Sustainable innovations

At Henkel, sustainability is anchored in the innovation process. Thanks to systematic tools and processes, Henkel is consistently developing innovative products and solutions that offer customers and consumers more value and better performance with a smaller environmental footprint. Henkel does not focus on developing a few “sustainable products” with environmental benefits. The company’s aim is to continuously improve all products, taking every aspect and the entire value chain into account.

In 2008, Henkel systematically anchored the focal areas of its sustainability strategy into the innovation process. Researchers must demonstrate the specific advantages of products and processes they are developing with regard to performance, social progress, health and safety, energy and climate, water and wastewater, as well as materials and waste.

Henkel has developed an evaluation system – called the Henkel Sustainability#Master® – to demonstrate specific hotspots along the value chain and across these strategic focal areas, where innovations can have the greatest impact. Only by considering the entire life cycle Henkel can ensure that innovations will improve the overall sustainability profile of its products and processes. Henkel experts use the Henkel Sustainability#Master® not only to evaluate potential innovations but also in dialog with retail partners, NGOs, and other stakeholders.