Press release
Press release
April 12, 2024

Evonik offers certified carbon-neutral hydrogen peroxide  

  • “Way to GO2” sustainability certificate enables customers to reduce Scope 3 emissions
  • Independently certified approach confirms carbon footprint calculations
  • Beauty company uses certified H2O2 to reduce carbon emissions in development of a more sustainable product

Hanau, Germany. Evonik is now offering carbon-neutral hydrogen peroxide to customers in Europe. This has been enabled through an independently certified approach wherein hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is sold together with a so-called “Way to GO2” certificate. Using the certified hydrogen peroxide helps customers reduce Scope 3 emissions in their value chain. In return, the purchase of these certificates supports the ongoing sustainable transformation of Evonik’s peroxide production.

“Way to GO2” refers to the sustainability strategy announced by Evonik’s Active Oxygens business line in 2022. The strategy includes a concrete roadmap to climate-neutral production through, for example, the switch to renewable energy and green hydrogen — steps which are already helping transform several production plants across the globe. By using a book-and-claim approach (“insetting”) to calculate its current carbon footprint, Active Oxygens can assign Way to GO2 sustainability certificates to a certain proportion of its portfolio. The approach and calculation have been independently audited, monitored, and certified by rigorous testing expert TÜV Rheinland.

“The benefit for customers is that there is no change in product quality, regulations, or logistics: It is the same high-quality H2O2 specialty grade, except that we are supporting our customers’ decarbonization strategies,” says Christoph Batz-Sohn, Marketing Director for Environmental & Life Science at Evonik Active Oxygens. “In return, the purchase of Way to GO2 certificates helps us to further implement sustainability measures in our production network. In this way, the proportion of carbon-neutral hydrogen peroxide will increase over time as we progress along the Way to GO2 roadmap.”

Global beauty leader Wella Company is one of the first to apply Evonik’s certified hydrogen peroxide, using the H2O2 for its latest hair color developer product as part of its continuous efforts to reduce negative impact on the environment. “Wella Company is committed to sustainability and pursues a comprehensive approach focusing on all aspects of our product offer from A-Z: packaging and recycling, manufacturing and distribution, the use phase, and of course, ingredients. We continuously work across our supplier network for new solutions to drive positive change,” says Dr. Joachim Klimeck, Vice President of R&D at Wella Company. “For this new product, we have not only taken measures such as 100% recyclable packaging and replaced up to 70% of virgin plastic with recycled material, we have also developed a more sustainable formula with zero impact on performance that contains certified hydrogen peroxide from Evonik to reduce carbon emissions versus the previously-used H2O2.”

Evonik’s hydrogen peroxide is not only increasingly sustainable in terms of its production footprint. The application of hydrogen peroxide can also help increase the sustainability of processes further downstream: Unlike some alternative chemistries, hydrogen peroxide is a naturally occurring substance that breaks down into only water and oxygen, leaving little trace on the environment.

For more information on the certificates, please click here.

For more information on Evonik Active Oxygens’ sustainability strategy, please visit: evonik.click/way2go2

Company information

Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The company is active in more than 100 countries around the world and generated sales of €15.3 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of €1.66 billion in 2023. Evonik goes far beyond chemistry to create innovative, profitable, and sustainable solutions for customers. More than 33,000 employees work together for a common purpose: We want to improve life today and tomorrow.

About Smart Materials

The Smart Materials division includes businesses with innovative materials that enable resource-saving solutions and replace conventional materials. They are the smart answer to the major challenges of our time: environment, energy efficiency, urbanization, mobility and health. The Smart Materials division generated sales of €4.46 billion in 2023 with more than 8,100 employees. 

Disclaimer

In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations, or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.