Lanxess has developed a tool that automatically calculates the carbon footprint for the products it produces. Called the Product Carbon Footprint Engine, the software uses existing data from various business units and calculates the emissions generated using a cradle-to-gate approach.
This includes greenhouse gas emissions during production, product-specific emissions related to raw materials, energy, operating materials, transport and emissions from waste disposal. The tool has been certified by TÜV Rheinland according to ISO 14067 standard for quantifying the carbon footprint of products.
The new tool has been developed to help Lanxess’ customers achieve their sustainability goals. Customers can request the emissions data from their sales contact. The data pool used to calculate the carbon footprint is constantly being improved. In other word, in the future, emissions can also be calculated for products for which sufficiently qualified data is not yet available.
“Our customers are setting ambitious targets to improve the sustainability along their supply chains. Lanxess can now support them even better in achieving these goals,” said Anno Borkowsky, member of the Lanxess Board of Management.
Climate-neutral by 2050
As a company, Lanxess itself is monitoring its emissions along the entire supply chain more closely as well. The Group has set a long-term goal of complying with the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard Scope 3 by 2050. Scope 3 emissions include all sources not within an organisation’s scope 1 and 2 boundaries. Also referred to as value chain emissions, these often represent the majority of an organisation’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Group announced this target, which includes indirect emissions, especially from purchased raw materials, but also from logistics and end products, in August 2022.
Lanxess set a target three years ago for its direct emissions from production -Scope 1- and energy sources - Scope 2 - when it undertook to become climate-neutral by 2040.
These climate targets have been confirmed by the Science Based Targets initiative to be in line with the 1.5 °C pathway and the Paris Agreement.
To achieve its Scope 3 targets, a company-wide programme called Net Zero Value Chain Program has been launched. As part of this, the specialty chemicals company is increasing its sourcing of sustainable raw materials, implementing “green” logistics and expanding its portfolio of climate-neutral products.