Skier in Lapland

Climate Transition Plan for net-zero target in 2040

We set a high ambition in our response to the climate crisis.
We take action, and engage others, to drive climate transition.
We demonstrate accountability through transparent disclosure.

In line with Elisa’s mission of a sustainable future through digitalisation, and thus accelerating the achievement of a carbon-neutral society, we have committed to the Paris Agreement to keep global warming to 1.5 °C. 

We are driving Elisa’s ambitious, science-based climate targets with our Climate Transition Plan. The plan is intended for all stakeholders that need to understand our near-term and long-term approach to reducing carbon emissions throughout Elisa’s value chain. It guides the strategies and processes that impact the environmental sustainability of Elisa’s operations. 

The climate transition should be just and fair, achieved through target-oriented collaboration, and safeguard natural ecosystems.

Ambition

Foundations for establishing climate transition targets

The Elisa Climate Transition Plan realises our strategic targets to minimise greenhouse gas emissions throughout our operations and also empowers us to enable various stakeholders in their climate transition journey. Based on current state analysis and strategic foresight, we anticipate how our climate transition might affect our business operations and stakeholders in the value chain. We form hypotheses based on which we establish our next intermediate target conditions on the journey toward our net-zero target.


The Science Based Targets initiative has approved Elisa’s science-based climate targets as follows:

Near-term climate target for 2030:

In its near-term climate target for 2030, Elisa is committed to reducing absolute Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 42% from the base year 2021. We will achieve this without using carbon credits or mitigation beyond the value chain.

Net-zero target for 2040:

In its long-term climate target for 2040, Elisa is committed to reducing absolute Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse-gas emissions by 90% from the base year 2021. We will prioritise decarbonisation through direct emissions reductions, and all residual emissions will be neutralised in line with SBTi criteria before reaching net-zero emissions in 2040.

Action

Implementation strategy for reaching climate targets

Climate action means delivering on our climate transition ambition. This implies consistently transforming over a long period of time toward an ambitious target. Our near-term planning focuses on achieving Elisa’s climate targets for 2030, especially by ramping up the necessary supply chain collaboration. Our long-term thinking lays the groundwork for Elisa’s net-zero target for 2040. We are building  the Elisa Climate Transition Plan upon best practices and proven frameworks that also help us to handle uncertainty.

Our Climate Transition Plan addresses climate change mitigation and adaptation but also transitional risks and opportunities:

Turning physical risks into customer enablement opportunities​

Risk 1

Changes in average temperatures due to global warming

Opportunity 1

Climate mitigation enablement:​
Developing new businesses​ through sustainability innovations

Risk 2

Extreme weather events​ due to climate change​

Opportunity 2

Climate adaption enablement:​
Enabling sustainability solutions​ in mature business areas

Turning transition risks into resource efficiency opportunities​

Risk 3

Increasing costs due to markets, regulations, and energy taxes​

Opportunity 3

Energy efficiency:​
Improving energy efficiency​ through continuous improvement

Risk 4

Dependency on value chain commitment to climate targets​

Opportunity 4

Material efficiency:​
Integrating circular economy​ with daily business operations

Risk 5

Stakeholders expecting higher level of climate action from ICT industry​

Opportunity 5

Transparent engagement:​
Science-based targets and a​ robust climate transition plan

Engagement strategy for facilitating stakeholder buy-in

We largely depend on the actions of external stakeholders for Elisa’s climate transition, so we proactively engage with them – especially in our supply chain – and we encourage actions that lead us to Elisa’s climate targets. We see that it is hugely important for us to transparently describe these activities for interested parties to build confidence in our Climate Transition Plan.

We take part in industry organisations, such as GSMA, ETIS, JAC, and Palta, as well as FIBS, CLC  and Global Compact Finland, which all have initiatives that drive climate transition.

Accountability

Metrics and targets for reassessing current conditions

We track Elisa’s climate transition performance against the targets we have set, and we take corrective action, if needed. We also address related impacts and dependencies on society, the economy and the natural environment. 

We handle this process through Elisa’s Environmental Management System  and related governance mechanisms, and we share relevant metrics and targets with interested parties for an ongoing stakeholder dialogue, as Elisa’s Climate Transition Plan evolves over time, based on learnings and continuous improvement.

Graph on scope 1-3 emission reductions from 2016 to 2030 showing 42% reduction by 2030

Scope 1 and 2 emissions comprise about 1% of Elisa’s total carbon emissions. Scope 3 emissions from our own operations (waste generated in operations, business travel and employee commuting) result in only 2% of the remaining 99% of Scope 3 emissions that we disclose. Our largest categories of Scope 3 emissions are purchased goods and services as well as capital goods.

We are continuing with our long-term continuous development of energy efficiency, and we see circularity as an opportunity for material efficiency throughout our operations.

Our total Scope 3 emissions were still on a slightly upward trend  at the end of 2023, which shows the need to accelerate the supply chain contribution to our climate transition during the next few years.

Elisa’s annual sustainability reports are assured by a third party and include environmental sustainability disclosures in accordance with GRI, SASB, EU Taxonomy, and TCFD indicators  as well as our own metrics. In addition, we have voluntarily submitted Elisa’s climate performance data to CDP since 2011. We are also taking steps to address the growing disclosure expectations among other stakeholders.

see elisa environmental sustainability overview