Tag: CDP

Pyxus Achieves Supplier Engagement Leadership

Image: Prostock-studio
Pyxus International has been recognized by environmental nonprofit CDP as a Supplier Engagement Leader. Pyxus ranked among the top tier of companies featured on CDP’s Supplier Engagement Leaderboard for its effectiveness in working with its suppliers, particularly contracted growers, to address climate change.
Pyxus’ 2023 Supplier Engagement Rating ranked the company above the industry, North America and global averages and reflects its improved environmental performance, as evidenced by its 11 percent year-over-year reduction of value-chain-related emissions (scope 3), according to a company press release.
“Our sustainability journey cannot be traveled alone. Collaborating with our contracted farmers and other upstream suppliers to reduce our company’s scope 3 emissions is pivotal to achieving our carbon neutrality targets and delivering stakeholder value,” said Pyxus President and CEO Pieter Sikkel in a statement. “We are honored to receive Supplier Engagement Leadership status, CDP’s highest level of recognition, confirming that we are truly working together to grow a better world.”
A company’s Supplier Engagement Rating is derived from information submitted during CDP’s annual climate change disclosure process and assesses a business’ governance, targets, scope 3 emissions and supplier engagement performance. In February, Pyxus achieved Leadership status in CDP’s climate change category.
March 13, 2024
KT&G Recognized for Sustainability

Photo: KT&G
KT&G has been selected as a leading company (Leadership Grade) in the climate change response and water resource management sectors by the global environmental assessment organization CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project).
Following last year, KT&G has achieved the top grade in the Leadership category in both climate change response and water resource management. In particular, in the water resource management sector, it has risen from Leadership A- last year to the highest grade, A, with only three domestic companies in South Korea receiving an A grade out of the 100 winning companies worldwide. The climate change response sector maintained its Leadership A- grade from last year.
KT&G established its medium-term to long-term environmental management vision, 2030 Green Impact, in 2021 and has been practicing ESG management to achieve carbon neutrality throughout its value chain. It has set greenhouse gas reduction targets contributing to limiting the rise in global temperatures to within 1.5 degrees Celsius and achieved a 7.5 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from domestic and overseas facilities as of 2022 (compared to the base year of 2020). Additionally, it has enhanced the reliability and objectivity of greenhouse gas emission data by undergoing third-party verification for the emissions in its supply chain.
In the water resource management sector, KT&G has set a goal to reduce water usage in domestic and overseas manufacturing facilities by 20 percent by 2030 compared to 2020 and is implementing measures to achieve this target. KT&G plans to systematically practice environmental management in the future through the expansion of renewable energy use, water recycling and energy efficiency enhancement.
CDP, founded in the U.K. in 2000 as a nonprofit organization, requests environmental management information disclosure from over 23,000 companies worldwide and conducts analysis and evaluation of this information. It is also recognized as a credible sustainability assessment organization along with Morgan Stanley International.
“We have been recognized as an excellent company by CDP for our climate change response and systematic water resource management capabilities in line with global standards,” said a KT&G representative in a statement. “We will continue to promote genuine ESG management, including leading the acceleration of the transition to a circular economy.”
February 20, 2024
Firms Recognized for Sustainability

