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Henkel

OVERALL

Owned
GER
Rating
Praises, some criticism

Chemicals and consumer goods

Founded in Germany in 1876 by Fritz Henkel. Two globally operating business units: Consumer Brands and Adhesives.

Henkel KGaA   GER     website   email   facebook   twitter

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Henkel KGaA
Environment CDP Forests Score of A-
In 2021, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2021)
Environment CDP Climate Change Score of A-
In 2021, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2021)
Business Ethics 82.6% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017
This company received a score of 82.6/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Source: Newsweek (2017)
Social CDP Water Security Score of B
In 2021, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of B.
Source: CDP (2021)
Business Ethics Global 100
The 2021 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list is an extensive data-driven corporate sustainability assessment. The ranked companies are leaders in the field of a sustainable business approach. The efficiency of a company's energy, water, CO2 and waste management is measured in relation to its total sales volume. The disclosure of that information is a pre-condition for the assessment. Of the 33 companies in its peer group, this company ranked #3.
Source: Corporate Knights (2021)
Animals Animal Testing
This company appears on PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, USA) 'Companies That Do Test On Animals' list, signifying that they manufacture products that are tested on animals at some stage of development.
Source: PETA (2022)
Environment Supply chain practices in China
This company received a score of 20.3/100 (retrieved 10-Oct-2020) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
Source: IPE (2020)
Business Ethics 37/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 37/100 in the Household Products category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 7 Feb 2021). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2021)
Environment Use of microplastics
This company uses plastic microbeads in some of its personal care products. These particles are not retained by wastewater treatment so end up in the ocean where they contribute to ocean plastic pollution, and are hazardous to sea life. While the effects of microplastics on human health are not completely understood, there are concerns about plastic additives, such as phthalates, which are known endocrine disruptors which are shown to have harmful effects on life.
Source: Beat the Microbead (2021)
Social Defense & Military - indirect
Henkel supplies the military with adhesives, sealants & surface treatments
Source: Henkel North America (2016)
Social Guide to Healthy Cleaning grade (B-F)
EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning provides safety ratings for household cleaning products, with over 2,500 products rated from A (lowest concern) to F (highest concern). This company's score range is B to F, with over 84% of products scoring a D or F.
Source: Environmental Working Group (2020)
Business Ethics Nuclear - indirect involvement
Henkel make adhesives and sealants for nuclear power stations
Source: company website (2020)
Business Ethics Price fixing in France
Consumer goods giants Colgate-Palmolive, Henkel and Procter & Gamble were fined 361 million euros by French regulators in Dec 2011 for fixing soap prices in France. [Listed under Information due to age of court finding]
Source: news article (2011)
Business Ethics Price fixing in France
In Dec 2014 this company and 12 other consumer goods firms were fined a total of 951m euros by the French competition watchdog for price fixing in supermarkets. The regulator said the companies colluded on price increases between 2003 and 2006. This company was fined 109m euros.
Source: news article (2014)
Environment Microbeads scorecard
In 2016 Greenpeace East Asia ranked the world's 30 biggest personal care companies on their commitment to eliminating microbeads from their personal care products. The scorecard was based on four main criteria: commitment & transparency, definition, deadline and global application. This company ranked joint first. Microbeads are not retained by wastewater treatment and end up in the ocean where they are a threat to the marine environment.
Source: Greenpeace (2016)
Environment Climate action commitments
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.
Source: We Mean Business (2021)
Business Ethics Plastics Commitment signatory
This company is a signatory to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, whose goal is to eliminate plastic pollution at its source.
Source: New Plastics Economy (2019)
Business Ethics US Plastics Pact signatory
