Climate neutral by 2040 – at the latest
We strive to be forerunners in all markets where we operate.
Sweco, which is committed to actively supporting the transition to a low-carbon society, aims to achieve carbon neutrality in its own operations by 2040. While, as a consultancy, Sweco’s direct climate impact is relatively small, our target is to halve the company’s carbon emissions by 2030, as a way to achieve this goal. Sweco’s base year for climate reporting is 2020, with all emissions reductions being measured against 2020 levels.
2022 in numbers
- 32,866 tonnes CO2e in Scopes 1, 2 and 3 in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (29,601)
- Work and travel habits have been unusual over the past two years due to the pandemic. Now that operations have more or less returned to normal, we see that our greenhouse gas emissions are back at the same level as base year 2020. We are fully focused on realigning our operations to achieve the 2040 climate neutrality target
- We increased the share of renewable energy sources in Sweco’s operations to 52 per cent compared to 29 per cent in 2021
- The share of electric and hybrid vehicles increased to 42 per cent in 2022 compared to 35 per cent in 2021.
Climate targets in line with SBTi
In 2020, Sweco developed climate targets for validation and approval of the Science Based Targets initiative, SBTi, in order to ensure our climate targets are in line with the Paris Agreement and the ambition to limit temperature increases to 1.5°C. In 2022, Sweco submitted the targets to SBTi for validation and approval.
Sweco’s climate neutrality is to be achieved primarily through emissions reductions in our own operations, with no more than 15 per cent to be achieved through carbon sinks, emissions offsets, or climate compensation through established and third-party verified mechanisms.
Intensified post-pandemic activities affect emissions
Sweco’s climate footprint in 2022 amounted to 32,866 tonnes CO2e, an increase of 11 per cent compared with the previous year. Post pandemic, the gradual return to office work and increased physical presence in client projects resulted in more employee commuting and business travel in 2022. Sweco also made several acquisitions, which increased the total climate footprint. Base year recalculations are therefore planned for 2023 at Group and country levels.
Sweco and the EU taxonomy
Group greenhouse gas emissions, tonnes CO2e
Scope | 2022 | 2021 | Base year 2020 | Share of total emissions 2022, % | Change, 2022 vs. 2021, % | Change, 2022 vs. 2020, % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scope 1 | 8,307 | 7,720 | 8,016 | 25 | +8 | +4 |
Scope 2 | 6,295 | 8,695 | 10,340 | 19 | -28 | -39 |
Scope 3 | 18,263 | 13,185 | 15,092 | 56 | +39 | +21 |
Total | 32,866 | 29,601 | 33,448 | 100 | +11 | -2 |
About the GHG Protocol
The GHG Protocol has defined a global standardised framework to measure and manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emisssions within three scopes. Scope 1 and 2 emissions are mandatory part of reporting and relate to direct emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by Sweco, such as company cars, and indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, heating and cooling consumed by Sweco. Scope 3 covers other indirect emissions, mandatory and voluntary, that are not included in Scope 2 and occur in the value chain of Sweco, e.g. employees commuting, purchased goods and services, upstream transportation and distribution or waste generated in the operations.

We strive to be the forerunner in our markets
In accordance with our decentralised model, each individual Sweco market has set its own targets, with the requirement to serve as a forerunner in that country. This involves each market formulating a roadmap to achieve climate neutrality ahead of the specific country’s official target, for example Sweco’s business areas Sweden, UK and Belgium all have set targets to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. In this way, we ensure that we act ambitiously based on the countries’ individual circumstances. In several markets, the journey to climate neutrality has been proceeding for quite a while. Sweco’s operations in the Czech Republic, for example, have been measuring their climate impact since 2007 and halved their emissions between 2008 and 2019.
Read more about the local climate neutrality goals below.
Sweco’s journey toward climate neutrality 2040
2030
Belgium, Finland, Sweden, UK
Belgium
- Green electricity contracts in all offices by 2022
- External contracts adhere to sustainability goals by 2025
- Electrified car fleet by 2026
- No fossil fuel heating systems by 2030
- Rewrite procurement procedures with sustainability criteria
Finland
- Electrified car fleet by 2030
- Energy-neutral offices by 2030
Sweden
- Fossil-free car fleet by 2023
- Fossil-free office operations by 2030
UK
- No domestic flights by 2022
- Renewable electricity in all offices by 2023
- Electrified car fleet by 2025 (50 per cent by 2022 and 30 per cent by 2021)
Belgium, Finland, Sweden, UK
2035
The Netherlands
- Electrified car fleet by 2030 with the interim target of over 50 per cent electric vehicles by 2025
- All buildings to be at least energy-neutral by 2030
- No waste by 2035 with interim target of 50 per cent reduction by 2025
The Netherlands
2036
Norway
- A minimum of 55 per cent emissions reduction by 2030
Norway
2040
Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Poland
Bulgaria
- Standard purchasing and procurement updated with sustainability criteria by 2022
- Green electricity contracts in all offices by 2025
- Electric car fleet by 2030
- No offices heated using fossil fuels from 2037
- Fully electrified car fleet or alternative available in the future by 2040 with an interim target of 50 per cent by 2030
Czech Republic
- Standard purchasing and procurement updated with sustainability criteria by 2022
- Green electricity contracts in all offices by 2025
- No offices heated using fossil fuels from 2037
- Fully electrified car fleet or alternative available in the future by 2040 with an interim target of 50 per cent by 2030
Denmark
- Fossil-free car fleet by 2028 (EV, hydrogen or similar)
- Emissions from commuting to be reduced 60 per cent between 2020–2030
- Office’s indirect emissions climate-neutral by 2030
Germany
- 100 per cent green electricity by 2022
- 50 per cent emissions reduction from traveling by 2030
- Fossil-free energy consumption by 2040
Lithuania
- All consumed electricity from renewables by 2035 with interim targets such as 80 per cent by 2030
- Fully electrified car fleet by 2040 with interim targets of 80 per cent electric cars in 2035, 30 per cent in 2030 and 8 per cent in 2025
Poland
- Single-use plastic ban from 2021
- Offices than can have green energy contracts should have them by 2022
- 50 per cent of car fleet electrified by 2030
Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Poland
Sustainability Report
Sustainability forms an integral part of Sweco’s business and strategy.

Transforming society together with our employees
We attach great importance to being an attractive employer for both current and future talent and leaders.

Business ethics
Sweco takes responsibility for our projects and the way we conduct our business.
