Raisio Gains SBTi Approval as Climate Strategy Shifts from Factories to Farms
Finnish food company Raisio has received approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its near-term greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, marking a significant milestone in its climate strategy as it shifts its focus from reducing emissions in its own operations to tackling the far larger carbon footprint across its agricultural supply chain.
The SBTi validation provides Raisio with an internationally recognised framework for measuring and reporting its climate progress, confirming that the company’s emissions reduction targets are aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Under the approved targets, Raisio aims to cut Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from its own operations by 62% by 2030 compared with its 2021 baseline. The company has also committed to reducing Scope 3 Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) emissions by 30.3% and other Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030, both measured against a 2022 baseline.
Annika Boström-Kumlin, Raisio’s Chief Brand and Sustainability Officer, said the approval represents an important milestone but also highlights that the company’s greatest climate challenge now lies beyond its factory gates.
She said the success of Raisio’s climate strategy over the coming years will largely depend on how effectively it can reduce emissions throughout its value chain, particularly by working closely with farmers and suppliers.
Raisio has already made substantial progress in decarbonising its own operations. By the end of 2025, 98.6% of the energy used across its business came from renewable sources, with all purchased electricity, heat and steam for its production facilities sourced from renewable energy.
However, the company acknowledged that, like much of the food industry, the majority of its emissions originate from the primary production of agricultural raw materials rather than manufacturing. As a result, Raisio is increasingly focusing its climate efforts on reducing Scope 3 emissions generated during crop cultivation.
A key element of this strategy is the expansion of its sustainable farming contracts, introduced in 2025 for contract farmers supplying key raw materials such as Finnish oats. Through these agreements, Raisio aims to encourage farming practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve soil health and increase carbon sequestration while maintaining crop quality under changing growing conditions.
The company has set a target for 42% of the grain it purchases to come from sustainable farming contracts by 2030.
Raisio is also improving the accuracy of its emissions reporting by collecting farm-level cultivation data from growers. Since the 2023 harvest, the company has assessed the carbon footprint of oats, with the programme now extended to other grains. The farm-specific data enables more precise emissions calculations and allows Raisio to measure the effectiveness of emissions reduction initiatives across its agricultural supply chain.
The company said the enhanced emissions data also benefits its customers, many of whom include emissions from purchased ingredients within their own Scope 3 reporting requirements.
The Science Based Targets initiative is a global partnership between CDP, the UN Global Compact, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). It validates corporate emissions reduction targets to ensure they are consistent with the latest climate science and aligned with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
