Emissions targets

Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has validated Kesko’s new near term and long term science-based emission reduction targets in January 2026.

* SBTi also requires setting Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) targets, if emissions related to forest, land and agriculture account for at least 20% of the company’s total emissions. Kesko has now calculated its FLAG emissions and set targets for them for the first time. In Kesko’s operations, FLAG emissions arise mostly from the primary production of food products.

** The Net-Zero Standard is the most ambitious of the SBTi’s science-based emission reduction standards. With the net-zero criteria, any emissions remaining after a company has achieved its science-based emission reductions must be neutralised in ways that remove carbon from the atmosphere and permanently store it.

Emissions from own operations

The most significant sources of scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for Kesko are fuel usage in transportation, logistics operations and company cars, and the use of district heat. Key measures to reduce these emissions include electrifying logistics and the use of bio fuels, improving energy efficiency, and the use of renewable energy.

By 2030, electric vehicles are estimated to account for some 30% of the transport fleet in Kesko’s grocery trade. Some 90 K Group grocery stores and 6 Kespro cash-and-carry outlets already employ a heat recycling system that efficiently reduces their heating energy consumption and emissions. We are also exploring entirely new solutions: for example, the K-Supermarket Mankkaa store in Espoo utilises waste heat from a nearby data centre to obtain nearly all the heating energy needed for the store.

Value chain emissions

Most of Kesko’s value chain emissions arise during the life cycle of the products we purchase and sell – from their production to their use and end‑of‑life processing. Therefore, a central part of our climate work is encouraging our suppliers to reduce their emissions and inspiring customers to make more sustainable choices.

We challenge our suppliers to emission reductions

In order to reduce the scope 3 emissions, we encourage our suppliers to reduce emissions generated by their own operations and to set their own science-based emission targets.

We monitor the progress towards this target through the CDP Climate Change questionnaire and the Target Dashboard on Science Based Targets website.  In 2025, we invited 499 suppliers to respond to the CDP Climate Change questionnaire. Measured by spend in euros, 47.0% of our suppliers have set short-term science-based emissions reductions targets.

We also influence value chain emissions by increasing the number of sustainable products in our selections and encouraging customers to choose more sustainable options, for example through the K‑Ruoka app. Products we classify as sustainable include, for instance, plant‑based products in the grocery trade, solar panels and air‑source heat pumps in the building and technical trade, and fully electric vehicles in the car trade.

Kesko's supplier - how to proceed on the path towards science-based emissions targets?

1. Commit to setting short-term, science-based emissions reductions targets in accordance with the Science Based Targets initiative.
2. Measure your own and your value chain's emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3) and set emissions reductions targets based on SBTi's guidelines.
3. Seek for the validation of SBTi for your targets.

Read more about the Science Based Targets initiative.