Collaboration is set to play a vital role in enabling Beiersdorf to achieve its goal of net zero emissions by 2045, its chief executive, Vincent Warnery, has told a conference.
“Climate protection requires joint efforts,” Warnery explained in a live interview at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference. “We live in one ecosystem; politics and industry have to act as one. While strong, harmonised regulations are necessary, too many can hinder competitiveness and slow down the progress of smart innovation.”
Warnery was commenting following the Nivea maker’s announcement that it was doubling down on its efforts to achieve net zero within its organisation by 2045, and reduce the emissions generated across its entire value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3) by 90%.
‘An obligation, not an option’
“Sustainability is an obligation, not an option,” Warnery noted. “Our transformation includes our entire value chain, and it needs close collaboration with our suppliers. Additionally, we aim to make our production plants completely climate neutral as quickly as possible. By January 2025, all our EU factories will operate climate-neutral, our global target for all our production centers is 2030.”
Since 2018, the German company has made notable strides in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, achieving a 19% reduction by the end of 2023. The company plans to further reduce emissions by 30% by 2025.
Product and packaging innovation
A major part of this transformation involves innovation in products and packaging, such as the recently-launched Eucerin refill jar, which reduces packaging waste by 90%.
Beiersdorf is also working with its suppliers to promote the use of recycled materials and support emission-reduction efforts throughout its entire supply chain, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 50% by 2032.
The company’s efforts have been recognised with prestigious awards, such as the CDP Triple-A for climate, forests, and water in both 2022 and 2023.
The Hamburg Sustainability Conference, which took place at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and Hamburg City Hall on 7 and 8 October, saw leading representatives from politics, business, science and civil society offer their take on how best to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read more here.
