March 24, 2014

Henkel recognized again for leadership in sustainability

Düsseldorf – For the seventh consecutive year, Henkel receives RobecoSAM’s Gold Class award and is named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. The accolades recognize and confirm Henkel’s continued leadership and consistent commitment to sustainability.

Henkel received the Gold Class award in the Sustainability Yearbook 2014, which lists the world’s most sustainable companies in each industry as determined by RobecoSAM’s annual Corporate Sustainability Assessment. Henkel was the only company in the Household Products category to receive the Gold Class designation, after being named the Household Products Sector Leader for the seventh consecutive time this past fall and remaining the only company in its sector to feature in both the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World and Europe indices.

The Sustainability Yearbook is published by sustainability investment specialist RobecoSAM in collaboration with KPMG. Over 3,000 of the world’s largest companies are invited to participate in RobecoSAM’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) every year. Participation in the RobecoSAM CSA has continuously risen – with a record number of companies taking part in this year’s assessment. According to KPMG and RobecoSAM, this trend indicates that sustainability is increasingly rising to the top of corporate agendas and becoming ever more mainstream.

Also for the seventh consecutive year, Henkel was named one of “World’s Most Ethical Companies” by the Ethisphere Institute, an independent organization promoting best practices in corporate ethics and governance. The award recognizes companies that continue to raise the bar on ethical leadership and corporate behavior. Henkel is one of only nine companies in the consumer products manufacturing industry and the only German company honored this year.

These awards recognize Henkel’s continued efforts to achieve more with less, the concept at the center of Henkel’s sustainability strategy. “The global sustainability challenges that we face require companies to examine long-term risks and opportunities,” says Kathrin Menges, Executive Vice President Human Resources and Chair of Henkel’s Sustainability Council. “In this context, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, the World’s Most Ethical Companies and other global ratings provide important feedback for us, helping ensure that we are on the right track when it comes to creating more value and reducing our environmental footprint. We are proud to be recognized by these organizations for our consistent, long-term approach to sustainability.”

By 2030, Henkel aims to triple the value it creates for the footprint made by its operations, products and services. Over the past eleven years, the company has cut water and energy consumption by 51 percent and 44 percent per ton of production, respectively, and reduced waste by 47 percent per ton of production. Over the same period, the number of work accidents dropped by 90 percent.

Henkel operates worldwide with leading brands and technologies in three business areas: 
Laundry & Home Care, Beauty Care and Adhesive Technologies. Founded in 1876, Henkel holds globally leading market positions both in the consumer and industrial businesses with well-known brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Loctite. Henkel employs about 47,000 people and reported sales of 16.4 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of 2.5 billion euros in fiscal 2013. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX.

Photo material is available at http://www.henkel.com/press

Contact	Julie Cruz 	Hanna Philipps
Phone	+49-(0)211-797-8551	Phone	+49-(0)211-797-3626
Fax	+49-(0)211-798-4040	Fax	+49-(0)211-798-4040
Email	julie.cruz@henkel.com	Email	hanna.philipps@henkel.com

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

press@henkel.com