Five practical tips for setting science-based climate targets.

“If climate targets are driven only by the sustainability function, momentum quickly drops. From the outset, we had strong backing from senior leadership. The Executive Board sees climate action as a strategic objective for Bechtle. It helps enormously when decision-makers are open to exploring new approaches that deliver long-term value.”

“Regulatory requirements around climate targets are often highly technical and abstract. Our job is to translate them into terms the organisation can actually work with. Saying ‘we need to cut fleet emissions by 50 per cent’ isn’t enough. We need to explain what modern drive technologies can realistically deliver and how the fleet can actively contribute to emissions reductions. That translation effort is crucial.”

“Early on, we realised that spreadsheets and ad-hoc surveys quickly reach their limits when it comes to data. That’s why we introduced dedicated software and put processes in place that give teams clear ownership of their environmental metrics—captured digitally and in a structured way. Only when emissions are as visible and manageable as financial figures can we truly steer and control them.”

“SBTi‑aligned targets only have an impact if every part of the organisation sees itself as an active contributor. If people don’t fully understand what a target means, they won’t act on it. We’ve found that strong internal communication is critical—especially when it comes to Scope 3, or indirect emissions across the upstream and downstream value chain. Here, it takes ongoing dialogue, clear explanations and sufficient time to bring people on board.”

“Scope 3 is vast—and often intimidating at first. A simple materiality assessment helps create initial clarity. Looking at the 15 categories, a useful starting question is: what are the biggest cost drivers? Estimates based on costs or headcount provide a solid basis for setting priorities. From there, it becomes much easier to identify the most effective levers for reducing emissions.”

With its climate targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), Bechtle is committed to a clear path for reducing CO₂ emissions. In doing so, we are making an active contribution to the 1.5‑degree target.