While sustainability as a term has become a key focus in the business world and in our everyday lives, it’s not exactly a new concept. Using renewable raw materials, saving energy and reducing pollution have been topics for a long time.

“BASF’s sustainability strategy is reflected in the company’s purpose: ‘We create chemistry for a sustainable future’,” Jennifer Sinsigalli, head of sales – Resins North America for BASF, said. “Sustainability was initially a component of BASF’s Vision 2010, which was developed in 1994. Over the following years, the concept of sustainability was implemented in the company guidelines and fundamental values and permeated how the company acted.

“Ten years later, in 2004, sustainability became a component of the BASF strategy for the first time,” Sinsigalli added. “In its corporate strategy 2018, BASF defined six strategic action areas – sustainability being one of them. Until today, sustainability has been an integral part of the company’s management process and strategic direction. One of the pillars of the latest BASF Winning Ways strategy is ‘Transform’, which represents shaping and successively implementing our market-oriented green transformation toward a more sustainable product portfolio. Going forward, the company will intensify focus on products with sustainability attributes where there are increasing customer demand.”

“We have always worked towards reducing water and power usage,” Robert Ruckle, global marketing and sales director, Siltech Corporation, noted. “The largest part of our carbon footprint is the raw materials. Our processes add very little additional carbon.”

“Evonik is always at the forefront of sustainability,” said Susanne Struck, global head of market segment Inks for Evonik. “We strive to be a leader by committing to innovation, sustainability goals and customer support. We started to intensify our sustainability activities in 2021. In the beginning, we carried out extensive value chain analyses and assessed potential overlaps of our business with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Based on these findings, we integrated sustainability into our strategy. To give an example, multiple aspects of sustainability are now part of our product innovation process.”

Keith Condon, national sales director, Gehring-Montgomery, said that sustainability is a core component of Gehring-Montgomery’s mission and long-term strategy

“For close to a decade, we have been committed to identifying and promoting environmentally responsible raw materials,” Condon added. “Our portfolio includes a range of sustainable waxes such as Carnauba wax, Castro-based, rice bran wax, Montan wax, and Candelilla wax—all of which are derived from renewable resources and support cleaner, more sustainable ink formulations. We continuously collaborate with both suppliers and customers to support innovation and the adoption of materials that contribute positively to environmental goals. Gehring Montgomery is EcoVadis Gold.”

“Munzing has a long-standing commitment to CO2 neutrality, demonstrated by years of investment, and has simultaneously expanded its portfolio with new product offerings for diverse markets,” John Kwasneski, director of sales, Coatings, Construction & Adhesives Americas Region for Munzing, said.

“Micro Powders has been a member of EcoVadis for nearly 10 years and we have taken significant steps to improve our sustainability programs over the years,” Rich Czarnecki, VP, Micro Powders, said. “Additionally, we use upcycled and sustainably sourced ingredients to support a circular economy.”

“Sustainability, along with recycling, has been a core value at Shamrock Technologies from the start, especially given our focus on developing additives for packaging and consumer goods,” said Alex Radu, technical marketing chemist at Shamrock Technologies. “Driven by both regulatory demands and brand identity, the company has long prioritized initiatives like waste reduction, minimizing environmental impact, process efficiencies, and providing a second life for core materials. For us, the green in our shamrock symbol has come to signify our commitment to responsible manufacturing.”

“Lubrizol places a high importance on sustainability and has done so for several years, across a range of approaches, from lowering our carbon footprint to delivering innovative products which are either more sustainable in themselves, or which allow our customers to reduce the environmental impact of their products,” said Pat Sunderland, technical marketing manager for Lubrizol. “In general, we listen to today’s demands and anticipate tomorrow’s needs to deliver sustainable solutions for coatings and inks that empower customer innovation.

“As we consider sustainable innovation, our targeted approach can be summarized by three driving pillars – climate: we focus on technology innovation and responsible manufacturing that enables customers to reduce human health and environmental impacts; conservation: we continuously expand the use of renewable materials in our technologies (without sacrificing performance) and minimize the water and energy required to manufacture, transport and apply formulated products; and circularity: we empower customers to minimize waste, eliminate materials of concern and reduce their manufacturing footprint while maximizing recyclability, biodegradability, repulpability and reusability,” Sunderland added.