Clariant Calls for Greater Awareness on World Environment Day

Clariant aims to contribute to sustainability across all its operations by creating added value and benefits for stakeholders through sustainable and innovative solutions delivered without compromising performance. The criteria of Clariant's Portfolio Assessment Program (PAP) address all three dimensions of sustainability: environmental, economic and social. The EcoTain® label, a result of the PAP, contributes to the company's goal of sustainable excellence. Istanbul, 25 May 2016 – Clariant, a global leader in specialty chemicals, aims to contribute to economic, social and environmental sustainability across all its operations through the added value and benefits it creates for stakeholders. In line with this objective, the company is calling for greater awareness on World Environment Day on 5 June. In a world facing rapid population growth, water scarcity, climate change and other resource-related challenges, long-term economic growth depends on meeting social needs in far more sustainable ways. For this reason, Clariant places great emphasis on creating value for all stakeholders by addressing global trends and providing sustainable and innovative products and solutions without compromising performance.

Fatih Tantekin, Head of Clariant Corporate Sustainability, Turkey/Middle East and Africa, commented:

"The wellbeing of humanity, the environment and economic activity depends on the responsible management of natural resources on the planet. For this reason, sustainability has always been a core focus area for Clariant. Our production facilities in Turkey provide solutions that address social challenges, prioritize occupational safety, and use comprehensive energy management tools to reduce costs and carbon footprint while increasing efficiency and productivity. This helps us and our stakeholders contribute to a healthy planet. While our contributions are widely acknowledged by the industry, we continue our efforts to further promote sustainability and create a sustainable lifestyle in the future without compromising environmental responsibility."

Clariant's Portfolio Assessment Program ensures sustainability

Clariant's Portfolio Assessment Program (PAP) was created and implemented in 2012 in cooperation with the Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production, an internationally recognized non-profit organization established by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Wuppertal Institute. The program is based on a comprehensive analysis of sustainability trends and needs, as well as data and views from external stakeholders including experts, policy makers, companies, NGOs and trade unions. The 36 criteria developed within the program are used to determine the sustainability performance of the company's product portfolio. These criteria address all three dimensions of sustainability – environmental, economic and social – as well as the entire product life cycle. The EcoTain® label, a result of the PAP, contributes to the company's goal of excellence in sustainability.

EcoTain® label creates greater awareness

The EcoTain® label highlights Clariant products that demonstrate best-in-class performance according to one or more sustainability criteria and significantly exceed market standards. Based on the Portfolio Assessment Program, which evaluates products against a series of strict criteria, this label helps make Clariant's sustainability efforts more visible to customers. Through the Portfolio Assessment Program, the company ensures sustainability in its products and has the opportunity to evaluate product characteristics and potential impacts during the product development phase. The current product portfolio is continuously reviewed and developed according to sustainability criteria. Currently, across all business units, Clariant has over 140 products bearing the EcoTain® label. The EcoTain® concept represents environmentally friendly, economic and socio-economic principles. For example, EcoTain® products that are economically attractive provide high cost efficiency by generating less waste and offering more recycling opportunities and efficient processes. This helps customers achieve their desired formulation cost targets without compromising on formulation properties. Clariant's research and development work focuses on developing new products with low toxicity to humans and minimal environmental impact through high biodegradability and low ecotoxicity, as well as the use of renewable resources. EcoTain® also emphasizes Clariant's current philosophy regarding the management of its product portfolio and services for customer needs, as well as the necessity of developing products based on sustainable raw materials.

Listed in Dow Jones Sustainability Index since 2013

Beyond all this, Clariant is recognized as one of Europe's most sustainable chemical companies. Since September 2013, the company has continued to be listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). This world-renowned sustainability index positions Clariant in the top third of its sector on both the DJSI Europe and DJSI World lists. Inclusion in the DJSI demonstrates that Clariant has met expectations in terms of creating sustainable value and is equipped to address and resolve today's and tomorrow's social challenges.