German speciality chemicals maker Lanxess has taken the wraps off plans for its entire upstream and downstream supply chains to be climate-neutral by 2050.
The company’s Net Zero Value Chain initiative includes indirect emissions, particularly from purchased raw materials, but also from logistics and end-products.
By 2030, Lanxess’s ‘scope 3’ emissions are to be reduced by 40%, compared with the 2015 base year, from 27,000 to 16,500 kilotons of CO2 equivalent.
To achieve this target, the new initiative is based on three pillars: sustainable raw materials, green logistics and climate-neutral products.
For sustainable raw materials, Lanxess is realigning its raw materials purchases and is increasingly sourcing sustainable raw materials of plant origin, from a recycling process or that are produced using renewable energies.
For green logistics, the CO2 footprint will be weighted more heavily than before when selecting freight transport modes. Lanxess also intends to make use of innovative solutions, such as ‘green ships’ with sustainable drivetrains.
Improved logistics planning meanwhile is also intended to increase transportation asset utilisation, optimise freight transport modes, and reduce demand for freight transport.
For the third pillar, Lanxess is expanding its range of climate-neutral products and solutions with a low CO2 footprint.
Since autumn 2021, these products have been given the Scopeblue brand label. Examples include trimethylolpropane, about half of which is made from sustainable raw materials, or the composite Tepex, which is based on flax and lactic acid.
In the medium term, Lanxess aims to offer low carbon and climate-neutral alternatives to all its products with an ultimate goal of exclusively climate-neutral products by 2050.
The company also wants to quantify the carbon footprint of all its products.
"To stop climate change, our societies must transform to climate neutrality. We want to do our part. Our goal of becoming climate neutral in direct emissions and energy sourced by 2040 is already very ambitious,” said chief executive Matthias Zachert.
“With the additional targets for our Scope 3 emissions, we are taking the next step together with our suppliers and customers,” he added.