This company is a signatory to the US Plastics Pact, a collaborative effort organized by The Recycling Partnership and the World Wildlife Fund, launched as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's global Plastics Pact network to unify diverse public-private stakeholders across the plastics value chain to rethink the way we design, use, and reuse plastics, to create a path forward to realize a circular economy for plastic in the United States. In line with the Ellen McArthur Foundation's vision of a circular economy for plastics, which unites more than 850+ organizations, the US Plastics Pact brings together companies, government entities, NGOs, researchers, and other stakeholders to work collectively toward scalable solutions tailored to the unique needs and challenges within the U.S. landscape, through vital knowledge sharing and coordinated action.
Source: US Plastics Pact (2020)
Business Ethics How2Recycle member
This company is a member of How2Recycle. The How2Recycle Label is a voluntary, standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. It involves a coalition of forward thinking brands who want their packaging to be recycled and are empowering consumers through smart packaging labels. Companies must be a member of the program to use the How2Recycle Label.
Source: How2Recycle (2020)
Business Ethics Sustainability Consortium member
This company is a member of The Sustainability Consortium, an organization of diverse global participants that work collaboratively to build a scientific foundation that drives innovation to improve consumer product sustainability. They develop transparent methodologies, tools, and strategies to drive a new generation of products and supply networks that address environmental, social, and economic imperatives.
Source: Sustainability Consortium (2019)
Business Ethics UN Global Compact participant
The United Nations Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of 10 values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. However it's non-binding nature has been widely criticised, and many signatory corporations continue to violate the Compact's values.
Source: UN Global Compact (2020)
Business Ethics Alliance to End Plastic Waste member
This company is a member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste which aims to eliminate plastic waste in the environment.
Source: Alliance to End Plastic Waste (2019)
Environment 42% in Forest 500 Rankings
Forest 500 identifies the 350 companies and 150 financial institutions with the greatest exposure to tropical deforestation risk, and annually assesses them on the strength and implementation of their deforestation and human rights commitments. This company received a score of 42%.
Source: Forest 500 (2021)
Environment Palm oil scorecard - WWF
The WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 assesses 173 companies on the commitments they have made, and the actions they have taken, to ensure that there is no destruction of nature including no deforestation along their supply chains; and support a responsible and sustainable palm oil industry beyond their own supply chain. This company is rated 'middle of the pack' with a score of 12.5 out of a possible total of 22.
Source: WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 (2019)
Environment C grade for plastic pollution
As You Sow's 2021 Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard ranks companies on plastic packaging pollution. The study measures the progress of 50 large companies in the beverage, quick-service restaurant, consumer packaged goods, and retail sectors on six core pillars where swift action is needed to reduce plastic pollution: 1) Packaging Design, 2) Reusable Packaging, 3) Recycled Content, 4) Public Data Transparency, 5) Support for Recycling, and 6) Producer Responsibility. This company received a grade of C
Source: As You Sow (2021)
Social Modern Slavery statement
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: Modern Slavery Registry (2018)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Public company
Founded 1876
Revenue 20 billion EUR (2017)
Employees 53,000 (2017)
Subsidiaries Henkel Australia Pty Ltd 

Adhesives, household and personal care

Two business areas: consumer brands and adhesive technologies. Acquired Colgate-Palmolive's laundry brands in Australia and New Zealand in 2015.


Jeyes Group Ltd 

Cleaning products

Founded in 1877 and owned by Henkel since 2016.

Contact Details

Address Dusseldorf, Germany
Website www.henkel.com

Products / Brands

Henkel Australia
Ant-Rid Pest Control
Bref Toilet Cleaners
Cold Power Laundry Detergent
Combat Pest Control
Dynamo Laundry Detergent
Fab Laundry Detergent
Hurricane Laundry Detergent
Joico Shampoo
Lovables Laundry Detergent
Napro Palette Hair Colour
Purex Crystals Fabric Softener
Renuzit Air Fresheners
Sard Wonder Stain Removal & Prewash
Schwarzkopf Shampoo
Schwarzkopf Hair Styling
Schwarzkopf Hair Colour
Spree Laundry Detergent
Taft Shampoo
Taft Hair Styling

Jeyes
Jeyes Bloo Toilet Cleaners


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