Aldi UK and Ireland have been Carbon Neutral for our own operations since 2019

This achievement has been made by continually working to reduce our carbon footprint (Scope 1 & 2 emissions) through buying 100% renewable electricity, using greener refrigerant gases and purchasing carbon offsets for the operational (Scope 1 & 2) emissions we can’t reduce completely just yet.

In 2023, we have selected 6 fantastic carbon offsetting projects to support with our carbon offsetting partner ClimatePartner. You can read more about our partnership here. All of these projects are independently verified schemes.
 

Clean Oceans

Aldi are working in partnership with Plastic Bank to support the Clean Oceans project, which helps remove plastics from our oceans.

Locals from impoverished areas collect plastic waste and exchange it at local Plastic Bank sites for money, food, drinking water or children’s tuition. The plastic is then recycled to make new products.

How do clean oceans help fight global warming?

CO2 offsetting is done through other ClimatePartner’s carbon offset projects, which are certified according to international standards. Every tonne of CO2 offset enables the Plastic Bank initiative to stop 10 kg of plastic waste from entering the ocean. The ocean stores a quarter of the CO2 from the atmosphere and even 93 percent of the heat caused by the greenhouse effect - making it a major brake on climate change. The healthier the ocean, the more carbon that can be stored!

Did you know?…

This project supports 14 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

Forest Protection, Indonesia

The Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve, is home to some of the last remaining endangered Bornean orangutans. This project works to protect their habitat and promote ecosystem health by reforesting degraded areas. The community is supported through activities that include the supply of individual water filters, water purification systems, fire management, solar lighting, libraries, scholarships, micro-enterprises and a floating clinic that delivers health services to the most remote areas.

How does forest protection help fight global warming?

Clean Cookstoves, Nigeria

Over 71 percent of Nigeria’s population cooks on inefficient cookers over open fires. The resulting smoke hurts the health of women, who traditionally spend more time at home and are responsible for cooking. This carbon offset project was created on the initiative of local women, providing clean and efficient cookstoves in Nigeria and involving women as important stakeholders and sales agents.

Aldi are proud to support this initiative, in addition to less smoke, the new cookstoves also have other benefits for the local population: due to the higher efficiency of the stoves, local people save time and money – cooking is faster and less fuel is needed. The use of the more efficient cookstoves saves about 604,520 tonnes of CO2 annually.

How do clean cookstoves help fight global warming?

Solar Energy, India

Aldi are supporting a solar energy project in the city of Ahmedabad, India. The project activity involves the installation of a 120-megawatt solar power plant which provides almost 300,000 megawatt hours of electricity, equivalent to over 16,000 homes’ energy use for one year. In addition to the positive effects on the climate, the project also creates jobs for local people and offers regular training to employees.

How does solar energy help fight global warming?

Wind Energy, India

Aldi are investing in a wind farm in Umrali, India. A total of 19 wind turbines feed clean energy into India’s national power grid. The implementation of the project will improve the infrastructure of the region and it can contribute to the further development of wind power in the area. During construction and operation, local workers will be employed in the project and occupational safety training will be provided.

How does wind power help fight global warming?

Wind Energy, Indonesia

Less than a third of the electricity in Indonesia comes from renewable sources and the country is dependent on importing electricity due to their increasing use. This project has supported the installation of a wind farm in Indonesia. The farm has 30 wind turbines, generating on average 253 gigawatt hours a year, equivalent of charging over 13 million smartphones.