Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has published its sustainability report for the 2012 financial year. This independent report, the third of its kind, focuses on strategic initiatives for achieving environmental and economic sustainability objectives, key environmental figures, and innovative products and technologies.
The report contains a section, which complies with the requirements of the A+ ranking of the Global Reporting Initiative TM (GRI). This was validated by the Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems (SQS).
“The growing significance of social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability for the company can be seen in the numerous initiatives we have launched, which not only comply with the legal requirements, but go beyond them in creating additional usefulness and value for all our stakeholders,” says CEO Hariolf Kottmann, who also chairs the Clariant Sustainability Council. He continues, “redefining the company’s brand and value system also reflects the demand for sustainable value creation.”
The Sustainability@Clariant Portfolio Value Program, which was set up at the end of 2012, is just one example of how sustainability is an integral part of the Clariant business strategy. The company is also working with the Collaborating Center on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) in Wuppertal, Germany, on the definition of measures intended to facilitate sustainable business activities in light of global challenges such as climate and demographic change and dwindling natural resources.
Since 2005, the Group has already reached a great number of milestones in relation to the quantitive environmental objectives that it has set for 2020. For example, it has cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 45%, meaning a reduction of 134 kilograms per ton of output. Energy efficiency, i.e. energy consumption per product ton, has improved significantly, reducing energy consumption by 24% to 1308 kilowatt hours (kWh) per ton.
There have also been further significant improvements with regard to other environmental indicators such as waste production, water use and waste water production. With a reduction of 12%, greenhouse gas emissions provided the only example where the decrease was not as significant.
Clariant is responding to the growing market demand for resource-conserving and environmentally friendly products, for instance, with sunliquid technology; a process for producing bioethanol from agricultural residues.
Synergen OS, a surfactant consisting of almost 100% natural raw materials used for crop protection, also has a highly sustainable track record, for which it was awarded with the newly created Ecotain label. This is a label for Clariant products which are sustainable throughout their entire life cycle: from development to manufacturing and use, through to disposal.
“We want to make sustainability criteria more of a priority in our products going forward,” explains Joachim Krüger, Senior Vice-President of Corporate Sustainability and Regulator Affairs. “This reflects above all our customers’ requirements and market demand.”
