Scottish Leather Group (SLG), parent company of the Muirhead aviation leather supplier, has announced that it has achieved net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for Scope 1 and Scope 2 across its manufacturing operations. The sustainability milestone, reached through the company’s Journey to Zero initiative established in 2004, has been achieved while maintaining production levels.
Achieving net zero for Scope 1 and Scope 2 supports aviation customers seeking to reduce the carbon footprint of materials entering their supply chains. As customers increasingly focus on reducing their own emissions, lower emissions in manufacturing directly improve overall product impact.
According to SLG its early efforts towards net-zero concentrated on energy efficiency and system optimisation. This included centralising energy systems, which reduced energy consumption by approximately 40% within the first five years.
Subsequent progress required increased investment and technical innovation. Initiatives included developing renewable heat capability through the company’s patented Thermal Energy Plant (TEP), commitments to renewable energy, and infrastructure projects such as on-site solar generation. Together, these measures have changed how energy is generated and used within the company’s manufacturing processes.
By managing energy, waste, and material flow within its own operations, Scottish Leather Group has developed a manufacturing model that minimises environmental impact while improving operational resilience. The initiative has lowered the carbon intensity of the energy used in production, which is more meaningful than achieving savings by reducing output.
Having achieved net zero for Scope 1 and Scope 2, SLG will continue to focus on reducing Scope 3 emissions in line with its externally verified Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitments. These include a targeted 48% reduction of Scope 3 Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) emissions by 2034, involving continued collaboration with suppliers and further integration of lower-impact materials across the value chain.
“This milestone represents an important step in our ongoing Journey to Zero, as we continue to focus on reducing our wider Scope 3 impact across the value chain,” said Dr Warren Bowden, head of innovation and sustainability at SLG.
