Sustainability
Orkla is an industrial investment company. Through active ownership of brands and consumer companies, Orkla set requirements and expectations for how Orkla companies work with climate, nature, people and business conduct. Orkla's consolidated sustainability reporting measure progress against the targets set out below.
65.6%
Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2016 (Scope 1 & 2: emissions from our own operations and the energy we buy)
(2025)
88.6%
Share of recyclable content in product packaging by weight. Please note that local collection systems may pose limitations on recycling in practice
(2025)
53.8%
Share of renewable energy of total energy consumption
(2025)
These figures cover the Orkla group as a whole and are reported in the Orkla Annual Report 2025 (E1-4, p. 72 and E1-6.1, p. 74; E5-5.1, p. 91; E1-5.1, p. 73). They do not describe the environmental performance of individual products or brands.
Transparency Act
"Managing material sustainability impacts, risks and opportunities is fundamental to Orkla’s sustainability performance and long-term value creation."
Jeanett Bergan, SVP ESG and Sustainability
Orkla's sustainability targets
Orkla's sustainability targets towards 2030 aim to combine profitable growth with clear environmental and social ambitions. The targets provide Orkla with a clear strategic direction for its work on climate, nature, people and responsible business practices.
Progress towards the targets is embedded in Orkla's strategic processes. As an owner, Orkla expects each portfolio company to contribute with specific actions on the targets that are material to their business, ensuring that sustainability is fully integrated into value creation.
Strategic sustainability targets -
Orkla’s direction towards 2030
The strategic targets identify areas where Orkla has significant influence and where stakeholders expect transformation.
Climate Change
Reduce emissions from own operations and the energy Orkla companies use (“Scope 1 & 2”) by 70% by 2030 compared with 2016 towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
Reduce emissions linked to forestry, land use and agriculture across our value chain (“Scope 3 FLAG”) by 30,3% by 2030 compared with 2020.
Reduce emissions linked to energy and industry across the rest of our value chain (“Scope 3 Energy & Industry”) by 42% by 2030 compared with 2020, towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
Status 2025
Orkla Annual Report 2025, E1-4, p. 72: Scope 1 & 2 emissions were 65.6% below 2016 – on track. Scope 3 FLAG emissions were 14% below 2020 – on track. Scope 3 Energy & Industry emissions were 2.6% above 2020 – off track; reaching this target depends on suppliers and other factors outside Orkla's direct control.
All targets are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Orkla's net-zero transition plan is still under development and has not yet been formally approved (E1-1, p. 68); actions and investments in 2025 are described in E1-3 (pp. 70–71).
Biodiversity
Achieve 100% deforestation- and conversion-free sourcing of prioritised high-risk* raw materials.
Deforestation-free sourcing by 2026 and deforestation- and conversion-free sourcing by 2030. The target applies across Orkla’s portfolio and also covers conversion of other natural ecosystems. (For beef, palm oil, soy, cocoa and timber placed on the EU market, deforestation-free sourcing is also a legal requirement under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).) Metrics to track progress are being established during 2026 (Orkla Annual Report 2025, E4-4, p. 86).
Status 2025
Orkla’s earlier commitment to deforestation-free sourcing of its primary deforestation-linked commodities by the end of 2025 could not be measured for 2025, because accepted methodologies no longer allow sourcing from low-risk countries to be used as a proxy for deforestation-free sourcing and the application of the EUDR was postponed. Orkla will report on progress from 2026 (Orkla Annual Report 2025, ORK.E4, p. 87).
Cross Topical
Ensure 100% of prioritized high-risk** raw materials are certified or with programs by 2030. Status 2025:
Status 2025
62.8% of prioritised high-risk raw materials were certified or covered by programmes – on track towards 100% by 2030
(Orkla Annual Report 2025, E4-4, p. 86).
Circular Economy
Reach 100% of packaging from our businesses both inside and outside Europe to be designed for recycling by 2030.
(In Europe, this is required by the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, including its design-for-recycling requirements from 2030).