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Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco have been recognized for their environmental initiatives.
For the fourth consecutive year, PMI received a triple-A rating from CDP for its disclosures on climate change, forests and water security.
PMI has maintained a position on CDP’s Climate A-List for the past 10 years, reflecting its commitment to transparency and performance as the company progresses toward achieving its science-based targets as well as carbon neutrality for scope 1 and 2 by 2025 and net zero by 2040 for scope 1, 2 and 3.
PMI’s efforts to halt deforestation, moving to zero net deforestation in managed forests by 2030, have further been recognized by CDP, which placed the company on its Forests A-List for the fourth consecutive year. This is the fifth year that PMI has been featured on CDP’s Water A-List as the company works toward its water optimization targets, which include optimization of 10 million cubic meters of water in its tobacco growing areas by 2030.
“External recognition from organizations like CDP encourages us to continue our transformation journey and commitment to sustainability. We are pleased PMI has received CDP’s triple-A distinction for the fourth consecutive time,” said Scott Coutts, senior vice president of operations, in a statement. “Clear and transparent reporting of our progress helps us find new opportunities for action, identify and tackle growing risks, and get ahead of regulatory and policy changes.”
PMI is also committed to advancing the adoption of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) recommendations and intends to publish its first TNFD-aligned report for financial year 2025. Accordingly, PMI has been included in an inaugural cohort of organizations that intend to become TNFD early adopters.
“We recognize the urgency to address climate change and protect biodiversity, and this is why our decarbonization strategy and progress are closely tied to preserving natural ecosystems,” said Jennifer Motles, chief sustainability officer. “We are proud to be an early adopter of the TNFD framework and will be reporting on it in 2025, which builds on the work we have already done to incorporate climate-related risk and opportunities into our overall business strategy and disclosure efforts, following the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.”
Japan Tobacco was recognized by CDP for its leadership in corporate sustainability for a fifth year in a row. The JT Group is one of 61 companies worldwide and 22 in Japan to be included on the Climate Change A-List and Water Security A-List out of more than 23,000 companies participating in the 2023 CDP environmental disclosure program. Overall, this inclusion marks the group’s sixth recognition for climate change, and fourth recognition for water security.
“We are honored that the JT Group has been recognized on CDP’s A-List for a fifth consecutive year,” said JT Group Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Hisato Imokawa, in a statement. “This inclusion reflects our continued efforts to reduce our environmental footprint and expand our transparency in disclosing information. ‘Living with the Planet’ is a key aspect of the JT Group Materiality, and we aim to achieve the sustainable relationship between nature, people and businesses through efforts to improve the impact of our activities on the environment. We are currently defining more ambitious targets for our environmental initiatives and plan to disclose them in early 2024. These targets will support our goals of contributing to the sustainable development of society by further fulfilling our responsibilities and maintaining the trust of our stakeholders.”
February 9, 2024
Universal Recognized as Supplier Engagement Leader

Image: pauchi | Adobe Stock
Universal Corp. has been recognized as a 2022 Supplier Engagement Leader by CDP, a nonprofit charity that runs a global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. This is the second straight year Universal has earned this recognition. The CDP’s Supplier Engagement Rating system independently evaluates how effectively companies are engaging their suppliers on climate change, using the CDP’s annual climate change questionnaire that covers governance, targets, scope 3 emissions and value chain engagement. The top 8 percent of assessed companies were selected as 2022 Supplier Engagement Leaders.
“We are honored to once again be recognized by CDP as a Supplier Engagement Leader,” said George C. Freeman III, Universal’s chairman, president and CEO. “At Universal, we work in partnership with our suppliers to reinforce the sustainability of our supply chains and meet our climate change goals. Universal is committed to setting high standards of social and environmental performance.”
March 21, 2023
Companies Strengthen Sustainability Creds

