To meet its Net Zero goals Henkel, a chemicals and consumer goods manufacturer placed a strong emphasis on reducing and eliminating packing material and reducing production waste.

The company explored the possibilities to use fewer and more environmentally friendly materials for packaging by employing intelligent design principles. It allowed to virgin material with recycled or renewable alternatives such as bio-based plastics and recycled paper.

To help achieve those goals, a software tool that assesses the recyclability of new packaging from the product development phase was created in 2020, resulting in 86% of the packaging being recyclable or reusable at the end of 2021.

Henkel also created a tight loop along the value chains, providing the option of reusing or refilling the packaging, which was supported by new product forms. In 2021, Henkel’s products could be refilled across 48 refill stations all over Germany. New adhesive technologies enabled labels to be removed without leaving any residue, which increases the packaging's recycling potential.

By the end of 2021, Henkel had reduced its waste by 42% and had eliminated landfill waste from 78% of its sites.

“To continue promoting the circular economy in our business operations, we are focusing on reducing production waste and increasing recycling at our sites, as well as on innovative, intelligent and sustainable packaging concepts.”

Bruno Piacenza, Executive Vice President Laundry & Home Care, Henkel.