What the SDGs Mean to Archroma
Posted on 25/09/2024
Nine years ago, all 193 United Nations Member States adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a vision of the world in 2030 and a call-to-action for governments, businesses and civil society. They aim for a future without poverty or hunger, where clean water and clean energy underscore health, education and decent work for all and tackling climate change and preserving the environment are part of normal business practices.
To celebrate SDG Flag Day on September 25, we connected with Martina Beitke, Group Sustainability Director at Archroma, to learn about the goals’ relevance to our company and customers and then asked leaders championing pivotal goals for their perspective.
Martina, how do the SDGs further our mission as a company?
Martina: “Archroma is a global leader in specialty chemicals and we are fully committed to leading the textile, fashion, paper, packaging, and coatings industries towards a more sustainable future. Our goal is to deliver innovative solutions that respect the planet, enhance people’s lives, and create value for our customers, partners, communities, and other stakeholders. The SDGs are not just a framework that helps us set the right targets in these areas, but also a compass to guide us, step by step, in turning potential risks into opportunities through our product portfolio.”
What’s the relationship between the SDGs and our ESG efforts?
Martina: “The SDGs help shape our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) outcomes. While our operations contribute to all SDGs in some way, eight of the goals are particularly relevant to our ESG aims and these are where we are putting our effort. This gives each and every one of us at Archroma a chance to contribute and help build a better future.”
Is there a particular SDG that you are focused on this year?
Martina: “SDG 13 is integrated into every aspect of our operations. We continue to refine our production processes, transition to renewable energy, and optimize our product portfolio with the firm belief that we can do even more to save water and energy and reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions. I am very proud that we are stepping up to make an even bigger impact with our ambitious new Operations Targets for 2030, whilst intensively working on our GHG emissions Scope 3.1 accounting to enable Scope 3 target setting in line with the SBTi.”
Leadership Perspectives
We also asked three other Archroma leaders what SDGs mean the most to them this year. Here’s what they shared:
Peet De Waal, Global Head of SHE, Archroma
Peet: “SDG 3 underpins our health and safety goals. In the 2023 financial year, Archroma Group had 0.25 recordable incidents for every 200,000 hours worked. This is an industry-leading achievement, only possible because all of us committed to following our 12 “Life Saving Rules” every minute of every day. However, it still translates into 12 reportable injuries – and this is too many. We will continue to prioritize health and safety training and audits and to learn from our mistakes so that we can stop incidents before they happen. The health and well-being of our colleagues, customers, communities, and consumers – as exemplified by the SDG 3 – is always uppermost in my mind.”
Paul Cowell, Vice President of Innovation, Marketing, Brand Engagement and Sustainability, Archroma Textile Effects
Paul: “SDG 9 embodies a significant principle: Corporate innovation is vital for addressing the world's most pressing challenges. At Archroma, innovation has always been at the heart of what we do. This year, our Textile Effects division has sharpened our focus through our ‘PLANET CONSCIOUS+’ vision, reinforcing our dedication to innovation while placing greater emphasis on both consumer needs and environmental sustainability.
A prime example of this commitment is our new SUPER SYSTEMS+. These comprehensive, end-to-end solutions enable textile brands, retailers, and mills to achieve their environmental objectives by promoting resource efficiency, utilizing cleaner chemistries and increased durability of textiles. Our ability to offer such solutions is made possible by our extensive portfolio of industry-leading innovations.
Lisa Clark, Vice President of Marketing, Innovation and Sustainability, Archroma Paper, Packaging & Coatings
Lisa: “SDG 14 inspires both our environmental management processes and our product development efforts. For us, protecting aquatic life means we seek ways to make a positive contribution to the health of rivers, lakes and oceans in everything we do. Our Cartaseal® OGB F10 barrier solution allows food retailers and packaging companies to be part of the solution too. It delivers optimal oil and grease resistance on paper-based food packaging to help keep polystyrene and plastic out of the food industry and out of our oceans. Crucially, it is partially bio-based to further reduce reliance on fossil-fuel-based resources, is biodegradable as well as repulpable, contributing to circularity.
Affiliations & memberships
Archroma are proud members and/or partners with the following organizations
