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Own operational footprint

Our ambition is to be net zero for our operational value chain(1) by 2050. During 2023, we focussed on activities with the potential to contribute towards our ambition to reduce our own operations by 50% by 2025, against a 2019 baseline in addition to progressing against our SBTi(3) validated 2030 targets. As a result, we achieved a 54% reduction against a 2019 baseline in our Scope 1 and Scope 2 location-based emissions, and a 26% reduction in scope 3 emissions(3). We will continue to pursue further decarbonisation towards our 2050 net zero ambition to reference the continued direction of travel and build on the initial iteration of our Climate transition plan. 

 

Our direct own operations emissions(5)  are 131,100 tCO2e and have reduced by 47%, compared with the 2019 baseline, supporting delivery of our 2025 and 2030 ambitions.

Supporting delivery of our RE100 commitment, our 2023 direct own operations market-based emissions of 79,417 tCO2e include emission reductions from the use of green electricity covering 100% of our consumption, but in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol it does not include emissions reduction from the use of carbon credits.

Own operations reporting boundary and scope

Our emissions reporting boundary is defined as all entities and facilities either owned or under our operational control. Our own operational emissions reporting year runs from the 1 October 2022 to the 30 September 2023. NatWest Group defines direct own operations as our Scope 1, Scope 2 location-based and Scope 3 (paper, water, waste, business travel, commuting and work from home) emissions. It therefore excludes upstream and downstream emissions from our value chain.  Our operational value chain captures greenhouse gas emissions Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (Categories 1-14, excluding Categories 8, 10, 14). Scope 3 category 15 (financed emissions) is discussed in section 5.2 and 5.3 of our 2023 Climate-Related Disclosures Report. NatWest Group uses the Greenhouse Gas Protocol to measure emissions across Scopes 1, 2 and 3, with the latter split into 15 categories. For a breakdown of these categories within our reporting scope, as well as a description of upstream reporting limitations, see page 67 of our 2021 Climate-Related Disclosures Report and downstream reporting limitation on page 73 of our 2022 Climate-Related Disclosures Report

 

2023 Achievements (PDF, 67KB)

2023 environmental footprint performance (PDF, 102KB)

Sustainable Resource Use

Our Carbon Reduction Plan

We have published our Carbon Reduction Plan (PDF 242KB) in response to Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 06/21 of the UK Government (Taking Account of Carbon Reduction Plans in the procurement of major government contracts). Within this Carbon Reduction Plan, we cover our Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon footprint relating to our Own Operations activities within the UK, including our offshore operations. The Scope 3 values presented here differ from those in our streamlined energy and carbon report due to the Scope 3 categories requested by the UK Government. Our direct own operations Scope 3 includes paper, water, waste, business travel, commuting and working from home; our upstream operational value chain Scope 3 includes suppliers, transportation and distribution, energy and fuel related activities not included in Scope 1 and 2; our Carbon Reduction Plan Scope 3 includes waste, business travel, commuting, upstream transportation and distribution, and downstream transportation and distribution.

Important information

Caution about climate metrics and data required for climate-related reporting.

Climate metrics, whether historical or forward-looking are more inherently uncertain and, therefore, less reliable than metrics based on historical financial statements and forward-looking climate metrics and more uncertain and less reliable than historical metrics due to their forward-looking nature and assumptions about future matters that are not certain. There are many significant uncertainties, assumptions and judgements underlying climate metrics that limit the extent to which climate metrics are reliable. For more information on cautions about climate metrics and data required for climate reporting please refer to Section 7.1 (‘Caution about climate metrics and data required for climate reporting’) of our 2023 Climate-Related Disclosures Report. 

 

Caution about forward-looking statements.

Certain parts of our own operational footprint webpage contains climate-related and other forward-looking statements and metrics, such as aims, ambitions, climate scenarios, estimates, forecasts, emissions intensity pathways, plans, projections and targets. There are many significant uncertainties, assumptions, judgements, opinions, estimates, forecasts and statements made of future expectations underlying these forward-looking statements which could cause actual results, performance, outcomes or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking such statements. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. The most important of these uncertainties and factors that could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements are summarised in (i) the ‘Risk Factors’ included on pages 420 to 444 of our 2023 Annual Report and Accounts (with special regard to the risk factors in relation to ‘Climate and sustainability-related risks’ that describe several particular uncertainties, climate and sustainability-related risks to which NatWest Group is exposed and which may be amended from time to time); and Section 7.2 (‘Climate-related and other forward-looking statements and metrics’) of our 2023 Climate-Related Disclosures Report. 

 

Caution about references to websites.

Reference to websites and other reports is made for information purposes only. To the extent permitted by law, NatWest Group makes no representation, warranty or assurance of any kind, express or implied, or takes no responsibility or liability as to the fairness, accuracy, reliability, reasonableness, correctness or completeness with respect to (i) the third-party information found at any websites operated by third parties; or (ii) the information provided in any case studies.

 

2023 Climate-related Disclosures Report (PDF 10MB)

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