Sustainability

SDG 12

Responsible Consumption and Production 

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Challenge

The steadily growing world population and the associated pressure on natural resources as well as the imminent climate change are increasingly endangering the livelihoods of many people.

Only through the necessary change in our lifestyles and economies can we counteract this. Consumption and production must take place within the planetary ecological boundaries. To achieve this, consumption and production activities must be largely decoupled from resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition to redesigning the value creation patterns that underpin production, this also includes the expansion of a circular economy and sustainable supply chains.

Examples of our contribution

Next Generation Evonik

  • We have comprehensively integrated sustainability into our Group strategy – from research and development to portfolio management and corporate culture. The core process is the sustainability analysis of our businesses. Research and development play a key role in the ongoing portfolio transformation. In 2023, Evonik generated 91 percent of its sales with products and solutions that are at least at market level in terms of their sustainability performance (categories "Leader", "Driver" and "Performer").

Green Energy

  • More and more of our sites are relying on renewable energy sources for their supply. In 2022, we purchased more than 40 percent of the electricity used in the Group from renewable sources. In Europe, Asia, North and South America, more than 50 sites currently source or generate sustainable energy. This corresponds to a saving of around 410,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Water

  • Evonik uses water as sparingly as possible and is working to further reduce emissions. In the year under review, we set ourselves a new water target: In the period from 2021 to 2030, we want to reduce specific freshwater abstraction in relation to production volume by 3 percent.

Waste management

  • Our efforts to further reduce production waste are based on a clear principle: Waste is to be avoided first and foremost through continuous process improvements and the expansion of integrated systems, otherwise it should be recycled or used to generate energy, and only safely disposed of as a third option. Our goal is to reduce the specific amount of production waste in relation to the production volume by 10 percent between 2021 and 2030.

Circular Economy

  • Circular economy stands for the decoupling of economic growth and the use of resources by returning valuable raw materials to the cycle after the use phase. In view of the increasing scarcity of raw materials and strained supply chains, better use of resources and circular management are becoming increasingly important to Evonik. With our activities, we counteract the insufficient availability of resources in the supply chain and in our production. In addition, the circular economy opens up new business opportunities and attractive growth opportunities for Evonik.

Together for Sustainability (TfS)

  • In 2011, the chemical industry founded the TfS initiative, of which Evonik is one of the six founding members. The aim of TfS is to jointly develop and implement a global assessment and audit programme for the responsible procurement of goods and services. The standardization of global standards in the supply chain creates transparency and makes it easier for suppliers and customers to reliably assess and assess sustainability performance.

Our Goals

  • Expansion of the share of sales with Next Generation Solutions to over 50 percent by 2030

 

  • Reduction of absolute and specific energy consumption by 5 percent each in the period 2020 – 2025.

 

  • Reduction of specific freshwater abstraction by 3 percent in relation to production volume in the period 2021 – 2030.

 

  • Reduction of the specific production waste volume by 10 percent in relation to the production volume in the period 2021 – 2030.

 

  • At least €1 billion in additional revenue from circular products and technologies by 2030

 

  • 100 percent coverage of raw material suppliers with an annual procurement volume > €100 thousand through TfS assessments by the end of 2025.