pladis has reached a defining milestone in its sustainability journey by securing official validation of its science-based climate targets from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for the first time.

Alongside this validation, pladis has released its 2025 Sustainability Report, charting the next phase of action under its comprehensive 2030 global sustainability strategy, Happy People, Happy Planet.

Targets

pladis’ SBTi validation is the result of a target-setting process informed by the company’s first Double Materiality Assessment.

The newly validated framework establishes clear, measurable benchmarks across the business’s direct operations and extended value chain:

• Scope 1 and 2 Emissions: pladis has committed to slashing absolute greenhouse gas emissions from its direct operations and energy use by 58.8% by 2034, relative to a 2023 baseline.
• Scope 3 Emissions: recognising that value-chain emissions account for 91% of its total carbon footprint, the company has pledged a 35% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2034 from a 2023 baseline.
• FLAG emissions: the targets include a 42% reduction in forest, land, and agriculture (FLAG) emissions by 2034.
• Net-zero roadmap: these interim targets serve as stepping stones toward pladis’ ultimate ambition of achieving net-zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2050.

Operationalising sustainability

Achieving SBTi validation is far more than a reputational badge; it serves as a strategic roadmap that aligns commercial growth with environmental imperative. For pladis, the significance lies in how these targets are being actively operationalised across manufacturing, packaging, and sourcing:

1 Capital investment in sustainable manufacturing.

To meet its direct emissions goals, pladis is backing its climate strategy with substantial capital expenditure. This includes a £68 million multi-year investment program across its UK bakery network. Modernisation efforts — such as introducing new moulding lines, advanced robotics, and energy-efficient ovens at key production sites like Manchester and Aintree — are projected to eliminate approximately 876 tonnes of CO₂e annually upon completion.

2 Circular economy and packaging innovations. Packaging remains a critical battleground for the snacking sector. By the end of 2025, pladis achieved a major milestone with 94% of plastic packaging across its global portfolio classified as recycle-ready. Building on this, the company has set a new target to reduce virgin plastic usage by 10% by 2030 from a 2025 baseline.

McVitie’s has completed internal testing for recycle-ready packaging across 100% of its Digestives range, with full rollout underway.

Brand adaptations, such as Ülker Kakao transitioning from composite packaging to a recycle-ready single-material pouch, have already driven an 18% reduction in plastic use.

Innovation trials, such as testing digital watermarking on Sultana packs in Belgium via the HolyGrail 2030 consortium, demonstrate pladis’ active role in improving sorting and recycling infrastructure.

3. Regenerative agriculture and responsible sourcing

Because agricultural ingredients form a massive part of its Scope 3 footprint, pladis is deeply embedding sustainability into its upstream supply chain. Key progress includes:

• Traceability: achieving 94% palm oil traceability back to the processing mill in 2025.
• Regenerative farming: through the UK “Back to Farm” initiative, pladis sourced over 30,000 tonnes of wheat grown via regenerative practices by roughly 50 farmers, cutting emissions by 104kg of CO₂e per tonne of flour compared to the AHDB UK baseline.
• Social impact in cocoa: In partnership with the Earthworm Foundation under the “Beyond Cocoa” program, pladis provided mobile healthcare access to 2,440 cocoa farmers and their families, alongside verifying that supplying cooperatives source from deforestation-free zones.

A unified framework for industry leadership

Commenting on the milestone, Suzanne Westlake, director of sustainability at pladis, stressed the collaborative effort required to drive systemic change:

“Securing SBTi validation is a significant milestone, confirming that our climate targets are grounded in science and giving us clear direction for reducing emissions. Together with our Happy People, Happy Planet strategy, those targets give us a single global framework for action. But it is people across our business and value chain – colleagues, farmers, suppliers and partners – who will translate it into real change.”

pladis’ achievement highlights that sustainability and business resilience are inextricably linked. By tying emission reductions to hard metrics validated by the SBTi, pladis is not only future-proofing its supply chain against regulatory and climatic shocks, but also setting a benchmark for transparency and accountability in global food and snacking. As consumer demand for authentic environmental stewardship grows, pladis’ integrated approach proves that robust science-based targets can successfully guide operational transformation from farm to final pack.