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Meet Brittany: Making Safety and Sustainability a Culture of Care
In this story, you will discover:
- Sustainability Forward at Henkel: Brittany’s role in leading waste reduction and reuse efforts at its Elgin, IL site
- Building a Culture of Care: How fostering connection and accountability keeps people safe every day
- Caring Beyond the Site: Coaching, STEM mentorship, and everyday sustainability habits that reflect Brittany’s commitment to the good of generations
Introducing Brittany Bauer
Brittany Bauer, Senior Safety, Health and Environmental (SH&E) Specialist for Henkel’s Elgin, IL, site, supports a culture where safety and sustainability go hand in hand. With a people-first approach and a strong sense of responsibility, Brittany helps ensure the site continues to operate with care for employees, the surrounding community, and future generations.
Brittany shares what inspires her to be a pioneer for good
Sustainability Forward at Henkel
Brittany’s work at the Elgin site sits at the intersection of operational excellence and environmental responsibility. She is energized by seeing sustainability transform from an idea to a tangible impact, and how the changes she is supporting can create a positive ripple effect.
A major focus of Brittany’s work is leading the waste management program, where she’s focused on uncovering the next opportunity to eliminate waste before it’s created. Effective waste management is an important part of Henkel’s 2030+ Sustainability Ambition Framework.
One of Brittany’s key initiatives was rethinking how materials such as pallets and drums were managed on site. The goal was to find opportunities for these materials to be reused before recycling them, helping to extend the lifecycle of the material. Brittany worked with her team to find the right partners and as a result, was able to significantly reduce waste output, reinforcing Henkel’s shared commitment to responsible operations and building connections in the community.
“We used to have a vendor that would take our pallets and recycle them into mulch,” says Brittany. “I was able to find a local vendor who comes on site, picks them up, and reuses them as is and that saved about 200 tons of waste.”
Working alongside her team, Brittany also helped support a water reduction project, leading to 15,000 cubic meters of water reduced at the Elgin site. For Brittany, achievements like these reflect more than operational progress – it’s the kind of forward-thinking approach that has contributed to Henkel’s long-standing success.
As Henkel celebrates its 150th year in 2026, Brittany sees the anniversary theme ‘Future? Ready!’ as a reminder to plan for tomorrow while accelerating and improving the steps that can be taken today. From goal setting to long-term capital projects, Brittany is looking forward to the opportunities ahead.
Building a Culture of Care
At Henkel ‘Safety’ comes first. Brittany is a proud member of the Safety, Health and Environment (SH&E) team and that shift in positioning was something she felt spoke volumes about Henkel’s values and reinforced her beliefs.
For Brittany, safety is more than a program; it ultimately comes down to caring for each other. Brittany prioritizes connection across shifts and creates an environment where employees feel comfortable speaking up, asking questions, and raising concerns.
I think culture is such a large part of safety. It comes down to making sure your team feels comfortable talking to you. I build very strong relationships and want everybody to go home in the same way they arrived.
Brittany Bauer, Senior Safety, Health and Environmental (SH&E) Specialist
Caring Beyond the Site
Brittany’s commitment to care extends from her co-workers to the community. For over a decade, she has been a youth tennis coach to help students, especially girls, build confidence and resilience.
That mentorship mindset also drives Brittany’s passion for inspiring young people to explore STEM. She has visited schools to speak with students about opportunities in STEM and share insights from her career. Through these conversations, she encourages them not to be afraid of challenges and to see failure as an important part of growth.
At home Brittany lives sustainably by growing vegetables and herbs to share with neighbors. She also adopted her dog Ellie from a local shelter.
From Henkel to home, Brittany is motivated by the opportunity to make a positive impact in the world around her through simple choices every day and one simple belief:
"You want to leave it in a better condition than you started with."
Shaping a sustainable future
Our sustainability strategy is inspired by our purpose: Pioneers at heart for the good of generations. With our pioneering spirit, our knowledge, our products and technologies, we want to enrich and improve the lives of billions of people every day – and shape a viable future for the next generations.
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