Hear from our CEO and CSO about our Green Lights Strategy and how it incorporates What We Do
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Promoting safety
and well-being
The physical and mental health and safety of our employees and everyone who works with us is of the highest priority. With a focus on preventative safety through model behaviors and the promotion of mental health, we put safety first in everything we do.
Managing the safety and well-being of our people
At Beckers, we aim to be a role model for well-being, which is why we follow clear goals, including our aim to achieve zero accidents by 2030. By running internal fire safety audits, focusing strongly on incident reporting, behavior-based safety (BBS) conversations and other activities, we aim to reduce the probability of workplace accidents and injuries and prevent them from occurring in the first place.
We take a holistic approach to safety and prevention, and focus on people and the consequences of incidents. Reporting accurate data is a precondition for analyzing and learning from incidents. Understanding what caused an incident enables us to mitigate the risk of it reoccurring and will have a positive influence on our safety performance. In 2025, we will continue to focus on fire safety, as well as the prevention of other incidents. The implementation of our new housekeeping standard (“Clean, Safe, Efficient”) will support the continuous reduction of risks.
As we believe that physical and mental health and safety of our employees go together, the scope of our activities reflects this. Our Safety performance is measured by tracking the Lost Time Injury (LTI) as well as the Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR).
“Understanding the cause of an incident enables us to mitigate risks and reduce the likelihood of recurrence, which in turn has a positive impact on our safety performance”
– Katrin Keilig, Health and Safety Director
Aligning safety and well-being with ESRS
Read about our health and safety program and progress in our Performance Report 2024.
Contributing to safety and well-being
At Beckers, the mental and physical health of our employees and their families is a high priority. As a company that works with chemicals and machinery, we must take the potential risk of incidents in our value chain with particular caution.
Minimizing our employees’ exposure to chemicals and related dangerous gases such as volatile organic compounds (VOC) is an inherent challenge for us. Electrostatic electricity is a prime example of an invisible risk that that can pose critical danger. Furthermore, we must ensure the safety of our employees when operating machinery through the use of well-maintained tools and equipment, adherence to proper processes that are consistently reinforced through regular training, and the provision of appropriate work clothing.
We focus on preventative safety through our BBS program, investments in fire and machinery safety as well as the promotion of mental health. We provide tools for employees to improve their health, offer training opportunities to employees, contractors and customers, and train our managers to be safety role models who inspire and inform. Through these measures, we not only protect our people from health hazards, but we contribute positively to improve their work environment.
We focus on preventative safety through behavior-based safety, investments in fire and machinery safety as well as the promotion of mental health.
Mental health
In 2024, we continued to implement our comprehensive mental health program, which was launched in 2021 and strengthened by the Mental Health Toolbox in 2023. In 2024, our focus was on embedding a culture of mental health awareness through practical initiatives, including peer sharing and learning among HR colleagues to exchange best practices and successful strategies.
While we have made significant progress – all countries have mental health initiatives as outcomes of the toolbox. Over 80% of our sites have implemented workshops on stress management, resilience and relaxation techniques, while key markets like the US and Malaysia have completed First Aid training to enhance workplace mental health responses. Dedicated budgets in Poland and Sweden further reinforce our commitment, alongside new grievance mechanisms in Germany and crisis support in the UAE. As we move forward, we recognize that fostering a lasting shift in mindset requires continuous effort, investment and open dialogue. Afterall, mental health is not a passing challenge, but a fundamental part of employee well-being that must be sustained in the long-term.
Learn more
Caring for our mental health and well-being is business critical. Our global mental health program continued to make big strides during the year.
Our sharpened focus on prevention
Despite the increased focus on safety in 2024, we experienced a fire at our site in the UAE, resulting in an injured colleague. We were again reminded of the importance of continuously improving our safety program. This program emphasizes three major topics: people and safety culture, processes and compliance, and facilities and equipment.
We overcame challenges to improve our facilities and equipment. We have accelerated our capital expenditure with a commitment to exceed legal requirements in fire safety and working conditions. This program represents 25% of our total investments between 2024 and 2027.
In 2025, we will continue our work to foster a more robust safety culture. A continuous improvement of our facilities and equipment as well as the consequent implementation of the new housekeeping standard aims to address the risk of fire and it’s spread by reducing the fire load.
