The UK’s largest retailer Tesco is partnering with climate data platform OpenClimat to help drive decarbonisation across its supply chain, inviting around 400 key suppliers to participate in a collaborative emissions-reduction programme.
The retailer said the suppliers being invited represent more than 80% of its grocery supply chain by value across the UK and Republic of Ireland. The initiative, called the Climate Supplier Programme, will also involve suppliers across its Booker wholesale operations.
The partnership is intended to improve the way climate data is collected and shared between retailers and manufacturers, helping businesses gain a clearer understanding of supply chain emissions and identify opportunities to reduce them.
Participating suppliers will have access to tailored guidance, practical resources and opportunities to collaborate with other businesses on emissions reduction, with the aim of delivering measurable progress towards Tesco’s target of achieving net zero across its full value chain by 2050.
The initial phase will see suppliers complete a questionnaire and submit relevant climate data, before the programme moves into its engagement stage in February 2027.
Claire Lorains, group quality & sustainability director at Tesco, said collaboration with suppliers would be essential to achieving the retailer’s long-term climate ambitions.
“At Tesco, we know reaching net zero across our full value chain by 2050 will require collaboration with all our suppliers to drive emissions reduction,” she explained.
“We’re pleased to be partnering with OpenClimat to help streamline emissions data sharing while strengthening collaboration and driving meaningful action.”
Founded in 2022, OpenClimat operates a central climate data exchange and collaboration platform designed to help retailers and manufacturers share, harmonise and verify emissions information.
The network already brings together more than 15 retailers and 300 manufacturers across Europe. Retail members include Carrefour, Metro, E.Leclerc and, now, Tesco. Participating manufacturers include General Mills, JDE Peet’s, Beiersdorf, McCain, Ontex and Emmi.
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The organisation said its collaborative model was being expanded into the UK following requests from manufacturers for a platform that would make it easier to share climate information across retail supply chains.
Tesco is the first UK retailer to join the expanding network, providing a foundation for wider collaboration between retailers and their manufacturing partners in that part of the world.
OpenClimat said the intention was to ensure climate data becomes a practical tool for accelerating emissions reductions rather than an additional administrative burden for suppliers.
The partnership reflects the growing importance of supply chain collaboration in tackling the environmental impact of retail, where a significant proportion of emissions sit beyond retailers’ direct operations.
[image credit: Green Retail World]
