Heat waves, an increasing number of hurricanes, and rising sea levels. A few degrees might not seem like they would make much of a difference, but they do when it comes to the future of our planet. And when you factor a growing population, increasing consumption, and resource scarcity into the mix, the need for action is undeniable. We need to act not only for ourselves, but so that future generations can also live a good life sustainably. It is important that we as a company and individuals are aware of the impact of our own energy consumption on the environment. After all, efficient management of energy would be felt on a global scale: In the form of possibly decreasing costs of living, improved health of millions of people, and ultimately the reduced impact of climate change.
Climate ActionDriving transformational impact
How Henkel actively contributes to climate protection
Climate change is one of the biggest global challenges with potentially dramatic consequences for humanity. Greenhouse gas emissions are changing the climate of our planet. The higher their concentration in the atmosphere, the more the earth heats up, with the result that some areas become uninhabitable. To limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and fulfill the commitment made in the United Nations' Paris Climate Agreement, global emissions must be reduced to net zero by 2050 at the latest. However, reducing emissions is not enough for Henkel: we want to make an active contribution to climate protection and support others in reducing their emissions as well.
At Henkel, we are committed to the Paris Agreement and strive to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Our Climate Transition Plan is central to our climate strategy, which guides our holistic organizational and cultural shift toward net-zero.
Ulrike Sapiro, Chief Sustainability Officer at Henkel
For this, we have set ourselves science-based emission reduction targets and formulated pursuing climate ambitions. And we measure and track our emissions in three scopes: scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3. We use this distinction to define clear activities to reduce emissions along the value chain. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions) resulting from our own activities or, for example, purchased energy (scope 1 and 2 emissions) only account for a small proportion of our total GHG emissions. Scope 3 emissions make up the majority of our emissions. These emissions result from raw materials, packaging, logistics, end-of-life activities and other sources.
What are scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 emissions
Our race to net-zero
For us, mitigating climate change is a core element of our climate strategy. It is also one of the most important pillars of our “2030+ Sustainability Ambition Framework”, which takes into account interconnections and interdependencies to other topics such as the environment, social issues and governance. Net-zero is more than just a goal for us. Rather, it means a transformation of our entire organization. Net-zero defines the point where all greenhouse gas emissions are balanced out by removing the same volume of emissions from our planet’s atmosphere over a specific period of time. In other words, net-zero is a state of equilibrium.
Our targets
Our science-based near-term and net-zero targets are set according to the guidance, criteria and recommendations of the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard. They are also officially validated by the SBTi. With the overarching net-zero goal, Henkel commits to reduce absolute scope 1, 2 & 3 GHG emissions by 90% by 2045 from a 2021 base year1.
Our near-term targets are:
- Henkel commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 42% by 2030 from a 2021 base year1.
- Henkel commits to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions by 30% by 2030 from a 2021 base year1.
1 The target boundary includes biogenic land-related emissions and removals from bioenergy feedstocks.
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Climate action along the value chain
To achieve these goals, we are reducing emissions along our entire value chain. To reduce the footprint of our products, for example, we optimize product properties in terms of resource and energy consumption – from the procurement of raw materials to the delivery of finished products. Henkel's research and development teams are also continuously working on the further development of packaging in order to minimize the consumption of raw materials and use as much recycled or easily recyclable material as possible, thus promoting a circular economy.
Examples of optimizing energy use in our operations
Energy efficiency
We invest in technologies and processes that reduce energy consumption in production, warehouses, office buildings, vehicle fleets and our research centers.
Deployement of renewable energy
Wherever possible, we install solar panels and biomass boilers at our sites to generate clean, renewable energy directly at source.
Renewable energy and Fuel Sourcing
We are striving to transition to 100 percent renewable energy sources for the energy required in our factory processes. We rely on renewable fuels to generate heat, as the complete electrification of all our processes is not feasible.
Upstream and downstream emissions in our value chain account for by far the largest share of our total emissions. Upstream emissions from the raw materials and packaging materials we purchase are particularly relevant to the implementation of our net net-zero transformation. Downstream activities such as logistics, distribution and the disposal of our products at the end of their life are other important sources of emissions that we want to tackle.
Examples of optimizing our footprint in the downstream value chain
Format and packaging design
New product formats can enable the use of raw materials that cause fewer emissions during production. And more compact products can reduce emissions as less packaging material is required. We aim for 100 percent of our packaging to be designed for recycling or reuse (excluding products whose ingredients or residues may affect recyclability or contaminate recycling streams). This enables us to reduce emissions at the end of the product life cycle.
Optimized logistics
Optimizing our logistics and distribution networks is the key to reducing fuel consumption and emissions. That is why we are striving to replace air freight with sea freight and shift from road to rail wherever possible. We are also converting conventional drive systems to sustainable alternatives. This includes the use of electric vehicles, bio-based carbon alternatives and green hydrogen in our product distribution.
Product use phase
We manufacture products and technologies that involve the use of energy. These include detergents, shower gels, hot-melt adhesives and many others. We want to contribute to improving the efficient use of energy by creating innovations that reduce energy consumption and the associated emissions footprint. Working with our customers and promoting sustainable consumer behavior and more sustainable product use is a key aspect of our efforts to reduce emissions.
