Our world is ill – and it’s sweating. Even if all states would meet their commitments made at the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference, by 2100, the Earth is heading for a global warming of 3.2° C. In order to reach the target of a maximum of 1.5 degrees of global warming, much more must be done – and much faster.
Sustainability
In 2019, the level of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rose to new record heights. To counter this trend, we must act – right now. In line with our self-imposed targets for sustainable development, the Beiersdorf Group with the business segments Consumer and tesa have therefore endorsed the initiative “Business Ambition for 1.5° C”.
Corporate targets are strictly checked
“By signing the ‘Business Ambition for 1.5⁰ C’, we’ve committed to aligning our business activities to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5° C and to implementing measures that are suitable for this purpose,” explains Angela Cackovich, Board Member for Direct Industries at tesa SE. Up to now, less than 200 leading companies worldwide have signed the commitment. The corporate targets were reviewed by the “Science Based Targets initiative” (SBTi) – a partnership between CDP (formerly, Carbon Disclosure Project), UN Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) – and approved in May 2020, as the initiative announced on June 18.
“tesa and Beiersdorf Consumer are now part of this group of companies that strive to achieve these really ambitious targets. Climate protection is a top priority for our company, our employees, and our customers.”
Angela Cackovich
Head of Direct Industries tesa SE
60,000 tons less CO₂ emissions since 2015
The achievement of tesa’s climate targets relates to the company’s own generation and procurement of energy that is required for production and administrative areas. The 2025 target of the internationally operating adhesive tape group is to reduce CO₂ emissions in absolute terms by 30% compared to 2018. In recent years, many measures to increase energy efficiency and reduce CO₂ emissions have already been taken at tesa. The specific CO₂ emissions per ton of end product in 2019 decreased by 34.5% compared to 2015. The cut of almost 60,000 tons of CO₂ achieved in the past four years despite increasing sales is mainly due to specific energy efficiency measures and the use of green electricity in the tesa production facilities.
Combined heat and power (CHP) and solar energy
At present, 27% of our electricity comes from renewable sources and 38% is efficiently produced by CHP (combined heat and power): Thus, today only 35% of our electricity comes from conventional sources. This value is to be significantly reduced in the medium term, for example, by increasing the use of green electricity as well as additional investments in CHP and solar energy systems at selected locations.
1,000
billion tons of CO₂
have been emitted into the atmosphere worldwide through energy related processes over the past six decades. The global CO₂ concentration increased from around 315 ppm (1958) to 417.07 ppm (2020) and thus by around 100 ppm. This equals a rise of over 30%.
The Greenhouse Effect
The atmosphere of the Earth consists of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. The remaining parts are trace gases that have either arisen from radioactive decay (for example, noble gases such as argon, neon) or belong to the group of atmospheric trace gases (carbon dioxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, ozone). Despite their extremely low concentration, the “lever” or the effect of these trace gases on our climate is all the higher. The natural greenhouse effect alone is responsible for an average temperature of +15° C on Earth. Without trace elements or greenhouse gases, the average temperature on Earth would be -18° C
Millions invested in sustainability
In the coming years, we will strive to reduce the CO₂ footprint, particularly of products, purchased goods, and logistics processes. Business travel habits will also change, not least due to the positive experience with video conferences in recent weeks. Remaining emissions that cannot be reduced by 2050 (Update 2024: Net zero 2045) are to be compensated for by a voluntary CO₂ compensation program. All in all, tesa aims to be climate neutral by 2050 (Update 2024: Net zero 2045) in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement. To this end, by 2025, a seven-digit Euro amount will be invested in corporate climate protection measures and targets.
Member of the Executive Board, Direct Industries
“Companies that don’t continuously develop and improve their efforts in this regard are at risk of being rated lower and, especially in the automotive or electronics industry, will soon no longer be considered for projects.”
Angela Cackovich
board member responsible for the tesa Group’s sustainability agenda
A coordinated approach by mother and daughter
With their commitment to the initiative ‘Business Ambition for 1.5° C’, for the first time tesa stands shoulder to shoulder with Beiersdorf in a core area of their sustainability strategies. This proves that, in spite of different challenges, the sustainability efforts of the parent company and the affiliate will be aligned and coordinated more extensively in the coming years.