Photo: Deemerwha studio
Leading cigarette makers are strengthening their sustainability credentials.
Philip Morris International, for example, recently announced new ambitions to “preserve nature” via biodiversity and water stewardship.
These ambitions include protecting nature by achieving no net loss on ecosystems connected to PMI’s value chain by 2033; contributing toward a net positive impact on nature by 2050; scaling solutions toward a positive impact on water resources, measured as volume of water optimized and restored, by 2033; and contributing toward a positive impact on water resources by 2050.
“As our new ambitions demonstrate, PMI understands that decarbonization, biodiversity protection, forestry management and water stewardship are deeply connected. We aspire to lead by example in the responsible and sustainable management of natural resources that can allow the promotion and protection of natural ecosystems,” said Jennifer Motles, chief sustainability officer, in a statement.
PMI’s strategies to “tackle climate change” and “preserve nature” have been recognized by CDP, a not-for-profit charity that runs a global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities and regions to manage their environmental impacts. On Dec. 13, 2022, PMI received the Triple A score for its efforts across climate, forests and water stewardship.
Imperial Brands, meanwhile, recently received a CDP Climate A score for a fourth successive year. The company has committed to reaching science-based net zero emissions by 2040 through a five-step approach outlined in its 2022 annual report. Earlier this year, the business was named as a Supplier Engagement Leader by CDP for a third successive year and as a Climate Leader by the Financial Times.
“There is no other path than for all companies, all governments and all of society to pull together and get behind the decarbonization commitments that have been made,” said Tony Dunnage, global ESG (environmental, social and governance) director at Imperial, in a statement. “Our A score reflects our commitment to reducing our impact on the climate throughout our value chain, and we know that we can make a meaningful contribution.”
Imperial was also rated A- by CDP for water security—an improvement on the B rating achieved a year earlier—and a C for its first response in a number of years to the forests survey.
Japan Tobacco, too, has strengthened its commitment to sustainability. The company has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia-Pacific Index (DJSI Asia-Pacific) for the ninth consecutive year.
The DJSI is a globally recognized ESG stock index and sustainability benchmark that tracks the stock performance of the world’s leading companies in terms of governance and economic, environmental and social dimensions, with constituents selected on the basis of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment. The DJSI Asia-Pacific is an index of companies in the Asia-Pacific region, which is reviewed once a year and whose constituents are selected from approximately 600 major companies in the region.
“We are honored that this year, again, JT has been selected in the DJSI Asia-Pacific,” said JT Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Hisato Imokawa in a statement. “We believe that our inclusion in the index for the ninth consecutive year is the recognition of our earnest efforts to address ESG issues across our value chain. We are committed to promoting transparent and accurate disclosure of nonfinancial information, which has been a vital part of our agenda in recent years, and we recognize
that this is an important initiative to promote stakeholder engagement and dialogue.”
December 14, 2022
Feelm Joins Carbon Disclosure Project

Photo: Feelm
Feelm has joined the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), as part of the listing of its parent company, Smoore.
CDP is an independent not-for-profit organization that manages a global disclosure system and repository for environmental reporting by corporations, municipalities and organizations around the world.
In 2021, more than 680 financial institutions, representing $130 trillion in assets, supported CDP’s request for data sharing, while over 13,000 companies, accounting for 64 percent of the world’s market capital, disclosed through CDP’s database. Phillip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International, Altria Group and Imperial Tobacco also take part in the CDP.
In May 2022, Feelm announced its commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, with a strategic executive plan that includes introducing zero-carbon vape technology solutions, adopting eco-friendly materials and green packaging, supporting the global supply chain in de-carbonization and activating a recycling program of vape pod cartridges and devices with clients.
“Carbon neutrality is an important component of our integrated ESG strategic plan as it helps to accelerate our business transformation, said Sofia Luo, marketing director of Feelm’s business division, in a statement.
“That is why Feelm follows the measures and roadmap outlined in the ‘Corporate Net-zero Pathway’ published by the UN in 2021. Feelm will press ahead with its commitment to comply with UN standards, disclose information transparently, and welcome scrutiny from international organizations and the public; in order to reach our vision of developing an eco-friendly and low-carbon economy.”
June 22, 2022
Universal Named ‘Engagement Leader’

Photo: Universal
Universal Corp. has been recognized as a 2021 Supplier Engagement Leader by CDP, a nonprofit charity that runs a global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts.
The CDP’s Supplier Engagement Rating (SER) system independently evaluates how effectively companies are engaging their suppliers on climate change using the CDP’s annual climate change questionnaire that covers governance, targets, scope 3 emissions and value chain engagement. The top 8 percent of assessed companies were selected as 2021 Supplier Engagement Leaders.
“We are honored to be recognized by the CDP as a 2021 Supplier Engagement Leader,” said Universal Chairman, President and CEO George C. Freeman III in a statement. “At Universal, we are committed to setting high standards of social and environmental performance and working in partnership with our suppliers to reinforce the sustainability of our supply chains and meet our climate change goals.”
Earlier, CDP recognized Pyxus International, Altria Group and Imperial Tobacco for their efforts to promote sustainability.
February 15, 2022
Imperial Recognized for Climate Action

