Birla Cellulose, the pulp and fiber business of the Grasim Industries unit of Aditya Birla Group, has announced its goal to bring down net carbon emissions to zero across all its operations by 2040, with a possibility to reach that goal by 2035.
The company, a producer of man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCF), also said it has targeted to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by half by 2030 from a baseline of 2019. Birla Cellulose’s commitment to carbon neutrality and GHG reductions includes scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 emissions, as well as the carbon sequestration in managed forests and are derived using science-based methods.
“This is a natural progression in Birla Cellulose’s global leadership in the area of sustainability,” H K Agarwal, managing director of Grasim Industries and business director for Birla Cellulose, said. “Birla Cellulose’s climate target is at the core of its business strategy that aims to address climate change-related risks and adapt to changing consumer preferences for more sustainable, nature-based and low-emission products. With a legacy of innovation in the MMCF industry spanning seven decades, Birla Cellulose continues to work on cutting-edge technologies that will accelerate this transition.”
The roadmap includes increased use of renewable energy in its processes, investment in innovative low-emission technologies, net positive carbon sequestration in its managed forests and a sharp focus on circular fashion, the company said. Currently, around 40 percent of the energy for the global operations of Birla Cellulose comes from renewable sources. In addition, in an assessment carried out by E&Y in 2019, the carbon sequestered in its directly managed forests exceeded the entire scope 1 and scope 2 emissions from global sites during the year.
Birla Cellulose leads the industry in sustainability practices such as sustainable forestry, with a No. 1 spot in Canopy Hot Button Ranking 2021, and has set industry benchmarks for the lowest water intensity for viscose and lyocell production.
The company has recently commissioned the first Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) plant in the MMCF industry globally.
Birla Cellulose operates 12 pulp and fiber sites globally that apply closed-loop systems and environmentally efficient technologies in their processes, and five global advanced research centers equipped with state-of-the-art research facilities.