AkzoNobel Steps Up Fight Against Climate Change

AkzoNobel Tackles Climate Change AkzoNobel launched a 24-hour challenge to unite business partners and combat climate change. AkzoNobel launched a pioneering initiative designed to collectively accelerate carbon reduction across the industry in which it operates. The company invited partners from across its value chain to participate in the Collaborative Sustainability Challenge, which aims to develop a shared approach to tackling climate change. During the 24-hour event scheduled for May, senior executives from supplier companies and customers will participate in open discussions with next-generation leaders. Speaking at the program launch, AkzoNobel CEO Thierry Vanlancker said: "We have set science-based sustainability targets to cut our carbon emissions in half across the entire value chain by 2030." He added: "We know that the only way to reach the 1.5°C target is to collaborate with our partners."

During the event to be held on 17-18 May, participants will develop ideas on the following topics:

• Energy: Decarbonization processes and transition to renewable energy sources,
• Process efficiency: Increasing material use efficiency and reducing the energy required for the application of paints and coatings,
• Solvent emissions: Reducing the number of solvents released across the entire value chain,
• Circular solutions: Increasing the use of circular solutions in paints and coatings both upstream and downstream.

Klaas Kruithof, Chief Technology Officer at AkzoNobel, emphasized the need for collaborative innovation across the sector, stating: "We all face challenges that we must overcome, and to achieve this we are challenging both ourselves and our partners." AkzoNobel's 'Paint the Future' program continues to be one of the most successful examples of this approach, making waves globally in the innovation ecosystem. With the same approach, the company is reaching out to business partners and even customers, making this challenge a first in its field.