CHRISTINE SCHNEIDER, ARNDT SCHEIDGEN
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Düsseldorf, Germany

Abstract

Henkel has a Factor 3 Sustainability strategy, which is to become three times more efficient in the Sustainability focal areas. This means that by 2030, Henkel wants to triple the value they create for the footprint made by their operations, products and services, based on the figures of the year 2010.
This ambitious goal can be achieved by tripling the value created while leaving the footprint stable or reducing the footprint to one third while delivering the same value; the efficiency has to improve by an average of 5 to 6 percent each year. In consequence, for the period up to 2015, Henkel intended to improve the ratio between the value created and the environmental footprint by 30 percent overall.
To optimize the value and footprint dimensions Henkel is developing various measurement methods which allow the actions to be identified that have the greatest effect on sustainability along the value chain. The various instruments are summarized in the Henkel Sustainability#Master^®. At the heart of this evaluation system is a matrix that can be used to assess changes in the value and footprint dimensions.
The results are used to develop measures for improvement and innovations with improved sustainability profiles. Only by considering the entire life cycle it can be ensured that the actions taken will improve the overall sustainability profile of the products.
By means of the Sustainability#Master^®, hot spots in the value chain can be identified where the impact is greatest. The tool does not only allow reviewing measured data in hindsight, but enables also the forecast of the Sustainability impact of future launches.
Henkel uses the Henkel Sustainability#Master^® in a variety of different ways to conduct dialog with retail partners, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and other stakeholders.
By the examples of several recent launches, it is demonstrated how significant Sustainability contributions of new products can be determined in comparison to preceding benchmark products.

INTRODUCTION

At the Copenhagen Household Care Sustainability Summit 2011, the challenges to manufacture and to market an ideal sustainable detergent have been reflected (1). It has been demonstrated that while generally the washing temperatures decreased over the recent years (2,3), there is still a considerable gradient from hot washing temperatures in the north of Europe to lower temperatures towards the south (4). Likewise, consumers do not exhibit a willingness to pay more for eco-friendly products (5,6). In detergent performance leaps, enzymes have been playing a key role. To a lesser extent, also performance polymers make an important contribution, however, it is indispensable that their biodegradability profile needs to be further improved. Sustainable liquid detergents are further on the rise (7), and detergents will continue to increase efficiency. It is Henkel’s commitment that their detergents will increase efficiency by Factor 3 by the year 2030, based on the 2010 figures (8).

What are the drivers to define such a challenging strategy? Based on the Sustainability definition of people living well within the resource limits of the pla ...