The global climate crisis is growing, and it requires everyone to create change. We are working to strengthen Dolby’s initiatives to combat the impacts of climate change on our planet, people, and communities by continuously challenging ourselves to identify opportunities to reduce waste, conserve water, and improve the efficiency of our operations and the products we make.
Dolby is committed to the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. We’ve advanced our long-term strategy, including attaining 100% renewable electricity for our global operations three years ahead of plan, and developing science-based targets to guide meaningful emissions reductions.
In 2022, we prioritized improvements to the company’s emissions data internally and across its value chain, identified ways to mitigate emissions in line with our climate commitments, prioritized low carbon energy consumption and production by funding our first on-site solar array, and worked with trusted partners to procure renewable electricity and high-quality carbon offsets.
Dolby’s Journey to Carbon Neutrality
Setting Science-Based Targets
In 2021, we launched a goal setting process to develop science-based targets (SBTs) in alignment with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) criteria version 5.0. We have identified our most significant emissions reductions and submitted our SBTs for validation by SBTi. We expect our targets to be validated in 2023, and then we intend to disclose our progress annually.
Dolby invests in high-quality carbon offset projects including household solar energy in India
Our progress thus far is comprised of the development of our science-based targets, which lay the foundation for reducing our emissions, procuring 100% renewable electricity annually, achieving CarbonNeutral® business travel certification, and providing carbon financing for high-quality offset projects. We prioritize projects that deliver environmental benefits as well as social benefits aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our current carbon offset projects include Afforestation in mainland China and Household Solar Energy in India. Our actions related to achieving carbon neutrality are in alignment with The CarbonNeutral Protocol.
Our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory for 2022 is inclusive of all Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions sources, as well as all relevant upstream and downstream Scope 3 activities. As in prior years, Scopes 1 and 2 account for a relatively small share of total emissions at 5%, while the remaining 95% of emissions stem from our Scope 3 upstream and downstream value chain activities.
Efforts to reduce our carbon footprint include:
Scope 1 (direct GHG emissions from operations that are owned or controlled by Dolby)
- We will pursue projects that support the responsible consumption and production of energy, including targeted feasibility assessments and subsequent replacement of natural gas consuming equipment.
Scope 2 (indirect GHG emissions from the generation of purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heating, or cooling consumed by Dolby)
- We are committed to the goal of maintaining 100% renewable electricity across our global operations. In 2022, we achieved 100% renewable electricity three years ahead of plan.
Scope 3 (indirect emissions that occur in the value chain of Dolby)
- We have established a set of emissions reduction measures focused on our supply chain, use of sold products, and business travel. These were amongst our largest sources of emissions in our 2019 base year.
Detailed data and more information on our plans to reduce our emissions can be found in our 2022 Sustainability Report.
Progressing Toward a Sustainable Built Environment
We create healthy and inspiring workspaces for our employees around the world. As part of that commitment, we employ sustainable building practices by taking an environment first approach and occupying, whenever possible, buildings with green building certifications (e.g., Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)).
Our headquarters building in San Francisco is LEED Gold certified, our Wroclaw office in Poland is LEED Platinum certified, and Dolby also has offices in LEED certified buildings in Munich, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Singapore. Our total LEED certified building space accounts for nearly half of our total office space.
Dolby’s building in Wroclaw, Poland is LEED Platinum certified
Engaging with our Value Chain
In 2022, amongst our largest sources of emissions were Purchased Goods and Services (including Capital Goods), Use of Sold Products and Business Travel, consistent with our 2019 baseline year. As such, these categories are the focus of our Scope 3 emissions reduction measures.
Through a supplier emissions assessment, we identified our most emissions-intensive suppliers. We plan to engage these suppliers on our climate commitments and encourage them to set their own science-based targets.
To reduce the carbon intensity of our product offerings, we’ve identified a series of energy efficiency upgrades that we plan to implement over the coming years. To drive down travel-related emissions, we are aiming to reduce overall business air travel and encourage employees to take flights that use Sustainable Aviation Fuel as this option becomes more readily available.
Reducing our carbon footprint
We employ sustainable building practices at many of our office locations by taking an environment-first approach and occupying, whenever possible, buildings with green building certifications (e.g.,LEED). Our Wroclaw office in Poland is LEED Platinum certified and our headquarters in San Francisco is LEED Gold certified. As part of the LEED Gold certification at our headquarters, we have lighting controls and motion sensors to reduce energy usage and LED lighting throughout the workspace to significantly decrease power consumption. Dolby also has offices in LEED-certified buildings in Munich, Beijing and Shenzhen.
Dolby sites in San Francisco, Sunnyvale, Los Angeles, Denver, and Sydney are all powered by 100% renewable electricity as are two data center co-locations in Amsterdam and Las Vegas. We are also developing onsite solar capacity at our Sunnyvale location.
By 2025, we intend to reach 100% renewable electricity by purchasing and generating enough renewable energy to match our total electricity consumption globally.
In measuring our carbon footprint across our entire value chain, we learned that our operations account for 4% of our total emissions, with the remaining 96% of emissions coming from our upstream and downstream activities (Scope 3).
We are currently in the process of setting emissions reduction targets for the largest sources of our Scope 3 emissions which are Purchased Goods and Services (including Capital Goods), the Use of Sold Products and Business Travel, with the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.
In the interim, we purchase high-quality carbon offsets to compensate for emissions from business travel. In addition to their environmental benefits, the selected projects address social impact priorities including education, gender equity, poverty, economic growth and health. These projects include afforestation in China, household solar energy in India and Gyapa efficient cookstoves in Ghana.
Learn more
For more information on Dolby’s environmental, social and governance efforts, visit the Sustainability@Dolby page.