Sustainability is measurable

With our goals, we are pursuing a comprehensive approach that includes the entire product life cycle, taking into account social, environmental and economic aspects. Furthermore, we want to make our progress transparent with hard key figures.

Our Sustainability goals by 2050

We will align our research and development projects (R&D) to address the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. By 2025, 80 percent of our R&D project spending will be targeted in areas that contribute to achieving these goals, either undertaken in partnership or endorsed by recognized institutions.

As of 2024: 54% of project expenditure

All of our suppliers with regular purchasing volumes of more than €1 million per year are evaluated according to sustainability criteria and verifiably meet our sustainability requirements by the year 2025.

This covers some 90 percent of the total purchasing volume. In addition all suppliers must comply with our code of conduct through accepting the conditions of our purchase orders or contracts. We also work closely with our strategically most important suppliers to improve their sustainability performance.

As of 2024: 79% of target-relevant suppliers

We aim to reduce our emissions from our own production (scope 1) and the emissions from external energy sources (scope 2) to net-zero by 2035. Furthermore, we aim to achieve net-zero emissions along our company’s value chain (scope 3) by 2050.

As of 2024: -13.1% Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions (-0.73 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents)* and -17.7% Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions (-3.86 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents)**

*Compared to 2020 levels **Compared to 2021 levels

We have pledged to help improve the living conditions of ten million people in underserved markets, primarily in developing and emerging countries, by the year 2025. In order to do so, we collaborate with customers, governmental and non-governmental organizations to develop affordable solutions based on our technologies and products, and open up new business models and solutions that improve the economic and social situation of these regions. We will focus primarily on affordable housing, sanitation and food security, for which our materials offer significant benefits.

As of 2024: 7 million people*

* Metrics in 2024 have not been part of the annual audit by KPMG. Their validation will be done by a local auditor, following the internal procedure of the years before.

We intend to create more value sustainably and increase our carbon productivity by continually using fewer carbon-based fossil resources, taking a regenerative approach, and closing material loops.

As of 2024: We actively work on the identification of target figures and indicators for circularity

Apart from the above, we pursue other sustainability goals and ambitions:

Our production processes are intended to use 100% alternative raw materials and thus contribute to our pursuit of a circular economy and to reducing our Scope 3 GHG emissions.
→ See “Circular Economy”

We aim to cut the specific primary energy usage by at least 50% at all material production sites by the year 2030. This is an important milestone of our energy efficiency measures. Meeting this target will therefore also make an important contribution to climate neutrality on our part.
→ See “Climate Neutrality”

By the year 2029, we want women to account for at least 40% of the workforce in all employee categories and in this way promote diversity and equity for all genders at all levels.
→ See “Employees”

The above ambition is underpinned further by the target for the proportion of women in the first two management levels below the Board of Management for the period through June 30, 2027.
→ See “Promotion of Equal Participation of Women and Men in Leadership Positions”