Princes: From Deadline Crunch to SBTi FLAG Success

About Princes

Princes Group is an international food and drink conglomerate employing over 7,000 people across 14 global production sites. The company specializes in manufacturing, importing, and distributing branded and own-brand products, including canned fish and meat, edible oils, and soft drinks. With a robust sustainability strategy aligned to the Paris Agreement and the 2030 GreenGoals Programme, Princes aims to reduce its manufacturing footprint, drive sustainable supply chain practices, and promote low-carbon business operations. Princes is also committed to sustainability initiatives such as the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), pledging that 100% of its UK-branded tuna (75 million cans, or 11,000 tonnes per year) will be MSC-certified by 2025.

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The Challenge

In October 2022, Princes committed to setting Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Near-Term and Net Zero targets, with a two-year submission window. However, the introduction of new Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) guidance by SBTi significantly complicated this process. The company faced an accelerated deadline—only four months—to grasp the complex FLAG requirements, complete six comprehensive SBTi submission forms (covering Net Zero, Near-Term, and FLAG), and secure internal stakeholder alignment and board approval.

A particular challenge was accurately separating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into FLAG and non-FLAG categories. Princes’ lean sustainability team, interacting with hundreds of suppliers and lacking detailed ingredient-level data, urgently needed expert guidance to prevent their SBTi commitment from lapsing, which would negatively impact their credibility and stakeholder relations.

The Terrascope Approach

Recognizing the urgency, Terrascope provided end-to-end support using its specialized FLAG Module and consulting expertise. Terrascope first delineated Princes’ GHG inventory, clearly categorizing emissions into FLAG subcategories (Land Management Biogenic, Land Management Non-Biogenic, Land Use Change Biogenic, and Land Use Change Non-Biogenic). This step laid a critical foundation for accurate target setting.

Terrascope then developed aligned Near-Term, Net Zero, and FLAG targets, meticulously collecting and mapping relevant documentation according to SBTi formats. Leveraging advanced AI and automation, Terrascope efficiently categorized around 670 FLAG-related emission factors within two days—a process more than 10 times faster than manual calculations. This detailed analysis allowed Princes to accurately calculate FLAG emissions according to SBTi guidelines, including detailed breakdowns by commodity and scope.

Terrascope’s collaborative process included bi-weekly reviews with Princes, precise completion of all required SBTi forms, and strategic guidance for identifying impactful decarbonization priorities based on data-driven emission hotspot analysis. Terrascope’s comprehensive support extended post-submission, addressing any clarifications requested by SBTi to ensure validation success.

The Impact

From project initiation in June 2024 to SBTi form submission in October 2024, Terrascope completed the entire process in just 3.5 months, enabling Princes to meet their critical November 2024 deadline. By February 2025, Princes successfully received official SBTi validation for their targets, highlighting the high quality and accuracy of the submission.

The validated targets provided substantial business value, immediately ensuring regulatory compliance and reinforcing Princes’ public sustainability credibility. Princes now confidently commits to reducing absolute scope 1, 2, and scope 3 energy and industry emissions from purchased goods and services, upstream transportation, distribution, and operational waste by 90% by 2050 (vs. 2022). Princes also pledged a 72% reduction in Scope 3 FLAG emissions by 2050 and is on track to achieve a 36% reduction by 2032 compared to 2022 levels.

Commercially, validated SBTi targets strengthened Princes’ relationships with retail customers who increasingly evaluate supplier sustainability credentials. The validated targets help Princes clearly communicate their sustainability commitments, differentiating the company from competitors through verified, impactful climate action.

Looking ahead, Princes plans to publish these validated targets publicly on the SBTi website, translate commitments into actionable projects, track annual progress, and transparently report their achievements.

By providing targeted technical expertise, automation, and strategic guidance, Terrascope transformed Princes’ significant sustainability challenge into a strategic competitive advantage, establishing a robust framework for ongoing climate action.