Henkel Adhesive Technologies Joins Partnership for Net Zero

Henkel Adhesive Technologies is a global leading provider of adhesives, sealants and functional coatings.

The German firm has joined the Global Impact Coalition (GIC), which is a CEO-led platform created to drive collaborative solutions for a net zero and circular future in the chemical industry.

According to Cefic, the petrochemicals industry provides building blocks for 95% of all manufactured goods worldwide, while contributing to global emissions.

GIC, alongside Henkel and many other partners, is aiming to reduce emissions and promote circularity while collaborating across its value chain.

Henkel: value chain partnerships

Henkel’s history spans almost 150 years, leading in industrial and consumer businesses.

Its portfolio of brands includes hair care products, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, adhesives and sealants.

The company is split up into two business units:

• Adhesive Technologies
• Consumer Brands, which covers laundry, home care and hair.

Henkel Adhesive Technologies offers a global portfolio of adhesives for both industry and consumers, featuring brands like Loctite, Pritt and Bonderite.

It aims to make its operations sustainable through the manufacturing and design of its products, in order to reduce its ecological footprint.

Henkel partners with key players in its value chain, helping customers to reduce their footprint and use resources responsibly and working with its suppliers to promote sustainable practices.

Its collaboration with the Global Impact Coalition adds to its broad range of existing partnerships to drive sustainability.

Henkel Adhesive Technologies and GIC aim to work together to unlock potential to cut emissions and close material loops across the chemical value chain.

This partnership extends GIC’s reach downstream, by connecting raw material innovation with industrial market and customer expertise.

Charlie Tan, CEO of the Global Impact Coalition, says: “At a time when the industry is redefining itself under the weight of climate commitments and cost pressure, collaboration is the only credible path forward.

“Henkel’s participation marks a turning point – connecting upstream innovation with downstream demand to make sustainability a source of competitive advantage, not a cost.”

What is the Global Impact Coalition?

Founded in 2023 by leading global chemical producers, GIC was created with the aim of turning sustainability challenges into commercially viable solutions.

GIC brings together the world’s leading chemical companies, with a combined annual revenue of more than US$350bn.

It was first created at the World Economic Forum and is now an independent organisation, guided by the CEOs of its member companies and supported by technical and sustainability experts.

GIC works towards net zero emissions in the chemical industry by overcoming financial, technical and market barriers that slow business transformation, building value chain connections and amplifying its global impact.

By creating a platform for collaboration, sharing expertise and merging resources, GIC helps to deepen collective understanding of challenges and solutions to achieve industry-wide sustainability goals.

With Henkel joining as a value chain partner, GIC is expanding its reach beyond producers to include users of chemical products, creating a bridge between raw molecules and chemical markets.

Industry-wide decarbonisation

Through its partnership with GIC, Henkel Adhesive Technologies will enhance its collaboration with chemical producers and recyclers to create cross-industry projects to reduce Scope 3 emissions, promote safer chemistry practices and keep valuable materials in circulation.

Henkel can help bring its knowledge on industrial adhesives and coatings into broader circularity models that can be used across different sectors.

The Adhesive Technologies business unit is building upon the companywide Climate Connect programme.

This initiative pushes joint decarbonisation measures and promotes transparency and innovation across the value chain.

GIC and Henkel will work together to take climate action by launching tangible pilot projects, scaling proven models and strengthening the case for a circular and low-emission chemical industry.

“Circularity and decarbonisation are no longer just environmental imperatives,” Charlie says.

“They’re also economic enablers – and partnerships like this show how the industry can respond with both purpose and pragmatism.”