The Net Zero for Professionals course examines the concept and context of net zero, along with expert guidance on how to create a business case, measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and calculate the carbon footprint for a baseline year, set SBTi (Science-based Target initiative) targets, and how to implement the plans.

‘I had been involved in creating the Volac ESG (environmental, social and governance) and carbon reduction strategy on the route towards 2045. However, going on the Net Zero for Professionals course with the Energy Institute (EI) gave me deeper insight and has helped confirm my understanding of the net zero concept. The face-to-face learning was just what I was looking for, and being able to debate the subject with the lecturers and other students was invaluable in assisting my learning experience,’ said Johnson.

EI course attendance provides energy-related training as part of a company’s journey towards completing its net zero ambitions by 2045. Volac operates seven production facilities (four of them in the UK, one in the US, one in Indonesia and one in Malaysia) manufacturing and supplying dairy nutrition products to the global market.

The company had already taken steps to started reducing its carbon emissions but had not aligned all its actions towards the company’s wide-ranging activities. To move forward, it started looking at all the individual changes that had already been completed, such as the removal of heavy fuel oil use (2013), the introduction of the ISO 50001 energy management standard (2014), the installation of a biomass CHP (combined heat and power) unit (2016), the procurement of green electricity (2018), right up to assessment of the initial carbon footprint.  

As part of a developing ESG strategy, Volac completed an initial carbon footprint assessment with the support of an external consultancy (based on 2021 full year limited base data) and is aiming to have fully agreed and costed net zero roadmaps by the end of 2024.

A wider business strategy decision to split the organisation into ‘animal’ and ‘whey’ nutrition products meant that Volac needed to create an aligned carbon reduction roadmap that could be split between the two divisions. To ensure its journey was aligned, the company held discussions with multiple suppliers and customers to understand their specific journeys and timeframes to reach net zero and created a positional ranking. After continuing discussions and information gathering internally across both divisions, Volac was able to map out its environmental roadmap for carbon reduction towards a net zero goal of 2045 (see Box).

The two divisions within Volac have both committed to the 2045 date and created their own respective roadmaps, which include ‘provisional’ milestone points that will be firmed up after the next stage of data analysis has been completed. Due to manufacturing differences, each divisional roadmap is slightly different but follows the same trajectories. 

The Animal Nutrition division has been focusing on completing specific product carbon footprints. This can help with understanding the impact across the wider dairy industry of the various products that Volac produces. It has also engaged in a renewable energy study at its largest site in Port Talbot, South Wales, to see how it can minimise reliance on grid energy supplies.

The Whey Nutrition division has been focusing on development of renewable energy at its largest site in Felinfach (Powys, Wales), which accounts for about 90–95% of Volac’s total energy usage, to see how it can minimise its reliance on external energy sources. The site is actively investigating the installation of an anaerobic digestor (AD plant) to reduce its reliance on LNG and grid electricity.  

In early 2024, Volac also initiated a Scope 3 screening exercise to determine the materiality of its wider business impacts across the full carbon spectrum. Once this is completed, a full carbon footprint re-measure will be undertaken to facilitate the creation of a net zero plan with agreed milestones and costings that can be then used to gain SBTi accreditation.

According to the Energy Institute Energy & Carbon Management Lead Apostolos Gkrimpas: ‘One of the Energy Institute’s key objectives is to attract, develop and equip the diverse future workforce to support the much-needed energy transition. Our recently developed training course allows participants to develop a solid understanding of the concept of net zero and also covers a range of practical elements ranging from calculating a carbon footprint and setting carbon reduction targets to implementation aspects.’

The next Net Zero for Professionals course is scheduled for 18–19 November 2024 in London.