Sustainability
Annual sustainability data reporting
Sustainability report, executive summary
Annual sustainability data reporting
Sustainability report, executive summary
EcoVadis Gold rating
Top 5% of companies rated by EcoVadis
32% of revenue
from Eco-Premium Solutions
74%
of our R&D product pipeline is focused on solutions with sustainability benefits
20%
of organic raw materials are from renewable sources
>95% retention rate
over the past six years for our top 250 customers
Climate Score Leadership
Top-quartile performer
in people safety
100%
of our in-scope employees completed mandatory Compliance trainings
36%
gender and ethnic diversity represented on our Board of Directors
23%
of mid-level managers and above are female
We invite you to read more about all of the progress we are making in this report. And, as in previous years, we transparently report relevant data, including a clear overview of our annual sustainability data reporting. Thank you for your interest in Nouryon’s contribution to a sustainable future.
Company carbon footprint |
Unit | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Progress toward target1 |
Total absolute direct and indirect emissions market-based (Scopes 1 and 2) | Thousand tonnes CO2e | 1,506 | 1,488 | 1,467 | 1,498 | 1,294 | -14% |
Carbon intensity (Scopes 1 and 2 combined) |
Kg CO2e/tonne of production |
408 | 416 | 395 | 411 | 384 | n/a |
Direct absolute GHG emissions (Scope 1)2,3 | Thousand tonnes CO2e | 588 | 604 | 620 | 636 | 563 | n/a |
Direct GHG emissions (Scope 1) intensity |
Kg CO2e/tonne of production |
159 | 169 | 167 | 174 | 167 | n/a |
Indirect GHG emissions market-based (Scope 2)4,5 |
Thousand tonnes CO2e |
918 | 884 | 847 | 862 | 731 | n/a |
Indirect GHG emissions market-based (Scope 2) intensity |
Kg CO2e/tonne of production |
249 | 247 | 228 | 236 | 217 | n/a |
Indirect GHG emissions location-based (Scope 2) | Thousand tonnes CO2e | 1,276 | 1,196 | 1,199 | 1,254 | 1,241 | n/a |
Calculated Scope 3 total absolute GHG emissions | Thousand tonnes CO2e | 4,427 | 4,097 | n/a | |||
Total absolute GHG emissions (Scope 1, Scope 2 market-based, and Scope 3) |
Thousand tonnes CO2e
|
5,926 | 5,391 | n/a | |||
Direct emissions, covered by emissions-limiting regulations | % of direct emissions | 22% | 25% | 25% | 27% | 24% | n/a |
Energy Management |
Unit | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Progress toward target1 |
Total energy consumption6 | Mln GJ | 30.4 | 30.7 | 32.7 | 33.4 | 31.5 | n/a |
Total energy consumption intensity6 | GJ/tonnes of production | 8.24 | 8.59 | 8.81 | 9.15 | 9.34 | n/a |
Percentage renewable energy consumed7 | % | 30% | 38% | 38% | 34% | 33% | n/a |
Percentage renewable electricity consumed | % | 36% | 48% | 49% | 39% | 42% | n/a |
Percentage energy from grid electricity | % | 62% | 61% | 60% | 59% | 61% | n/a |
Energy consumption from unbundled RECs8 | MWh | 40,312 | 59,554 | n/a | |||
Carbon offsets purchased9 | Tonnes CO2 | 200 | 127 | n/a | |||
Total self-generated electricity | Mln GJ | - | - | - | - |
-
|
n/a |
Air Quality |
Unit | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Progress toward target1 |
NOx absolute emissions | Tonnes | 471 | 482 | 513 | 527 | 468 | n/a |
NOx emission intensity | Kg/tonne of production | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.14 | 0.14 | 0.14 | n/a |
SOx absolute emissions | Tonnes | 3,533 | 3,135 | 3,288 | 3,333 | 3,446 | n/a |
SOx emission intensity | Kg/tonne of production | 0.96 | 0.88 | 0.89 | 0.91 | 1.02 | n/a |
VOC absolute emissions | Tonnes | 669 | 1,172 | 1,938 | 1,792 | 1,853 | n/a |
VOC absolute emission intensity | Kg/tonne of production | 0.18 | 0.33 | 0.52 | 0.49 | 0.55 | n/a |
Hazardous air pollutants | Tonnes | 374 | 357 | 408 | n/a | ||
Hazardous air pollutants intensity | Kg/tonne of production | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.12 | n/a | ||
Emission to Water – Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) |
Unit | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Progress toward target1 |
COD absolute emissions to surface water | Tonnes | 845 | 768 | 896 | 854 | 836 | n/a |
COD emission intensity to surface water | Kg/tonne of production | 0.23 | 0.21 | 0.24 | 0.23 | 0,25 | n/a |
COD absolute emissions to external waste water treatment | Tonnes | 15,257 | 16,515 | 17,917 | 18,447 | 15,380 | n/a |
COD emission intensity to external waste water treatment | Kg/tonne of production | 4.13 | 4.60 | 4.81 | 5.04 | 4.56 | n/a |
Water Management |
Unit | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Progress toward target1 |
Absolute fresh water intake | Thousand m3 | 134,868 | 147,270 | 161,652 | 153,407 | 151,543 | n/a |
Fresh water intake intensity |
M3/tonne of production |
36.5 | 41.1 | 43.4 | 41.9 | 44.9 | n/a |
Percentage in regions with high water stress | % | 2.3% | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.0% | 2.0% | n/a |
Absolute fresh water consumption8 | Thousand m3 | 15,427 | 14,786 | 14,349 | 14,497 | 14,295 | n/a |
Fresh water consumption8 intensity | M3/tonne of production | 4.18 | 4.12 | 3.85 | 3.96 | 4.24 | 1% |
