Vestas, which designs, manufactures, installs, and services wind turbines across the globe, with 108 GW of wind turbines installations in 80 countries, said  it will be a carbon-neutral company by no later than 2030 – the first of many initiatives to increase the company’s sustainability performance.

To become carbon-neutral we will reduce our global carbon footprint through a 55% CO2 reduction by 2025, reaching 100% by 2030. As Vestas is committed to leading the transition to a world entirely powered by sustainable energy, the company said it will not use carbon offsets but only deliver CO2 reductions through its own actions. Taking the first steps this year, it will be transitioning to electric vehicles for its company cars, will start replacing its global service vehicle fleet with renewable fueled vehicles and will be exploring further steps to reduce heating- and transport-related CO2 emissions from its operations. Its factories and offices have been powered by 100% renewable electricity since 2013.

After installing more than 108 GW of clean energy – enough wind energy to displace 167 million tonnes of CO2 every year, equivalent to burning 70 million tonnes of coal every year – Vestas’ 25,000 employees are committed to developing competitive sustainable energy solutions to meet the world’s growing electricity demand. 

However, Vestas’ aspiration to be the global leader in sustainable energy solutions means going beyond delivering sustainable solutions – it means making sustainability a part of everything it does and taking full responsibility for the company’s environmental footprint.

Therefore, Vestas believes reducing CO2 emissions in its operations is not enough. Vestas is also committing to reduce the CO2 emissions from its supply chain by 45% per MWh generated by 2030. The measurement has been chosen because it incentivises sustainability partnerships with suppliers that both reduce CO2 emissions and allows for the continued growth of the global renewable energy sector. Vestas will therefore actively seek sustainability partnerships with its suppliers.

“At Vestas, we are proud of our shared purpose and passion to make the planet a better place and to make our work as sustainable as possible”, said Vestas CEO Henrik Andersen. “To remain at the forefront of the energy transition we must do even more than today to meet the growing sustainability expectations of our customers, partners, investors and employees. Our commitment to become carbon-neutral is the right thing to do for all of us. Together, we will not just make products that build a more sustainable planet, but we will do so in the most sustainable way possible”.

“Becoming carbon-neutral in our own operations and reducing CO2 emissions in our supply chain is the next phase of our journey to ensure a more sustainable planet for future generations – which is our purpose as a company and as individuals”, said Lisa Malmquist Ekstrand, Vestas’ Head of Sustainability. “Going beyond our promise to continue developing energy solutions that reduce CO2 emissions, we are now making sustainability part of everything we do”.

These commitments are shaped based on recommendations from the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), an initiative led by the Carbon Disclosure Project, the United Nations Global Compact, the World Resources Institute and the WWF. It advises and assists companies in defining a pathway to future-proof growth and driving the transition to a carbon-free future. Vestas joins at least 730 other leading companies who have already committed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions under the umbrella of the SBTi.