Sustainability Targets

Scope 1 includes enhancing the efficiency of our operations and optimize our fuel mix. Achievements include the partnership with Adven, a company that specializes in industrial energy transitions, to source steam for our Kvarntorp site by installing a new, innovative steam boiler that relies primarily on locally
sourced residual products from the forestry industry, such as chipped branches and tops, to generate the heat required for our production processes. The new steam boiler replaces liquefied petroleum gas with biofuel, resulting in a 38% decrease in Scope 1 emissions in 2023 compared to 2022, and an anticipated 90% eventual reduction in Scope 1 emissions at this site. 

Scope 2 includes increasing our use of renewable energy through power purchase agreements (PPA), on-site renewables, and green energy programs. 2023 achievements include that 25 out of 60 manufacturing sites operated by Nouryon are now sourced with renewable and/or low carbon electricity,  comprising 54% of the total electricity we use globally. Our site in Guangzhou, China runs on 100% electricity from renewable energy and, all nine sites we operate in Brazil used electricity from renewable sources. All sites in Belgium, Sweden and Finland use 100% electricity from renewable and/or low carbon sources. In addition, Cologne and Greiz in Germany, and Deventer and Herkenbosch in the Netherlands, are also using 100% renewable or low carbon electricity.

We are currently analyzing indirect GHG emissions from activities across our value chains. Achievements includes evaluating potential lower-carbon raw materials with suppliers. 

In 2023, Nouryon joined Together for Sustainability (TfS), a global initiative of 51 chemical companies committed to raising sustainability standards throughout the chemical industry. As part of this initiative, members pledge to make sustainability improvements within their own – and their suppliers’ – operations. TfS is also advancing methodologies and standardization in calculating Scope 3 (upstream) GHG emissions, which constitute a significant
share of the chemical industry’s carbon footprint. As of last year, we are also certified to the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification standard ISCC PLUS to produce green monochloroacetic acid (MCA) at our site in Delfzijl, the Netherlands as the first and only producer of green MCA that is derived from sustainably sourced raw materials.

As we continue to develop new and innovative products using more sustainable raw materials, we will further explore how these initiatives can contribute to improvements in our Scope 3 carbon footprint.

As part of our Carbon Business Strategy, we are looking to collaborate with our suppliers as we tackle the challenge of climate change together. As we pursue opportunities to develop additional low carbon and sustainable solutions, we are requesting from suppliers lifecycle assessment (LCA) data.

In 2023, we launched an initiative to request product carbon footprint (PCF) data from suppliers of our top raw materials on products they provide, which we use as raw materials. These will improve the accuracy of our data and can help us identify potential opportunities to reduce emissions and meet the growing needs of our customers for low carbon solutions and it will be an ongoing process. 

In addition, across all scopes we are:

• Exploring collaboration opportunities with our customers and suppliers as well as evaluating and deploying new innovation technologies such as those in the ICOS Capital Fund III, where we are a strategic investor.
• Integrating net zero and climate change considerations into our strategy and planning.
• Alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Running several projects in the pipeline across all regions, including:
  • Signing the first on-site PPA in North America
  • Transitioning to renewable electricity in China
  • More solar panels and a wind turbine at our site in Mons.