Key results 2023: Pioneering sustainable solutions in coatings
Read more
Key events
& results 2023
We made progress in all three streams of our strategy this year. Here are some of the main events and results that defined 2023.
Transparency inspiring transformation inside and out
During 2023, we noticed a theme both internally and with our external stakeholders, that with increased knowledge around sustainability, we begin to see a real change. We see this in the increased sales of BSI Achiever products following sales and customer trainings, similarly with safety trainings and procedures, and we see the trend continue with investments in improved resource efficiency in our operations.
What.
Net-sustainable sales
We want to increase our sales in products that have a positive impact on the planet and society.
• We relaunched the Beckers Sustainability Index (BSI), which is a tool to help all stakeholders understand and rank the product’s sustainability performance.
•Product sales from BSI Achiever class increased up to 41%
Net-sustainable innovation
Not only do we want to sell more sustainable products, we want to create better ones for the future.
• We sold the first commercial batches of our newly developed UV/EB products.
• We started the construction of our Sustainable Innovation Center to enhance our global R&D capabilities
Products in Concern class
We aim to phase out all of our products ranking in the Concern class and therefore work toward 0% of our sales derived from this category of products.
• We held trainings with customers and sales teams to inform of the risks and consequences that follow with the Concern class products and work toward a plan to phase them out.
• Like last year, 7% of our sales derived from products in the BSI Concern class
WE.
Female Employees
Beckers aims to be an inviting place for people of all backgrounds, starting with gender diversity.
• Approximately 4% progress (0.9%-pts) toward our gender diversity target of 31% female employees (26.4% in 2023)
• Named in the Top 5 of Financial Times Diversity Leaders ranking in our industry
Zero Accidents
Our forever goal is to ensure a safe place to work.
• Our number of health and safety trainings increased this year with the rollout of our Safety Leadership Experience workshops
• Our Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) reduced from 4.63 to 1.99
Employee Engagement
We aim to create an engaging, motivating and thriving place to work.
• 94% participation rate company-wide in our employee engagement survey held this year, helping us identify improvement areas and celebrate what’s done well in meeting our employees’ needs.
Do.
Energy
Reduction in our energy consumption is driven by our energy efficiency efforts and transition plan to renewable energy sources, while phasing out fossil fuels.
• 58% renewable energy, increased 4% compared to 2022
• Total energy use decreased 5% compared to 2022
• Increased use of renewable fuels in transportation
Waste
In the production of our products, we aim to reduce our waste by working as circularly as possible.
• Total Waste increased to 9,662 metric tons
• 3,063 metric tons (32%) of waste was sent to landfill
• 3,550 metric tons (37%) of waste was recycled or reused
2023 saw a spike in waste to landfill due to a fire at our site in Goa, India. Excluding the fire, we decreased the amount of waste sent to landfill, even in countries where the limited access to incinerators encourages us to be inventive to avoid, reuse and recycle our waste.
Sourcing
Following the theme of continuous learning and transformation, the work together with our suppliers and how to meaningfully engage and grow with them has just begun.
• Nearly reached our 2030 target of 85% of suppliers (based on spend) assessed & approved by Ecovadis (84.9% in 2023)
• For the first time since before the pandemic, we carried out two supplier audits
WHAT.
Making high performance coatings and exceeding customer expectations for over 150 years has its share of stories. We continuously improve the materials used and the functionality in our products. This year we have some of the most exciting stories how our product innovations have the potential to transform our industry.
WE.
People are at the heart of our products, production and profits. Safety, mental and physical health, and leaving a positive impact in the communities where we operate makes the existence of our business go beyond the surface.
DO.
Our operations and work in the supply chain strives to improve our environmental and social impacts. Resource efficiency together with responsible procurement turns our efforts into a positive ripple effect in our value chain.
Climate Action
Get a better picture of our biggest emission reduction opportunities in our Climate Action 2.0 strategy. See what we've learned and how we've made steady progress since our first climate assessment in 2012.
Our Performance dashboard
Explore our comprehensive dashboard for progress across all three sustainability streams.