Skincare manufacturer Beiersdorf has said that a 'far-reaching transformation' will be required to achieve net zero emissions by 2045, but added that it is committed to the cause.
The Nivea maker outlined the company's sustainability transformation plans at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference, which took place on 7 and 8 October.
The company has committed to becoming net zero itself by 2045, and to cut the emissions of its entire value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3) by the same date.
'Zero Alternative'
“According to the current state of science, there is zero alternative to Net Zero," Vincent Warnery, chief executive of Beiersdorf, said in an interview at the event, hosted by Sabine Nallinger, managing director of Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft. "At Beiersdorf, sustainability is a central component of our corporate strategy ‘Win with Care’ and we have set ourselves ambitious sustainability targets.”
Collaboration is set to play an important role in the company's transition, he added, stating that climate protection "requires joint efforts. 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.”
Decarbonisation Progress
Beiersdorf has already made progress in its decarbonisation efforts – as of the end of 2023, its GHG emissions had fallen by 19%, and by 2025, emissions will be down 30%.
It added that it is investing in product innovation and transformation to achieve a 50% emissions reduction by 2032, citing the introduction of the Eucerin refill jar, which uses 90% less packaging, as an example of this.
“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," Warnery added.
"By January 2025, all our EU factories will operate climate-neutral, our global target for all our production centers is 2030.”
