Reduction of the CO2 footprint
Henkel's contribution: 200,000 tonnes less CO2 over four years
For our hair and body care products as well as laundry detergents and cleaning agents produced in Europe, for example products from our Schauma, Gliss, Fa, Persil, Somat and Dylon brands, Henkel sources a large proportion of the ingredients from its supplier BASF.
As part of a four-year cooperation, starting in January 2023, we are supporting BASF in increasing the proportion of renewable raw materials used to produce the ingredients and thereby reducing the carbon footprint of the ingredients produced by a total of 200,000 tonnes.
This is the amount that an aeroplane emits when it flies around the world more than 76 times.
By purchasing hair and body care products as well as detergents and cleaning agents from Henkel (e.g. Schauma, Fa, Nature Box, Persil, Dylon and Somat), you are supporting the use of more renewable raw materials in accordance with the mass balance method.
Renewable raw materials are the key to CO2 reduction
The key to this CO2 reduction is the origin of the raw materials used to manufacture the ingredients of Henkel products. In general, there are two different types whose different origins lead to different CO2 release.
Fossil raw materials are extracted by mining oil or gas below the earth's surface, where they have been stored undisturbed for millions of years. By extracting them, the bound CO2 reaches the earth's surface. This increases the total amount of CO2 in our atmosphere at the end of the life cycle.
Renewable raw materials (biomass), on the other hand, come from plants that grow on the surface of the earth today. During their lifetime, plants absorb CO2 from the air and utilise carbon (together with water) as food. They then release oxygen back into the air. This process is called photosynthesis. The CO2 that a plant absorbs is called biogenic carbon.
Composition of the CO2 footprint
If you look at the complete cycle, the use of renewable raw materials results in lower overall CO2 emissions from the products than the use of fossil raw materials:
Henkel's co-operation with BASF
That is why Henkel has decided to cooperate with BASF and support its main ingredient supplier in gradually replacing fossil raw materials used for the production of ingredients with renewable raw materials. This will reduce the CO2 footprint.
Product quality
As only the raw material source changes, but the ingredients remain the same, the quality of the products also remains at the same high level.
Biomass balance approach to replace fossil raw materials
In BASF's production network, renewable raw materials from Europe are combined with fossil raw materials to produce ingredients (so-called ‘biomass balance approach’). Henkel then uses these ingredients to manufacture hair and body care products as well as detergents and cleaning agents.
The mass balance process is monitored by an independent third party (TÜV Nord). TÜV Nord certifies the ingredients produced by BASF for Henkel in accordance with REDcert2, the recognised certification system for sustainable biomass.
In other words
To better understand the biomass balance approach, we compare it with the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources. Even if you pay for renewable electricity, there is no guarantee that the electricity you receive actually comes from renewable sources. However, you can be sure that the same amount of energy that is purchased has been generated somewhere using green technologies.
The same applies to Henkel's co-operation with BASF: Henkel cannot guarantee that the ingredients BASF supplies for Henkel products are directly based on renewable raw materials. However, REDcert2 certification ensures that the same amount of renewable raw materials is used by BASF for the production of ingredients. This is why the approach is also referred to as ‘mass balance’.
More detailed information about Henkel's co-operation with BASF can be found here.