Climate Positive

We will enable the transition to a low carbon economy. We will be Climate Positive, working closely with our customers to develop products that offer carbon saving benefits in use.

Our ingredients offer many sustainability benefits in use, including helping our customers and their consumers to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Our Carbon Cover target means that by 2030 the use of our products will avoid four times the carbon emissions associated with our business. To achieve this target, we will:

• Discover and account for avoided emissions using our existing ingredients
• Develop innovative carbon-saving ingredients to meet our customers’ needs

Case study: Benefits in use carbon savings

We have identified several Carbon Cover case studies for our ingredients, quantifying the avoided emissions associated with their use. Our methodology for quantifying and reporting these avoided emissions is externally verified by Avieco. Product case studies verified in 2020:

• PaddyRise^TM - a seed treatment that increases the resilience of young rice plants to pests and diseases, resulting in a yield improvement, which reduces the emissions intensity of rice production
• Matexil^TM LTW Textile - an additive for fabric dying that enables processing at lower temperatures, resulting in energy savings
• Veritas - a biostimulant that has been shown to improve yields in soybean plants, leading to more efficient land use and associated carbon savings
• Some Croda by-products are also sold as feedstocks for biofuels, used in place of petrochemical fuels. This offers a renewable route to generating energy avoiding emissions associated with burning fossil fuels.

The total avoided emissions associated with ingredients from verified case studies was
839,220 tonnes CO₂e in 2020 - equivalent to a carbon cover ratio of 0.8:1. 

Use of these products will also avoid 38.5 million m³ of water throughout their lifetime. On average, as one person uses between 52m³ and 58m³ of water each year, the reduction in water though the use of our products is equivalent to the annual needs of some 660,000 people. 

By the end of 2024 we will have evaluated 100% of our existing product portfolio for downstream carbon impact and accounted for two million tonnes of CO₂e avoided emissions. 

We will achieve our Science Based Targets (SBTs) by reducing our emissions in line with limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels, maximising the use of renewable energy in our operations.

Tackling the climate crisis is our biggest challenge but through decarbonisation, innovation and customer collaboration it also offers us our greatest opportunities. 

Case study: Decarbonisation roadmaps

We need to reduce our emissions in line with our science-based targets by 2030 and become net zero by 2050.

In 2020, our 10 manufacturing sites with the highest emissions developed decarbonisation roadmaps up to 2030. This involved looking at each site’s current energy requirements, and identifying opportunities to decarbonise through energy reduction, energy re-use and replacement with renewables. Sites considered incremental improvements ranging from efficiency gains to large-scale transformations such as replacement process technology. These opportunities were quantified, exploring their financial and carbon reduction impacts, and so creating a 10-year roadmap to decarbonisation for each site.

Employees at all sites have shown dedication and passion for sustainability in helping us work towards our Commitment, especially Climate Positive. The roadmaps they produced will play a vital role in achieving our Climate Positive target.

 

Case study: Sustainability Impact Assessments

As part of our ongoing investments, it’s critical to consider how we can reduce emissions and maximise our sustainability impact.

In 2020, we started plans to relocate our North American office and innovation centre to Princeton, New Jersey. This included completing a Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) to understand the effects of this move. Social and environmental impacts were considered and we developed an action plan to maximise positive sustainability impact. 

Now open, the new facility runs entirely on 100% renewable electricity including site heating, meaning there are zero carbon emissions associated with powering the site. A state-of-the-art building management system and LED lighting help to maximise energy efficiency and reduce overall energy requirements. The site goes beyond reducing emissions, with other design aspects incorporated to improve employee wellbeing. The space is bright, open and filled with natural light, with numerous plants contributing to a calming environment that brings people and nature together. A wellness room offers a quiet space for meditation and for nursing mothers. 

Recycling and minimising waste is another important aspect. The relocation included recycling 20 tonnes of paper, with new paper usage now significantly reduced. Recycling is a central part of office design, with furniture incorporating recycled components and choosing furniture that is highly recyclable to reduce waste at their end of life.

We will accelerate the transition to bio-based products, moving away from fossil/petrochemical feedstocks.

Our 2030 target is for our use of bio-based organic raw materials to reach 75%, three times the target of the European chemical industry. Our interim target is to reach 71% on a rolling three-year average by the end of 2024. 

Bio-based raw materials sequester carbon from the atmosphere as they grow, so using them to displace fossil-based materials has a positive impact on the climate. In 2020, our use of bio-based organic raw materials reached 67%.

Case study: ECO range of Climate Positive surfactants

Our ECO range of 100% bio-based surfactants demonstrate the value we offer customers through our Commitment to be Climate Positive. 

Our Tween range of surfactants manufactured in North America provides an example. Our customers can gain an immediate carbon reduction of 12% by switching to our bio-based Tween and see this grow to 23% as the site reduces its emissions in line with our science-based target. This has the potential to reach a 71% reduction by moving to sugarcane ethanol instead of corn ethanol. 

The Tween range of surfactants are sold as adjuvants through our Crop Protection business, increasing crop yields by improving pesticide efficacy, minimising land and water use, and avoiding emissions associated with agricultural practices. As well as contributing to our Land Positive commitment, this helps us achieve our Carbon Cover target. If Tween surfactants are included in formulations used on corn crops in the USA, the raw material feedstock into our bio-surfactant plant will have a lower carbon and land footprint, with emissions savings passed on to customers - showing the circular nature and benefits of our Climate Positive commitment.