Polykemi Group’s latest sustainability report shows the biggest CO2e savings to date. The results are driven by increased use of recycled materials and measurable material choices through the Materialsmart concept. The report also details the company’s goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2030 and the current progress toward that target.
The Materialsmart concept and recycled materials are key
In 2024, Polykemi Group reduced emissions by 11,800 tonnes of CO2e compared with 2023, which corresponds to the emissions of 6,700 European cars. Compared with 2021 levels, before the launch of Materialsmart, the savings during 2024 were even greater: equivalent to 13,400 cars.
“The 2024 figures exceeded my expectations. It’s now 4.5 years since we started the Materialsmart project, and the work we’ve put in since then has led to last year’s record savings,” says Henrik Palokangas, sustainability specialist at Polykemi Group.
The single largest source of emissions is related to the raw materials in the products companies sell to their customers, which is why selecting the right raw materials is where we all can make the greatest difference. Using the right material in the right place, both virgin and especially recycled, goes hand in hand with lowering the carbon footprint, as the 2024 sustainability report clearly shows.
“During 2024, as much as 28.8 percent of our global material use consisted of recycled plastic feedstock. This increase is entirely thanks to our work with Materialsmart,” says Henrik Palokangas.
LCA cover almost 98 % of all our materials
The core of Materialsmart is comprehensive LCAs (life cycle assessments) that enable Polykemi Group to set ambitious targets for reducing carbon footprints.
“We cover 97.74 percent of our total material use with our LCA. This means we can propose more sustainable materials to our customers and better evaluate our suppliers based on the lowest environmental impact, allowing us to make conscious choices that, in the long run, drive other suppliers in the right direction,” says Henrik Palokangas.
LCA data for each material is available to customers who purchase from Polykemi Group.
“We want our customers to make the best material choices they can, so they receive the data with every material at no extra cost. This allows them to use the information in their development work and in their reports,” says Henrik Palokangas.
Ambitious goals will reduce emissions annually
Indirect and direct emissions from sources owned, controlled, or purchased by Polykemi Group are set to reach net zero by 2030 (GRI Scope 1 & 2). For indirect emissions from sources not owned or controlled by Polykemi Group but related to production (GRI Scope 3), the ambition is to reduce them by 5 percent each year.
“We constantly continue to reduce our carbon footprint. By always having access to accurate and reliable data as the foundation of our Materialsmart concept, we can empower our customers in their material choices. We are also constantly working to improve our data so that our customers have exact figures on our materials’ environmental impact,” says Henrik Palokangas.
Accessible sustainability data for customers and partners
It’s not just the figures that are new in this year’s sustainability report.
“With this year’s report, we have developed the format to make the content more accessible for customers and partners. In short, we have moved from a standard report to one where we have refined the content and made the report more communicative,” says Henrik Palokangas.
