Focus on sustainability: tesa publishes sustainability report and once again receives EcoVadis Gold

• Climate goal for 2025 already exceeded: 38% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions
• Complete conversion to solvent-free production at the tesa site in Sparta (USA)
• Gold medal from EcoVadis confirmed, placing tesa in the top 1% of its industry

Norderstedt –  tesa, the international manufacturer of innovative adhesive tapes and self-adhesive product solutions, has published its newest sustainability report, highlighting the latest successes of its sustainability strategy. tesa continues to pursue this topic as a top priority by taking a science-based approach and offering innovative product solutions. “Our most important task is to actively help shape a more sustainable future - as an international company, a manufacturer of innovative adhesive solutions, a business partner and an employer,” states Dr. Norman Goldberg, CEO of tesa SE, in his foreword. The report not only presents the latest developments, but also provides detailed insights into the dynamism with which tesa is driving forward its transformation in five strategic action areas: Reduction of emissions, responsible procurement, use of recycled and bio-based materials, circular economy and waste prevention as well as supporting customers with their own sustainability goals.

Measurable success: The visible impact of the tesa sustainability strategy

By 2030, tesa aims to achieve carbon-neutral production (Scope 1 and 2) and reduce indirect emissions along the value chain by 20 percent compared to 2018. The tesa climate goal originally set for 2025 and confirmed by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) of a 30% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions compared to 2018 was achieved in 2023, two years ahead of schedule, and was even significantly exceeded with a reduction of 38%. This has inspired us to set our original targets even higher and to aim for a reduction of Scope 1 and 2 emissions by a further 20% by 2025, i.e. by a total of 50%. To achieve this, the company invests 6% of its annual sales in the development of new products and technologies, as it did in the reporting year.

Currently, a solar park is being constructed at the tesa plant in Offenburg, which will be operational by the end of 2024 and will then cover around 25 percent of the site’s electricity needs. Additional solar parks in China, Italy, Germany, and the USA are already under construction or in preparation. In the coming years, around 300 million euros will be invested in these and similar measures with quantifiable effects.

Sustainability at tesa plants around the globe

At the tesa site in Sparta (USA), tesa converted completely to solvent-free production in 2023. As part of a holistic concept, this will enable local CO₂ emissions to be reduced by 38% and around 1,100 tons of CO₂ to be saved. The newly opened site in Haiphong, Vietnam, produced 50% water-based adhesive tapes in the reporting year. The initiatives in Sparta and Haiphong are major milestones on the road to climate neutrality. In addition, measures such as the application of the biomass balance sheet approach and the increased use of post-consumer recycled material (PCR) also marked important milestones at product level in the reporting year – for example the more sustainable “Next Gen” version of the well-established tesa^® 4965 Original, which was launched in April 2024. The aim is to increase the proportion of bio-based and recycled raw materials across the entire tesa product range to 70% by 2030. In 2023 alone, tesa launched around 40 new more sustainable products, including tesafilm^® Eco & Crystal, a new version of the classic product.

“Chemistry is the key to sustainability,” explains Dr. Ingrid Sebald, who has been Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) at tesa since April 1, 2024, in addition to her role as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). “As a chemist and biologist, I am convinced that we natural scientists have a particular responsibility to find solutions and act progressively by helping to bring new technologies to the market that contribute to the transformation of the economy towards greater sustainability.”

Ratings and rankings Top ratings from EcoVadis and CDP

tesa pursues the goal of complete transparency across the supply chain and also pursues the relevant certifications. Since 2020, tesa has asked our direct suppliers to carry out self-assessments through platforms such as EcoVadis, the highly regarded rating platform for companies with global supply chains. 70% of the company’s raw material expenditure already goes to suppliers who demonstrably share the tesa standards – the medium-term goal is at least 80%. EcoVadis awarded tesa gold medal status in the reporting year. This award was confirmed again in April 2024. The company again scored particularly well in the areas of environment and energy, sustainable supply chains, working conditions and ethics. This puts tesa among the top one percent of award-winning companies in its industry. tesa was awarded the top grade of A by the non-profit organization CDP for its achievements in the area of climate protection and for its significant progress in achieving its validated climate targets, making it one of the two percent of all global companies that play a pioneering role in terms of climate targets and progress and transparency in the area of sustainability.

You can find out more about the tesa sustainability agenda and the company’s strategic action areas on the company’s website.