LAUSANNE, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE: PM) today announced its sustainability efforts have been recognized by two leading environmental organizations: CDP, the international nonprofit whose global disclosure system is used by investors, companies, and municipalities to measure and manage their environmental impacts, and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which drives ambitious climate action in the private sector by enabling companies to set meaningful emissions reduction targets.

André Calantzopoulos, PMI’s CEO, said, “Strong action must be taken to reduce the risks of climate change impacts and stop the destruction of nature. At PMI, we are investing in innovative programs and taking a multidisciplinary approach to reduce the environmental impact of our products, operations, and value chain.” He continued, “We firmly believe that by integrating sustainability into every aspect of our company, we will have a positive impact on both the long-term resilience of our business and the well-being of society. The validation of our efforts by CDP and SBTi reinforces that we’re on the right path and demonstrates the commitment of our teams and suppliers, who play an essential role in making our sustainability ambitions a reality.”

CDP has recognized PMI as a global environmental leader. Of the more than 5,800 organizations scored, PMI is one of only 10 companies worldwide to receive the “Triple A” score, which acknowledges the company’s best-in-class efforts in tackling climate change, as well as acting to protect forests and water security. This marks the seventh year that PMI has ranked on CDP’s A List for Climate Change. For the previous year, PMI also earned a position on the Water Security A List, and an A- for its forest disclosure. Combined, CDP’s most recent rankings place PMI among the select few to achieve a Triple A score and among the world's most pioneering companies leading on environmental transparency and performance.

Further, SBTi verified PMI’s emissions reduction targets, confirming that PMI’s environmental efforts are grounded in science and consistent with the reductions required to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5 °C. SBTi’s validation emphasizes that PMI’s carbon reduction strategy is aligned with climate science to prevent the most damaging effects of climate change.

Jennifer Motles, Chief Sustainability Officer at PMI, said: “Despite the unprecedented challenges brought on by the global pandemic, we have not deviated from our efforts to be a more sustainable company. I am incredibly proud of our teams and suppliers around the world, whose dedication to combating the risks of climate change has made us one of a handful of companies recognized as a leader on corporate environmental transparency by both CDP and SBTi. These monumental achievements demonstrate not only the seriousness we attribute to ESG-related matters but also the level of expertise, talent, and passion our company is putting toward achieving our long-term targets and ultimately making impactful change happen.”

Earlier this year, PMI released its first-ever Integrated Report highlighting the progress made in 2019 toward a smoke-free future and the company’s performance in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) related areas. The report discloses the broad range of activities PMI is undertaking to achieve carbon neutrality in its direct operations (scopes 1 + 2) by 2030 and across its entire value chain (scopes 1 + 2 + 3) by 2050. In November, the company integrated its sustainability function under the leadership of PMI’s Chief Financial Officer, further reinforcing that PMI’s sustainability strategy is embedded in every aspect of its business.