We take pride in the structured approach we have adopted. Our approach signals a clear learning curve from our experience and highlights three maturity areas: awareness, skills in risk recognition, and the ability to work safely.
Employees
1,700
Our employees are in 18 countries with 22 production sites and three offices.
“We’ve accelerated our capital expenditure with a commitment to exceed legal requirements in fire safety and working conditions.”
– Katrin Keilig, Health and Safety Director
Hazard identification, risk assessment and incident investigation
In the fast-changing regulatory environment we operate in, we take a proactive approach to implementing any necessary changes, from both risk mitigation and advocacy perspectives.
Rigorous risk reporting and follow-up through a global safety database, including safety observations and near-miss reports, are essential preventive measures. Sites must promptly log and resolve any risk-related issues identified.
Transparency and continuous improvement
Acknowledging and addressing previous gaps has been instrumental in refining our approach to health and safety. To fully learn from incidents, we need to be transparent and implement precise feedback mechanisms, to enhance our safety standards.
For example, when gaps in electrostatic safety measures were identified, we revisited protocols, engaged leadership, and developed actionable solutions to address these challenges. This reflective mindset also extends to other topics such as ergonomic concerns. No matter what we do, we always strive to encouraging employees to voice their observations and suggest improvements. By fostering open communication, we aim to make tangible progress in creating safer, more efficient workplaces.
Stories of
transformation
Minimizing Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)* emissions are a result of our operations that can contribute to air pollution and environmental and health concerns. In 2024, we continued the Green Belt Project to reduce these kind of emissions across all our sites.
The Green Belt Project was launched in 2023 in France as a pilot to build a VOC toolbox to reduce these kind of emissions in all our sites. The toolbox consists of practical tools to identify, measure and effectively control VOC emissions. Following successful testing, the toolbox is now being rolled out globally.
The project includes key actions, such as a comprehensive two-day training session that guide teams on using the VOC toolbox to measure, improve, and maintain emission controls. Using a five-step method of Defining, Measuring, Analyzing, Improving and Controlling (DMAIC), we are able to assess where our biggest opportunities are. We can then implement tailored solutions for each site as well as scaling the pilot phase to additional sites to refine and test VOC reduction strategies.
The ultimate goal with this project is to establish a standardized, global approach to measuring, reducing, and controlling VOC emissions, ensuring consistency and impact across all sites.
* VOCs are chemicals that have high vapor pressure at room temperature. This high vapor pressure results from a low boiling point, which causes large numbers of molecules to evaporate into the surrounding air, a trait known as volatility.
Stories of
transformation
Empowerment through audits
Auditing has become a cornerstone of Beckers’ safety strategy, empowering teams and driving continuous improvement. Through initiatives like the Beckers Loss Prevention Standard (BLPS), we’ve condensed complex safety protocols into six actionable chapters encompassing over 100 key items. This streamlined approach ensures that safety measures are not only robust but also practical and aligned with industry best practices.
Rapid audits involving Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) managers, production leaders and Managing Directors have proven instrumental in evaluating safety barriers and identifying areas for improvement. Insights gathered from these audits have been integrated into the BLPS, reinforcing site safety and advancing our reputation as a leader in proactive risk management.
Our journey toward a mature safety culture is ongoing, but the path is clear. With structured approaches, clear messages and targeted investments, we aim to reduce the incidence of accidents and ensure that our commitment to safety is understood well beyond legal compliance.
>60
For the first time, EHS managers and site leaders conducted cross-audits based on the Beckers Loss Prevention Standard (BLPS), assessing over 60 items and developing action plans. This initiative reduced risks and enhanced auditor skills, and was rolled out in three additional waves.
>90%
By the end of 2025, the program aims to achieve over 90% safety performance (measured against BLPS) which exceeds compliance standards.
WHAT.
For 160 years, we continuously advance the performance and functionality of our high-performance coatings, consistently exceeding customer expectations. Our legacy is defined by the stories of how we help transform our industry.
WE.
People are at the heart of our business. Safety, mental and physical health, and leaving a positive impact in the communities where we operate transcend our business.
DO.
Our operations and work with suppliers improve our environmental and social impact. By working with resource efficiency and responsible procurement, we have a positive effect throughout our value chain.