Status 2025
Metrics to track progress are being established during 2026
(Orkla Annual Report 2025, E5-3, p. 90).
Foundational sustainability targets
and expectations
The foundational targets and expectations do not require strategic transformation but represent responsible, safe and fair business conduct every day.
Environmental
- Orkla ASA, as owner, expects all portfolio companies (including local Orkla businesses) to demonstrate continuous improvement in reducing water and energy consumption and intensity in their own operations.
- No quantified group target has been adopted yet: metrics, base-year values and a specific target are being established during 2026 (Annual Report 2025, section E1‑4, p. 72, and section E3‑3, p. 81).
Status 2025
Total energy consumption in own operations was 1,017,799 MWh (2024: 1,020,270 MWh), energy intensity was unchanged at 14 MWh per NOK million in net revenue, and the share of renewable energy was 53.8% (2024: 54.3%) (section E1‑5, p. 73).
Total water consumption was 1,894,778 m³ (2024: 1,803,688 m³) and water intensity 26.5 m³ per NOK million (2024: 25.5), mainly because additional production sites were included in the reporting; total water withdrawals and discharges decreased (section E3‑4, p. 81).
Actions taken and investments decided in 2025 are described in sections E1‑3 (pp. 70–71) and E3‑2 (p. 80). Progress is reported annually in the sustainability statement in Orkla's Annual Report, which has been reviewed by Orkla's independent auditor, Ernst & Young AS, in a limited assurance engagement – a review that gives a lower level of assurance than a full audit (Independent sustainability auditor's limited assurance report, Annual Report 2025, pp. 252–253).
Social
- Pay adequate wage to all employees.
- No work-related fatalities and serious injuries, and steady low rate of work-related injuries.
- 40% representation of each gender among portfolio companies BoDs, management teams*** and employees.
- No serious product safety incidents.
Status 2025
Orkla Annual Report 2025 ., S1‑5, p. 96: 99.5% of employees received an adequate wage (target: 100% by 2026); no work‑related fatalities; boards of 6 of 11 portfolio companies, top management teams of 3 of 11 and the total workforce of 8 of 11 companies were within the 40–60% gender balance range.
Metrics for product safety, portfolio health profile and business conduct will be established during 2026 (S4‑5, p. 111; G1, p. 119).
Governance
Demonstrate continuous efforts in:
- promoting a culture of integrity and commitment to Orkla's business conduct compliance program.
- adequate third-party risk management.
- improving health profile of the company's portfolio.
Target details
For each target, the definition, base year, 2025 status, actions taken and resources allocated are set out in the sustainability statement (chapter 2.3) of Orkla Annual Report 2025 .
Overview of all targets and the impacts they address: ESRS 2 SBM‑1.1, p. 53
- Climate: Transition plan E1‑1 (p. 68), actions and resources E1‑3 (p. 70–71), progress towards targets E1‑4 (p. 72)
- Water and energy: E1‑4 (p. 72), E1‑5 (p. 73), E3‑2 (p. 80), E3‑3 and E3‑4 (p. 81)
- Deforestation and high‑risk raw materials:
- E4‑3 (p. 85), E4‑4 (p. 86), ORK.E4 (p. 87)
- Packaging: E5‑2 (p. 88), E5‑3 (p. 90)
- Own workforce: S1‑5 (p. 96)
- Consumers and end‑users: S4‑5 (p. 111)
- Business conduct: G1 (p.119)
- Third-party risk management: S2-5 (p. 104)
The sustainability statement has been reviewed by Orkla's independent auditor, Ernst & Young AS, in a limited assurance engagement – a review that gives a lower level of assurance than a full audit. The Independent sustainability auditor's limited assurance report is on pp. 252–253 of the Annual Report 2025.
* High risk for deforestation : beef, palm oil, soy, cocoa, and timber & wood fiber.
** High risk for e.g. child- and forced labour, inadequate working conditions and wages and negative biodiversity and animal welfare impacts.
*** Orkla ASA and portfolio companies top management teams.