Firmenich achieves 100% renewable electricity at all its global operations

CARBON NEUTRALITY

Firmenich, the Swiss privatelyowned perfume and taste company, has announced that all its operations worldwide are now powered by 100% renewable electricity.

An industry first, this milestone builds on Firmenich’s second consecutive CDP Triple A ranking for Climate Change, Water and Forests, which it received recently at the CDP Awards Ceremony in Paris. The Group’s transition to green power is supported by RE100, a global initiative of the most influential companies committed to 100% renewable power led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP.

“Present in more than 100 markets, with 39 plants worldwide, we are always open to sharing best practice on how ambitious, sciencebased targets can drive real progress GENDER DIVERSITY

against climate change,” said Mr. Gilbert Ghostine, CEO Firmenich.

In 2015, Firmenich had set the target to source 100% of our electricity from renewables by 2020. The company said it reached “100% renewable electricity consumption ahead of schedule in all markets where it is currently possible to locally source renewable electricity in accordance with RE100 strict technical criteria”. The Group purchased renewable grid electricity and collaborated with suppliers and governments to develop local availability of green power, including onsite solutions such as wind power and solar energy.

“Firmenich has shown that it’s possible for big businesses to deliver on ambitious targets that speed up the global transition to clean energy,” said Mr. Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100 at The Climate Group. “Through its membership of RE100, Firmenich’s climate leadership is encouraging the few countries where renewables remain harder to access to speed up their transition to clean energy.”

Using 100% renewable electricity supports the Group’s science-based targets aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C. Firmenich said it decoupled its growth from its CO 2 emissions, with manufacturing output up 18% and emissions down by 30% since 2015.

BASF to increase proportion of women in leadership positions

German chemicals giant, BASF, has revealed plans to increase the proportion of women in leadership positions to 30 percent worldwide by 2030. At the end of 2019, the proportion of female managers was 23 percent (2018: 21.7 percent).

In 2015, BASF had set itself the target of increasing the proportion of women in leadership roles to 22 to 24 percent as of 2021, which it achieved ahead of schedule at the end of 2019.

BASF said it will put special emphasis on the three leadership levels below the Board of Executive Directors, where the proportion of female leaders is 15.8 percent (as of December 31, 2019).

“We want to better incorporate women and their abilities in the leadership team of BASF. As a research-driven company, we know the value of diverse ways of thinking and working. Different perspectives result in innovative ideas and solutions for our customers,” said Dr. Martin Brudermüller, the company’s Chairman.