Imperial Brands has won continued recognition as a global leader for its engagement with suppliers on strategies to combat climate change.
The business has been included on the 2021 Supplier Engagement Leaderboard compiled by environmental nonprofit organization CDP.
This is the third successive year that Imperial has been named a Supplier Engagement Leader.
In December, Imperial maintained its position on CDP’s Climate ‘A List’ for its actions to cut emissions and mitigate climate risks.
Companies responding to the full version of the CDP climate change questionnaire also receive a Supplier Engagement Rating (SER). The companies with the best SER are highlighted as Supplier Engagement Leaders—which this year are the top 8 percent of companies to have made disclosures.
“We are pleased to once again be recognized by CDP, and we remain unrelenting in our focus on climate, in line with our commitment to reach net-zero global emissions by 2040,” said Imperial’s Global ESG Director Tony Dunnage in a statement.
February 10, 2022
Pyxus Recognized for Climate Efforts

Photo: Tobacco Reporter archive
Pyxus International has been recognized by CDP for its coordinated action to address climate change, water security and deforestation. CDP is a global nonprofit that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions.
Based on the data reported by the company through CDP’s annual environmental disclosure and scoring process, Pyxus achieved a B score for its performance in the environmental focus areas of climate change and water security, and a B- score for its efforts to address deforestation. CDP’s scoring scale ranges from an A to a D-.
Pyxus’ scores reflect the data compiled from its family of companies and brands, was scored by CDP-accredited scoring partners and measured against nearly 12,000 entities as part of this year’s process.
“As a global agricultural company, Pyxus is uniquely positioned to create a positive impact on the environment in a number of regions across our supply chain,” said Pieter Sikkel, president and chief executive officer of Pyxus, in a statement. “CDP’s recognition of our environmental transparency and action reaffirms the importance of our business’ ESG strategy and the strides we are making to leave the world better than we found it.”
In December 2021, Pyxus unveiled the framework of its environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy, building off the company’s legacy of sustainable agricultural production. Implementing sustainable solutions that further improve the company’s environmental performance and reduce its environmental footprint is one of three key pillars outlined in the framework.
“Pyxus’ 2021 CDP scores can be attributed to a series of successful company initiatives—from helping farmers transition to sustainable fuel sources to planting millions of trees worldwide—that are part of our overall strategy to reach net-zero value chain emissions by 2050 and zero net global deforestation by 2030,” said Sikkel.
“Our company has an important role to play in addressing climate change and we are committed to working with farmers to help them reduce their carbon footprints. We are proud to be recognized by CDP for our efforts and look forward to continuing to share more about our climate change initiatives in the future.”
Pyxus began reporting its greenhouse gas emissions to CDP in 2009, its water data in 2014 and its forestry data in 2020.
February 7, 2022
Tobacco Recognized for Environmental Initiatives
CDP has recognized Philip Morris International, Japan Tobacco, Imperial Brands and Altria Group for their environmental leadership.
PMI received CDP’s “Triple A” score, recognizing the company’s environmental performance in tackling climate change as well as protecting forests and water security.
“External validation from organizations like CDP encourages us to continue on our journey to create a net-positive impact on society,” said PMI Chief Sustainability Officer Jennifer Motles, in a statement. “We are humbled PMI has received CDP’s Triple A distinction for a second time.”
Japan Tobacco made CDP’s A List for the third consecutive year.
“We are delighted to be included in the CDP’s Climate Change A List and Water Security A List for the third consecutive year,” said Kazuhito Yamashita, member of the board and senior vice president, chief sustainability, in a statement. “This clearly reflects our continued efforts to reduce our environmental footprint and expand our transparency in disclosing information.”
Imperial Brands made CDP’s climate change A List for a third successive year.
“We have a good track record in minimizing our impact on the environment and are committed to rapidly stepping up the decisive actions required to combat climate change,” said Imperial Brands Global ESG Director Tony Dunnag in a statement.
Altria was recognized by CDP for a second consecutive year with a double A rating for tackling climate change and protecting water security.
“We are committed to conserving the natural resources on which our businesses and communities rely,” said Jennifer Hunter, senior vice president, corporate citizenship at Altria in a statement. “As the latest science makes clear, the global community needs to quickly increase the ambition and progress of environmental targets, build climate resilient businesses and prepare for the net zero economy. Altria is committed to doing our part.”
CDP is a not-for-profit charity that runs a global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities and regions to manage their environmental impacts. Its process is acknowledged as the gold standard of corporate environmental transparency.
The organization’s full 2021 A List of companies is available here.
December 7, 2021