Percentage in regions with high water stress | % | 19% | 20% | 18% | 18% | 21% | n/a |
Waste Management |
Unit | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Progress toward target1 |
Total absolute waste | Tonnes | 62,587 | 59,449 | 63,243 | 68,959 | 56,393 | n/a |
Total waste intensity | Kg/tonne of production | 17.0 | 16.6 | 17.0 | 18.9 | 16.7 | -1% |
Absolute non-hazardous waste | Tonnes | 45,143 | 41,718 | 42,146 | 44,652 | 35,368 | n/a |
Non-hazardous waste intensity | Kg/tonne of production | 12.2 | 11.6 | 11.3 | 12.2 | 10.5 | n/a |
Absolute hazardous waste | Tonnes | 17,444 | 17,731 | 21,097 | 24,306 | 21,025 | n/a |
Absolute hazardous waste to landfill | Tonnes | 417 | 465 | 268 | 548 | 193 | n/a |
Hazardous waste reused | % | 24% | 28% | 33% | 24% | 26% | n/a |
Production |
Unit | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Progress toward target1 |
Performance Formulations | Thousand tonnes | 2,028 | 1,964 | 1,996 | 1,912 | 1,686 | n/a |
Technology Solutions | Thousand tonnes | 1,662 | 1,622 | 1,729 | 1,747 | 1,689 | n/a |
Sustainable Sourcing |
Unit | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Progress toward target1 |
Percentage suppliers screened using Risk IQ10 | % of spend | 96% | 94% | 90% | n/a | ||
Percentage suppliers measured on Ecovadis performance11 | % of spend | 50% | 60% | 66% | n/a | ||
Percentage suppliers acknowledging our Business Partner Code of Conduct12 | % of spend | 98% | 99,74% | 99,81% | n/a | ||
Percentage of bio-based raw materials (portion of organic materials) | % of organic portion (by mass) | 20% | 21% | 22% | 22% | 20% | n/a |
Management Systems13 |
Unit | 2019 | 2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 | Progress toward target1 |
|
Per April, 2021 | Per February 28, 2022 |
Per March 23, 2023 |
Per December, 2023 | |||
Percentage of manufacturing sites with ISO-14001/RC-14001 certifications | % | 77% | 84% | 98% | 95% | n/a | |
Percentage of manufacturing sites with ISO-9001 certifications | % | 88% | 88% | 82% | n/a |
1 Percentage change 2019-2023.
2 Scope 1 does not include process emissions from other greenhouse gases (CH4, N2O, Hydrofluorocarbons, and Perfluorocarbons) and their CO2 equivalents. For 2023 in Scope 1, this was estimated to be less than 2% and not included.
3 Including Carbon offsets purchased to compensate for Scope 1 emissions in our carbon neutral sites.
4 Scope 2 does not include process emissions from the other greenhouse gases CH4, N2O, Hydrofluorocarbons, and Perfluorocarbons, as per Nouryon's Reporting Principles 2023.
5 Including RECs retired on our behalf for utility supplied renewable electricity and other utility contractual instruments.
6 Energy consumption is expressed in mln GJ which is the sum of the actual consumed by the sites.
7 Renewable-energy data include renewable fuels such as biomass, purchased renewable steam, and renewable electricity from solar, wind, and hydro power.
8 RECs retired on our behalf for utility supplied renewable electricity and other utility contractual instruments.
9 Carbon offsets purchased to compensate for Scope 1 emissions in our carbon neutral sites. Offsets are not included in our emissions inventory (Scopes 1, 2, or 3). These offsets have been certified by the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), administered by Verra, and retired. For
more information, see www.verra.org. Offsets are applied to prior year emissions
10 In terms of all external spend (product, non-product, energy, logistics, etc.) The Risk IQ tool considers industry segment risk, country risk and EcoVadis scores from the complete EcoVadis database.
11 Based on policies, actions, results. For more information: https://ecovadis.com/
12 Tracked by acceptance of a Nouryon Purchase Order or a signed Nouryon contract.
13 Our ISO certification percentage metric includes sites that have been in our portfolio for one year. This is to allow sufficient time required for activities reviewed by the certification process (e.g., pre-start up safety reviews, management reviews, production, and/or internal audits if relevant). Any exceptions will be identified.
14 Workforce data prior to 2021 includes Nobian employees (Nobian’s separation from Nouryon occurred in 2021). 2021 workforce data excludes Nobian employees14 Headcount and similar metrics may differ slightly, depending on exact collection date, due to timing of reporting schedules, divestments, and acquisitions, as well as regular workforce fluctuations.
15 Headcount and similar metrics may differ slightly, depending on exact collection date, due to timing of reporting schedules, divestments, and acquisitions, as well as regular workforce fluctuations.
16 Mid-level managers are defined as the management paygrade below the first senior executive level. Source data, December 2023.
17 2023 People Safety data are excluding the sites in Poland, see our Reporting Principles 2023 for additional explanation.
For more information about Nouryon’s Corporate governance, visit our Investor Relations page.