April 2020
On Earth Day, Nouryon published its 2019 Sustainability Report. We are pleased to report that, in 2019, we further reduced our product carbon footprint while growing sales from Eco-Premium Solutions.* In addition, we strengthened our programs on safety, people development and compliance. These are some of the key findings, which will serve as a baseline for further development of our sustainability agenda.
“We have made good progress in minimizing our environmental footprint by reducing waste and emissions in recent years,” said Charlie Shaver, Chairman & CEO. “As we move forward, we will be increasing our focus on products that drive profitable growth by delivering value for all stakeholders and providing solutions to some of the challenges that society faces today.”
Your partner in essential chemistry for a sustainable future
revenue from eco-premium products
reduction in product carbon footprint since 2009
safety performer
Accelerating sustainable growth
We further increased the share of revenue coming from Eco-Premium Solutions to 37% in 2019, driven by the introduction of new, more sustainable products. Key examples were the launch of two new bio-based polymers for personal care: Amaze SP and Amaze™ Nordic Barley. Made from natural raw materials such as barley, they offer superior properties for hair styling and skincare products and can replace petrochemical products.
Minimizing our environmental footprint
Alongside accelerating sustainable growth, we also strive to minimize our operational footprint by tracking and improving a range of parameters such as water use, carbon emissions per ton of product, and waste. Thanks to a range of new initiatives, such as increasing the amount of bio-steam to our sites in Delfzijl and Hengelo, we further reduced our carbon footprint per ton of product in 2019, which is now 29% lower than in 2009, our baseline year.
“The demand for more sustainable products continues to increase,” says Vivi Hollertt, Chief Sustainability and Communications Officer. “Our performance in 2019 confirms our commitment to sustainability and gives us a solid foundation. Going forward we will focus on further improving our eco-efficiency, driving sustainable growth in our end-markets and engaging with all our stakeholders to support our journey to a sustainable future.”
*What are Eco-Premium Solutions?
Our Eco-Premium Solutions are products that have a significant sustainability benefit over the most common alternative in the market in at least one specific criteria, while providing the same or better functionality. We include several criteria in this comparison (toxicity, energy use, use of natural resources/raw materials, emissions and waste, land use, risks, health and well-being) and make sure our solution does not have adverse effects in one of the other criteria. Bio-based polymers and our Dissolvine® biodegradable chelating agents are just two of the many examples.
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