ECOLOGY
Raw materials
Raw materials are the starting point for our value creation and business activities. For this reason, we began defining at a very early stage as part of our sustainability activities which chemical substances are not compatible with sustainable chemical solutions for us.
Sustainability assessment of raw materials
Since 2014 our raw materials in use have been assessed against the defined criteria stated below. If one of the above criteria is met, the raw material will be marked “Red” or in the case of the CoRAP criterion “Yellow” and thus becomes a critical raw material regarding sustainability within the company.
CHT criteria for the sustainability assessment of raw materials:
- CMR substance (substance, which is carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction)
- toxic, category 1 to 3
- sensitizing
- target organ toxic
- environmentally hazardous, class 1 and 2
- SVHC
- CoRAP (Community Rolling Action Plan) list
The evaluation of raw materials thus forms the basis for the sustainability assessment of our products and supports R&D in selecting the raw materials to be used.
Our corporate strategy covers the entire value chain – from the responsible procurement of raw materials and their efficient use in our production facilities to the resource-protecting use of our products in our customers’ processes and goods.
As part of our climate reduction targets, we need to change the current fossil-based raw material base towards renewable and recycled raw materials. These raw materials are currently not available on the market in sufficient quantities or at competitive prices, which is why fossil raw materials will not be replaced in the near future. In addition, the raw material alternatives also present challenges. The use of bio-based raw materials entails risks in the supply chain. For example, land conversion, high water consumption, working conditions and the competition between material and food use must remain clearly in focus. Solutions can include the material use of biogenic waste materials on the one hand and the use of secondary raw materials in the sense of the circular economy on the other hand.
When selecting suppliers and raw materials, we take into account economic, ecological and social criteria as well as aspects such as product and delivery safety. We have set out our expectations of our suppliers in our Supplier Code of Conduct.
In 2023, the CHT Group procured raw materials worth over EUR 350 million from more than 1,000 suppliers worldwide.