Our sustainability strategy is systematically embedded in the Company through corporate requirements, efficient management systems, and an organization structure with clearly defined responsibilities. The interplay of globally uniform standards, Company-wide control instruments, and regional action programs is key to these efforts. Achievements and advances can thus be recorded and – where improvements are possible and necessary – programs can be optimally aligned to the respective social challenges and priorities.

The Henkel Management Board bears overall responsibility for sustainability policy and aligns the Company’s business policy to the requirements of sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

The Sustainability Council, whose members are drawn from the entire Group, acts as a global steering body. On behalf of the Management Board, it drafts decision papers and monitors their implementation. Chaired by the Chief Technology Officer Research/Technology, it steers global activities in collaboration with the regional and national companies, the operative business sectors, and the corporate functions.

The responsible managers in the regional and national companies steer the implementation of the Group requirements and compliance with legal requirements. With the support of the corporate functions and the operative business sectors, they develop an implementation strategy appropriate to the individual sites and their local circumstances.

The operative business sectors shape the sustainability strategy in their area of responsibility and provide the resources needed for its implementation. They align their brands and technologies, and the sites involved, to sustainability in line with the specific challenges and priorities of their product portfolio.

• Research/Technology works on key technologies and supplies the basis for sustainable products. The associated Safety, Health, Environment and Product Safety department coordinates corporate sustainability issues for Henkel.
• Human Resources is responsible for personnel and social policies.
• Purchasing steers the worldwide purchasing activities of the Group and – in cooperation with the business sectors – develops requirements, strategies and instruments.
  

In this forum, product developers and applications engineers regularly meet with the experts of the Biology/Product Safety unit to discuss, assess, and share information about all aspects of product stewardship. These include new scientific findings, experience gained in the field, changes in legal requirements, and current issues. The focus is always on the relevance for Henkel products in relation to their entire life cycle.

International conferences are an important platform for the continuous development of Henkel´s sustainability policy. They are organized by Corporate Sustainability Management and Human Resources for staff members who are responsible for policy implementation. The purpose of the conferences is to coordinate and implement new strategies within Henkel and to promote the exchange of experience between Henkel companies.