Climate Action

To reduce our impact on climate change by reaching net zero in our own operations and supply chains.

Performance highlights

15%

Reduction in scope 3 Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) emissions since 2020/21 baseline

Net zero UK farms

As part of our commitment to achieve net zero across our UK farms by 2035, we’ve reduced the environmental footprint of our Leckford Estate farm. Key changes include using fewer pesticides and adding more hedgerows. We are also working with key suppliers to develop action plans to achieve net zero.

50%

We reduced transport carbon emissions by 50% compared to 2018.

Fleet decarbonisation

This year, we put an additional 43 biomethane trucks on the road and improved truck aerodynamics. We also tested a fully electric heavy-goods vehicle, operated 65 trucks that selfgenerate electricity to power their trailer refrigeration systems and increased the number of electrical connections to power trailer refrigeration at depots to 320

30%

Reduction in our scope 3 Energy and Industrial emissions since 2020/21 baseline.

Carbon-cutting tools

We’re working hard to embed carbon-literate decision-making across our business, introducing helpful tools in key areas. In 2024 we focused on packaging. During 2025, we plan to introduce further tools covering transportation and ingredient replacement, empowering our teams to make positive choices that reduce our climate impact, particularly in scope 3 emissions.

24.3%

reduction in group scope 1 & 2 emissions since 2020/21 baseline

Emissions reductions

We’ve continued our investment in infrastructure that helps us reduce our scope 1 and 2 emissions as part of our overall push to achieve net zero. This includes further installations of carbon saving systems, installing 18 heat pumps (14 installed as part of refrigeration upgrades and four as standalone heat pumps) in Waitrose shops and the pioneering AirDoor™ technology at nine of our John Lewis and Waitrose stores.

Our approach to climate action

We’re committed to avoiding the most dangerous impacts of climate change by achieving net zero and enhancing the Partnership’s resilience to the effects of such change.

We have set Partnership-wide science-based targets for reducing our climate impact, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. Our overarching target is to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across our value chain by 2050. We have committed to reach net zero in our own operations (known as scope 1 and 2) by 2035.

We have also set interim 2030 targets to drive near-term action, as well as a 2025 zero deforestation target. We are proud to be among the first companies to set specific targets focused on greenhouse gas emissions from forest, land and agriculture (FLAG). Our FLAG targets encourage us to examine where we can reduce emissions from land use, while also building the capacity of the land and nature in our supply chain to remove carbon from the atmosphere.

Net Zero Operations

Achieve net zero in our operations (scope 1 and 2) by 2035

Net Zero Farms

Achieve net zero across our UK farms (scope 3) by 2035

Net Zero Value Chain

Achieve net zero across our entire value chain (scope 3) by 2050

Progress

We’re making strong progress on our scope 1 and 2 emissions targets through continued investment in our fleet and estate. Our Responsible Manufacturing programme now includes over 350 suppliers, helping us monitor performance and support decarbonisation across 690 facilities. We’re also working closely with key suppliers and farming groups to develop tailored scope 3 emissions reduction roadmaps and encourage science-based target setting aligned with a 1.5˚C pathway.

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Scope 1 and 2 investment

We continue to make strong progress towards our scope 1 and 2 emissions reduction targets, fuelled by ongoing investment in our fleet and estate to reduce our impact and meet our net zero goals.

Extending our scope 3 efforts

Our Responsible Manufacturing programme has now grown to include more than 350 suppliers who have provided climate and environmental data for 690 facilities. As well as monitoring performance, the programme provides tools, information and other support for suppliers’ decarbonisation efforts.

We have also asked suppliers representing the largest proportion of our emissions to join us in setting science-based targets in line with a 1.5˚C pathway. To date, Waitrose suppliers representing more than a third of our supply chain scope 3 footprint have had their targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

In addition, we have started engaging key supply chain partners and farming groups to support them with their net zero transition, including developing specific scope 3 emissions reduction roadmaps for key suppliers.

