A newly updated sustainability strategy had already been created by Semco Maritime in 2021 with decarbonisation set as a high priority, including a roadmap to being climate neutral as well as other focus areas aligned with seven of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
With headquarters in the Danish port city of Esbjerg and a newly outlined climate strategy, it was a clear choice for Semco Maritime to join the partnership.
“For us, being part of Esbjerg Municipality’s Climate Partnership is about being global citizens and about working with other companies and organisations to make a real difference. We hope that by making our initiatives to reduce CO2 more visible and by sharing our journal to becoming carbon neutral, we will inspire other companies to do the same,” says Thomas Nagbøl Mejlgård, Senior Vice President at Semco Maritime.
“The challenges of climate change are bigger than one company alone can solve,” he continues, “that is why we see joining with other companies and organisations as an important part of the way forward for making a tangible difference – so that we can inspire and support each other in reaching our goals.”
Semco Maritime’s Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality has three phases: 1.) to be carbon neutral in scope 1 & 2 by 2023; 2.) to be carbon neutral in our own operations by 2030; and 3.) to be carbon neutral in scope 3 (own operations and supply chain) by 2050. These goals are in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action.
Semco Maritime is already well on track to achieving the first phase of the roadmap. We have switched to green electricity and heating, and we are electrifying wherever possible (such as in our vehicle fleet) – to reduce fossil fuel use. Where electrification is not possible, we are off-setting emissions, however our first choice is always to reduce rather than off-set.
The second phase of the roadmap will invoice creating strategy changes related to production methods, systems and processes. And as part of phase three, we will actively encourage our suppliers to reduce CO2 emissions and become climate neutral as well, by including requirements in our tenders and contracts.
“Semco Maritime’s aspiration is to play and important role in the green energy transition,” explains Steen Brødbæk, Semco Maritime’s CEO. “We want to act both globally and locally and take our responsibility of being a sustainable business seriously so joining the Climate Partnership was a natural choice for us.”
“At Esbjerg Municipality, we are delighted to have Semco Maritime onboard with our Climate Partnership,” says Esbjerg’s Mayor Jesper Frost Rasmussen. “We cannot achieve our climate ambitions alone, partnership is the way forward. We have given this goal a high priority and set a tight deadline, we don’t necessarily have all the answers yet, but we believe that by creating a partnership with other committed players we’ll get there together.”
