Associated British Foods PLC

ABF is both diversified and decentralised. We wholly support policies that are aligned with the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement to limit the rise in global temperatures to well below 2˚C above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5˚C. We are successful because we trust the people who run our businesses. Close to their markets, they use their knowledge, skills and judgement to serve their customers. The Group provides a framework of expectations and engages with our business leaders, but it doesn't dictate the specific agendas or methods used by the businesses, which operate within unique markets where solutions to complex sustainability issues may vary. Our Group Company Secretary acts as a focal point for corporate governance and corporate responsibility communications. This role regularly liaises with Corporate Responsibility, Public Relations and other advocacy-related roles within the businesses to ensure alignment. This happens when required and through a formal annual reporting process whereby the businesses provide information on their internal activities, work with their value chain and any public policy activities related to a range of corporate responsibility issues including water stewardship. Any public policy engagement conducted by the businesses must be approved at a senior level. The businesses review engagement activities to ensure they are aware of current and future legislation that will impact their value chains. Policy engagement covers energy, waste, water and other issues that the businesses and the group as a whole consider to represent a risk or an opportunity. Engagement activities are reviewed at least annually to ensure alignment with group strategy and the policy landscape.

ABF as a group and our individual businesses are impacted by changes in laws and public policy such as climate and other environmental-related matters, and we engage with governments to contribute to, and anticipate, important changes in public policy. We recognise that climate change is a material risk, posing challenges for some of our businesses worldwide and throughout our supply chains. We support policies that are aligned with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement to limit the rise in global temperatures to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This year we have established a steering committee to oversee the governance of our TCFD programme. Given that climate change runs across all businesses and functions, the steering committee includes senior group functional representation from Corporate Social Responsibility, EHS, Finance, Risk Management and Corporate Affairs, together with senior representation from AB Sugar and Primark. The Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary has overall accountability to the Chief Executive for corporate responsibility issues and acts as the focal point for communications to the Board and with shareholders on corporate responsibility matters. The Group Corporate Responsibility Director, who reports to the Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary, is responsible for monitoring climate-related activities across the Group and for reviewing the robustness of external non-financial targets set by each of our businesses. She leads the Corporate Responsibility Hub, which supports all our businesses on environmental and human rights issues and brings together all the professionals in our businesses working in these areas to share knowledge and best practice. Our Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary and Group Corporate Responsibility Director liaise with Public Relations and other advocacy-related roles within the businesses to ensure alignment on key environmental topics. This is carried out on an ad-hoc basis when required and through a formal annual reporting process whereby the businesses provide information on their internal activities, work with their value chain and any public policy activities related to a range of corporate responsibility issues including climate change. Any public policy engagement conducted by the businesses must be approved at a senior level.

Whilst each business prepares and executes emission technologies, managing climate-related risks across their own transition plans, the Board has the value-chain, and partnering to innovate at factories across Green cane harvesting overall accountability for the transition plan. Transition plans were reviewed by the Board There are assumptions on low-emission technologies for hydrocarbons and government regulations surrounding biogas in June. The Board reviews these plans to that underpin these goals. The above short- and medium-term ensure they align and further the Group's goals have been identified to achieve ABF Sugar's 2030 transition to a low-carbon economy. The Board commitments. economy. These are a sample of the projects ABF Sugar has delivered, there is a larger number and carbon impact. will receive an update annually on the status These goals have been set in line with the Science Based and execution of the transition plans with the Targets Initiative ('SBTi'). ABF Sugar's emissions reduction transition plans being revised every three years, or sooner if a material event occurs. target will be validated by the SBTi throughout 2023, with the aim of completion before the end of the calendar year. In alignment with the best practice, ABF Sugar will need to develop a strategy to neutralise residual emissions that will not Newark decalcification (February Calcium was removed from thin juice to prevent evaporator scaling. This enables ABF Sugar be abated through emissions reductions initiatives in the future. 2018 – September 2022)* evaporators to operate more energy efficiently, leading to a 0.3% decrease in carbon ABF Sugar is committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 The progress of each project is monitored by a defined emissions (3,302 tCO2e). emissions by 30% from a 2018 baseline by 2030. ABF Sugar is governance structure which aligns with the capital and Newark heater (October 2018 – Several new heaters have facilitated improved heat transfer and improved energy undergoing a project to measure Scope 3 emissions. Once this performance improvement programme quarterly review. This is September 2022)* performance, leading to a 0.2% decrease in carbon emissions (1,758 tCO2e). is completed, they will be considered. This transition plan explains owned by the Head of Advocacy who monitors each project Wissington gas turbine Gas turbine performance has been improved, leading to a 1% decrease in carbon the activities ABF Sugar has planned to ensure that it can meet with appropriate metrics. Progress against the transition plan performance recovery (July 2017 emissions (10,407 tCO2e). this commitment. is also monitored as part of this process. – September 2019)*

The Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary has overall accountability to the Chief Executive for corporate responsibility issues, including climate change, and acts as the focal point for communications to the Board and with shareholders on corporate responsibility matters. Responsibility lies here because The Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary reports to the CEO and therefore has the ability to review, influence and monitor climate activities at a group level. [...] The Group Corporate Responsibility Director, who reports to the Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary, is responsible for monitoring climate-related activities across the Group and for reviewing the robustness of external non-financial targets set by our businesses. This role leads the Corporate Responsibility Hub, which supports all our businesses on environmental and human rights issues and brings together all the professionals in our businesses working in these areas to share knowledge and best practice. The Group Corporate Responsibility Director chairs the CR Leaders Group has representatives from the businesses and group-level finance, procurement, risk and communications. This leadership group meets throughout the year to discuss and address group-wide and business- or geographic-specific issues such as climate change, water stewardship and deforestation.

Describe the process(es) your organization has in place to ensure that your engagement activities are consistent with your overall climate change strategy[…]ABF as a group and our individual businesses are impacted by changes in laws and public policy such as climate and other environmental-related matters, and we engage with governments to contribute to, and anticipate, important changes in public policy. We recognise that climate change is a material risk, posing challenges for some of our businesses worldwide and throughout our supply chains. We support policies that are aligned with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement to limit the rise in global temperatures to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
This year we have established a steering committee to oversee the governance of our TCFD programme. Given that climate change runs across all businesses and functions, the steering committee includes senior group functional representation from Corporate Social Responsibility, EHS, Finance, Risk Management and Corporate Affairs, together with senior representation from AB Sugar and Primark. The Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary has overall accountability to the Chief Executive for corporate responsibility issues and acts as the focal point for communications to the Board and with shareholders on corporate responsibility matters.
The Group Corporate Responsibility Director, who reports to the Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary, is responsible for monitoring climate-related activities across the Group and for reviewing the robustness of external non-financial targets set by each of our businesses. She leads the Corporate Responsibility Hub, which supports all our businesses on environmental and human rights issues and brings together all the professionals in our businesses working in these areas to share knowledge and best practice.
Our Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary and Group Corporate Responsibility Director liaise with Public Relations and other advocacy-related roles within the businesses to ensure alignment on key environmental topics. This is carried out on an ad-hoc basis when required and through a formal annual reporting process whereby the businesses provide information on their internal activities, work with their value chain and any public policy activities related to a range of corporate responsibility issues including climate change. Any public policy engagement conducted by the businesses must be approved at a senior level.

Does your organization have a public commitment or position statement to conduct your engagement activities in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement?[…]Yes