350 +

Suppliers participating in the Responsible Manufacturing programme

690

Facilities providing climate and environmental data

Challenges

We’re focused on decoupling emissions from business growth by improving how we measure and report supply chain carbon reductions. While carbon accounting is still developing and data quality varies, we continue to invest in initiatives like responsibly sourced raw materials to drive progress.

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As we continue to grow our business, it’s critical that we decouple emissions from sales. An important part of this is ensuring we can quantify and report the reductions already happening across our supply chain.

But carbon accounting remains an emerging discipline, and the availability and quality of scope 3 data is often limited. This is compounded by supply chain complexity meaning that assumptions and estimations are a necessary part of calculating our footprint. As a result, we’re not always able to fully capture the carbon benefits of these interventions. Despite this, our investment in vital supply chain initiatives, such as our responsibly sourced raw materials programme, remains ongoing.

More broadly, achieving net zero requires a coordinated effort across sectors that is led effectively by positive national policy. As such, it is critical that the government establishes enabling legal and policy frameworks as part of a regulatory environment that drives carbon reduction, supports innovation and promotes sustainable practices.

Looking forward

We’re committed to accelerating scope 3 decarbonisation by piloting innovative and proven approaches across our supply chains, despite the complexity of carbon accounting. Collaboration remains key, and we’ll continue working with peers, industry bodies and NGOs to unlock solutions that support our net zero goals.

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Overcoming the challenges of reducing greenhouse gas emissions requires more collaboration, greater technological innovation and consistent standards across industries. That’s why we’ll continue to work closely with our peers, industry bodies and NGOs to unlock solutions to reach net zero.

Putting in place the enabling conditions for compliance and acting to mitigate supply chain risks is, therefore, a priority for the year ahead. We’ll also take this opportunity to update our raw material sourcing policies to further our deforestation-free commitments.

Over the coming year, despite the inherent complexity of carbon accounting, we intend to accelerate our focus on scope 3 decarbonisation initiatives, piloting both innovative and proven approaches to help our supply chains minimise their impact.

We also welcome publication by the Institute for Grocery Distribution of a food sector transition plan, and we are exploring producing our own plan to drive our approach to becoming a resilient net zero business that meets its stretching climate commitments.

Cutting our fleet’s climate impact

Case Study

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In line with our commitment to operate a fully fossil-free fleet by 2030, over 70% of our heavy-duty trucks now run exclusively on biomethane. Alongside this, we’re continuing to invest in even more efficient technologies to further reduce the impact of our fleet.

We’re always looking for innovative solutions to reduce the impact of our fleet, including engaging with customers through initiatives such as Waitrose’s greener delivery slots.

Converting the majority of our heavy-duty trucks to biomethane, as well as electrifying other aspects of the fleet, means we’re well on the way to meeting our goal of a fossil-free fleet by 2030. Our fleet’s carbon impact is now half what it was in 2018.

However, this progress is far from the end of the road. Reducing fuel usage remains vital to our strategy, which is why we’ve worked with the University of Cambridge to design a new trailer that reduces drag and improves aerodynamics. This change saves over 3% of fuel costs and cuts carbon emissions.

We have sought to minimise the impact of our refrigerated trailers, with 65 trucks now able to generate their own electricity for use in their refrigeration systems. They can now be powered directly at our facilities, using electricity that mostly comes from renewable sources, rather than by diesel. These trucks are also quieter and emit less pollutants.

As we seek vehicles with even lower carbon impacts, we’re also trialling a fully electric heavy goods truck. Our initial tests show that ranges still need to improve for long-term viability, but this technology is currently in its infancy. We will continue supporting this and other innovations in the sector as they develop at pace. .

“It has been a great pleasure to work with the John Lewis Partnership on its decarbonisation journey for more than a decade. Together, we have developed some highly effective solutions. This collaboration is an exemplar for how industry and academia can work together to solve challenging technical and operational problems.” Prof. David Cebon, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge