Bold claim: Sustainability isn’t just a choice for Ørsted—it’s the backbone of our entire business, shaping how we decarbonize, protect biodiversity, and benefit the communities where we work. As the world leans more on offshore wind and other renewables to boost energy security and combat climate change and biodiversity loss, responsible development, construction, and operation are more than ethical goals—they’re crucial for success.
Ørsted’s vision is a world powered entirely by green energy. To get there, we aim to stay the undisputed leader in offshore wind and to be globally recognized as a sustainability trailblazer. These ambitions aren’t separate from our business; they reinforce each other. A robust, responsible sustainability program strengthens our competitive edge, secures our license to operate, and enables us to deliver the scale of renewable energy required across our key regions.
Our three strategic priorities guide how we work from concept to operation, ensuring broad societal value alongside clean energy:
Decarbonisation: We achieved a dramatic reduction in the intensity of our direct emissions, cutting scope 1 and 2 intensity by 98% from 2006 to 2025. We are now addressing scope 3 emissions tied to gas sales and our supply chain. These efforts support our 2040 net-zero greenhouse gas target.
Biodiversity: We embed biodiversity protection and restoration into every project. Our goal is a net-positive impact by 2030. Through innovative frameworks, partnerships, and pilot initiatives, we aim to protect and restore ecosystems while maintaining access to land and sea resources.
Community impact: Ørsted projects should generate tangible benefits for local communities—jobs, economic opportunity, and other positive outcomes. Building trust and strong local relationships is essential to our ability to deliver projects successfully and sustainably.
By confronting challenges and advancing constructive outcomes, we ensure renewable energy supports healthier ecosystems, stronger local economies, and long-term well-being. This alignment is key to maintaining public support and creating the conditions needed for an enduring, resilient energy transition.
Governance and responsible business
We are continually strengthening how sustainability sits at the heart of our operations. Solid governance underpins every aspect of our decarbonisation, biodiversity, and community initiatives. Our governance framework clearly assigns responsibilities across leadership levels—from the Board of Directors, which oversees progress, to the Group Executive Team, where executives are accountable for specific sustainability topics, and to senior management more broadly. This structure enables swift action, responsiveness to evolving expectations, and a clear demonstration that renewable energy can drive lasting benefits for people and nature.
