Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time and a growing population, rising consumption, and increasing resource scarcity require that companies and individuals take action. At Henkel, we focus on implementing measures that reflect our responsibility for people, the planet and society. In doing so, our efforts cover the entire value chain: From the sourcing of raw materials to the recycling of product packages. Henkel is committed to responsible management of raw materials, and especially the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity. We use ingredients based on renewable raw materials to optimize the overall characteristics of our products, wherever this is compatible with environmental, economic and social considerations. We are committed to decreasing the amount of fossil sources used for the manufacture of our ingredients and making the ingredients of our products more sustainable. To reduce the carbon footprint of ingredients, one of the methods we apply is the so-called “biomass balance approach”.
Understanding mass balance
In this interview, you will learn:
What is the “biomass balance approach” and how does it work?
While we want to increase the amount of renewable raw materials for the manufacture of ingredients and thus contribute to CO2 footprint reduction, this is not always entirely possible. The biomass balance approach allows companies to gradually transition to renewable materials while ensuring a consistent supply of ingredients. It provides flexibility by using a mix of renewable and fossil-based resources, helping to manage scalability and meet production needs as one shifts toward more sustainable practices over time.
In the biomass balance approach, renewable raw materials and fossil raw materials are combined at our raw material suppliers, like BASF, Shell or Moeve to manufacture the ingredients for our products.
This process is done on a large scale and the ingredients created are supplied to a number of different companies for many different uses. We at Henkel use these ingredients in our laundry and home care and hair and body care products.
It is not possible to separate the ingredients made from renewable raw materials from the ingredients made from fossil raw materials as both types of raw materials are mixed during the production. That is why we can’t guarantee the level of renewable raw materials used as basis for ingredients in our individual products. But by investing in the mass balance approach, we support that our suppliers will increase the amount of renewable raw materials in their value chain and reduce the amount of fossil raw materials.
The biomass balance approach as part of our cooperation with BASF, for example, is monitored by an independent third party (TÜV Nord). They certify the ingredients BASF manufactures for Henkel’s products according to the REDcert2 recognized certification scheme for sustainable biomass.
Biomass
Balance
Fossil and sustainable certified renewable raw materials are combined to manufacture ingredients.
It is not possible on product level to guarantee that ingredients are directly made from renewable raw materials.
But certification ensures an equivalent amount of renewable materials is sourced and used, which is why it is called “Mass Balance”.
Henkel Consumer Brands focusing on replacing fossil sources
We're working on making the ingredients of our laundry and home care and hair and body care products from more sustainable materials, while keeping the same performance of our products that our consumers expect. The mass balance approach is just one example of doing so. It allows us to reduce our reliance on fossil resources and lower our carbon footprint, as we strive to achieve a circular economy, a net-zero future and the regeneration of nature.
Climate protection is teamwork. And a commitment today for tomorrow's generations.
Dr. Thorsten Bastigkeit, Global Head of Research & Open Innovation at Henkel Consumer Brands
Henkel Consumer Brands already set a milestone to replace raw materials with renewable alternatives in 2022 and 2023 by starting a cooperation with two major ingredient suppliers. Through our partnership we invest to increase the amount of renewable raw materials for the manufacture of ingredients for our hair and body care as well as laundry and home care products in accordance with the mass balance approach. Compared to conventional ingredients, the renewable-based ingredients come with a lower CO2 footprint, amounting currently to more than 80,000 tons CO2 in annual savings. That’s how much an airplane would emit if it flew around the world more than 30 times.
Our partner Moeve has developed a sustainable version of a key surfactant – a cleaning agent – used in cleaning products. For its production, fossil raw materials are now partially replaced by renewables in accordance with the “biomass balance approach”. Henkel Consumer Brands uses the new surfactant in an increasing number of its toilet rim blocks in Europe. “This is a concrete step to foster a regenerative planet as we intend to transform our processes, products and use of raw materials in the direction of a resource-efficient, net-zero future”, says Marjon Stamsnijder, Head of Sustainability at Henkel Consumer Brands.
Partnerships and cooperations are a key driver in our sustainability progress to accelerate advancements across the entire supply chain to effectively source and track renewable materials at scale. "Climate protection is teamwork. And a commitment today for tomorrow's generations. With sustainable measures, we are increasing the proportion of biomass in our value chain. Our consumers around the world can enjoy their favorite brands without any loss of quality, whether it's shampoo, detergent or household cleaner," says Dr. Thorsten Bastigkeit, Global Head of Research & Open Innovation at Henkel Consumer Brands.
Climate Action
Driving transformational impact
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. We need to act not only for ourselves, but so that future generations can also live a good life sustainably.
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