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BAT joins call for action on biodiversity

PRESS RELEASE

27 OCTOBER 2022

BAT joins call for action on biodiversity

  • BAT joins 300+ leading companies in signing Business for Nature’s call  to protect and restore biodiversity
  •  Signatories including BAT are pushing for mandatory requirements for businesses and financial institutions to disclose biodiversity impacts
  •  BAT is committed to protecting biodiversity, which complements its work to combat climate change.
     

Governments from around the world are set to convene in Canada in December for the COP-15 UN Biodiversity Conference , to agree upon new goals for nature through a Global Biodiversity Framework. This collective action from the business community urges governments taking part to implement mandatory requirements for large and transnational businesses and financial institutions. This would require them to assess and disclose their impacts and dependencies on biodiversity by 2030.

BAT is one of 300+ leading global companies that have signed this call to action by Business for Nature , a global business coalition, asking governments to strengthen legislation protecting biodiversity.


Mike Nightingale, Chief Sustainability Officer at BAT, said: “At BAT we are committed to protecting biodiversity. Last year, we signed up to Business for Nature’s initial call to action for policies to reverse nature loss, and we are now showing our support for mandatory reporting.

Creating a level playing field for businesses, increasing accountability to investors and consumers, and empowering local communities are only a few of the benefits. We will continue to advance sustainable agriculture practices, while reporting on our progress, as part of our purpose to build A Better Tomorrow™.”

BAT has committed to achieving the following afforestation and biodiversity goals:

  •  No gross deforestation of primary native forests1
  •  Net zero deforestation of managed forests in our supply chain by 20252 and
  •  Net positive impact on forests in our tobacco leaf supply chain by 20253
     

Actions undertaken by BAT in this area include:

  •  Supporting 18 afforestation, biodiversity, and environmental conservation programmes in 13 countries. Over four decades, BAT has distributed around 400 million tree saplings.
  •  Providing training in forest, biodiversity and soil management to tobacco farmers.
  •  Sustainably sourcing paper and pulp volumes purchased for primary product packaging with 100% certified as sustainably sourced and 89% for all paper and pulp volumes including secondary packaging and paper used for our products and marketing materials.
  •  In 2021, BAT introduced pilot satellite monitoring systems of native forests to track, prevent, and act against deforestation and map forest biodiversity.

BAT has been repeatedly recognised for its sustainability achievements, including receiving the highest gold class in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2022, and being named a Climate Leader by the Financial Times in 2022.


Footnotes

 

  1. The scope of our supply chain for this commitment covers our tobacco leaf and paper and pulp-based products supply chains. With respect to our tobacco leaf supply chain, this commitment relates to BAT contracted farmers and farmers contracted to our strategic third-party suppliers, representing more than 80% of our total leaf purchases in 2021, as reported via our THRIVE assessments (which collect a range of data on sustainable agriculture and farmer livelihoods). For pulp and paper-based supply chain, in 2021, this commitment focused solely on net zero deforestation for primary packaging (i.e. a material that is in direct contact with the final product) and fine papers for cigarettes and tobacco heating products, achieved by ensuring that such materials used were certified ‘sustainably sourced’ in consideration of deforestation. Certified ‘sustainably sourced’ means that the material is sourced with specific certification related to chain of custody (e.g. FSC/PEFC). BAT will undertake spot verification of these certifications where appropriate.
  2. The scope of our supply chain for this commitment covers our tobacco leaf and paper and pulp-based products supply chains. With respect to our tobacco leaf supply chain, this commitment relates to BAT contracted farmers and farmers contracted to our strategic third-party suppliers, representing more than 80% of our total leaf purchases in 2021, as reported via our THRIVE assessments (which collect a range of data on sustainable agriculture and farmer livelihoods). For pulp and paper-based supply chain, our 2025 commitment builds on the progress we made in working towards our 2021 commitment (as described in footnote 1 above). As such, expanding on the 2021 commitment, our 2025 commitment covers net zero deforestation by 2025 for all paper and pulp-based materials, to be achieved by ensuring that all such materials we use are certified ‘sustainably sourced’ in consideration of deforestation. All paper and pulp-based materials cover: board & paper for primary packaging (i.e. a material that is in direct contact with the final product); board & paper for secondary packaging; fine papers for cigarettes and tobacco heating products; and cellulose acetate tow for filters and marketing materials. Certified ‘sustainably sourced’ means that the material is sourced with specific certification related to chain of custody (e.g. FSC/PEFC). BAT will undertake spot verification of these certifications where appropriate.
  3. Our ‘tobacco leaf supply chain’ in this commitment covers BAT contracted farmers and farmers contracted to our strategic third-party suppliers, representing more than 80% of our total leaf purchases in 2021, as reported via our THRIVE assessments (which collect a range of data on sustainable agriculture and farmer livelihoods).


BAT’s most recent sustainability reports can be found at the following links:

About Business for Nature


Business for Nature is a global coalition of 75+ influential organizations and forward-thinking companies, demonstrating a credible business voice calling for policies to reverse nature loss this decade. Visit www.businessfornature.org  for more information.

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Forward-looking statements


This release contains certain forward-looking statements, including "forward-looking" statements made within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "believe," "anticipate," "could," "may," "would," "should," "intend," "plan," "potential," "predict," "will," "expect," "estimate," "project," "positioned," "strategy," "outlook", "target" and similar expressions. These include statements regarding our customer target ambition, New Categories revenue targets and our ESG targets.
 

All such forward-looking statements involve estimates and assumptions that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors. It is believed that the expectations reflected in this release are reasonable but they may be affected by a wide range of variables that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. A review of the reasons why actual results and developments may differ materially from the expectations disclosed or implied within forward-looking statements can be found by referring to the information contained under the headings “Cautionary Statement” and "Group Principal Risks " in the 2021 Annual Report and Form 20-F of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BAT).
 

Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in BAT's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including the Annual Report on Form 20-F and Current Reports on Form 6-K, which may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's website, http://www.sec.gov and BAT’s Annual Reports, which may be obtained free of charge from the BAT website www.bat.com.
 

Past performance is no guide to future performance and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser. The forward-looking statements reflect knowledge and information available at the date of preparation of this release and BAT undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.