The Symphony Group achieves SBTi approval for near-term, net zero and FLAG reduction targets

The Symphony Group is the UK’s largest privately owned manufacturer of fitted kitchen and bedroom furniture, turning over £345 million with around 1,900 employees. To get Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validation, Symphony needed Action Sustainability’s support to create a carbon baseline built to GHG Protocol standards.

Existing Scope 1 and 2 data needed checking, and Scope 3 data was minimal. Symphony had supply chain activity data that had been created from previous consultancy work with Action Sustainability, with the rest of the Scope 3 dataset needing to be calculated from scratch. As wood makes up such a large share of what Symphony manufactures, they also had to calculate forestry, land and agriculture (FLAG) emissions, a category most manufacturers never touch.

To support Symphony in achieving SBTi validation, Action Sustainability delivered a structured and collaborative approach that included:

Scope Definition and Screening: We worked with Symphony to assess their organisational scope and boundaries, establishing the right consolidation approach and identifying the material emissions scopes and categories, aligned with the GHG Protocol.

Data Collection and Baseline Development: We worked closely with internal stakeholders to collect, verify and consolidate emissions data, closing data gaps along the way, which let us build a robust baseline GHG footprint aligned with GHG Protocol guidance and SBTi standards. We also worked with Symphony, using existing EPDs, activity data and spend data available, to calculate FLAG emissions. Action Sustainability calculated the FLAG fossil fuel, biogenic and land use change emissions associated with timber and wood products.

SBTi Submission Support: We worked with Symphony to input all necessary information into the SBTi portal, then continued to support them through the validation process by responding to technical queries and helping secure a successful outcome.

Action Sustainability supported Symphony throughout the SBTi validation process, developing their GHG baseline, submitting via the SBTi portal, and answering queries from the SBTi validation team. The outcome of this project led to the successful validation of Symphony’s carbon reduction targets. In the near-term, Symphony has committed to the following:

• The Symphony Group commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 42.0% by 2030 from a 2023 base year.
• The Symphony Group commits to reduce scope 3 GHG emissions 66.33% per GBP value added by 2035 from a 2023 base year.
• The Symphony Group commits to reduce absolute scope 3 FLAG GHG emissions 45.5% by 2035 from a 2023 base year.
• The Symphony Group commits to maintaining no deforestation across its primary deforestation-linked commodities.

Symphony has also established long-term commitments, in order to achieve net zero by 2050.