GHG emissions.

In 2022, Pact’s carbon footprint amounted to 2,537 tCO2e, or total GHG emissions, compared to 5,092 tCO2e in 2019 when the baseline assessment was conducted.

Overall, business travel was significantly lower last year, although it varied across offices. Emissions from the purchase of electricity fell by nearly 60% in 2022, partly to do with some offices downsizing and others remaining closed for part of the year due to the pandemic, but also as due to the increased use of renewable energy in certain countries’ electricity production.

"We know that we’ve been operating in unprecedented times due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Caroline Anstey, Pact President & CEO. “Travel was limited and offices were closed, which contributed to lower emissions. However, we learned that we can do business differently, in a way that reduces our emissions while delivering on the promises we make to communities around the world."

Pact has continued to expand opportunities for telecommuting and remote work and reliance on virtual engagements while at the same time incentivizing less air travel. Other initiatives in different stages of development include conducting waste audits for offices and exploring e-waste recycling programs, moving all offices to cloud-based data storage and reducing our reliance on fossil fuel-based energy sources for country offices.

To learn more about Pact’s commitment to environmental sustainability, please visit pactworld.org/sustainability.