Quaker Houghton is making sustainability commitments that go beyond
Committed to becoming the global leader in sustainable fluid technology, Quaker Houghton has recently launched See Beyond™, a strategy which connects its sustainability actions and is focused on creating a safe, sustainable future for all. Sarah Briggs, Director of Corporate Sustainability at Quaker Houghton explains what it means to manufacturers, investors, and the planet.
The responsibility for tackling climate-based action falls on everyone – from individuals and communities through to Governments and industry. Industry has a major responsibility, with research indicating that the industrial sector was responsible for consuming 37 percent of global energy in 20221; while, at the same time, contributing to 23 percent of greenhouse gas emissions2.
As a global leader in industrial process fluids, Quaker Houghton takes its responsibilities seriously. We are fully invested in reviewing our products and practices; and taking positive, long-term action for the sake of our customers, our industry, and the world beyond. And that is precisely the driver behind our holistic See BeyondTM strategy.
Strong and steady process
Embedded within our corporate enterprise is the overarching objective of innovating together for a better tomorrow, protecting our planet, empowering our colleagues and communities, and sourcing our materials responsibly. More focused on climate we also aspire to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050. Closely aligned with key UN Sustainable Development Goals, we are steadily transitioning our business model to support a low-carbon economy.
Across our business, we are taking positive and measurable steps to minimise our environmental impact. From investing to reduce the environmental impact at our manufacturing plants to continued integration of our chemistry guidelines into development work to transform our portfolio, we remain dedicated regardless of the business environment.
Seventy-one percent of our electricity is sourced renewably via grid, solar panels, and purchased contracts, strengthening our commitment to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions targets. Moreover, seven percent of total mineral oils used in our products are procured from re-refined sources while over 20 percent of our raw materials are renewably based.
Going beyond environmental targets
We recognise, however, that sustainability goes beyond environmental targets in our operations. Among many global work streams, we are improving the workplace by incrementally lowering our total recordable incident rate (TRIR) and increasing diversity, equity and inclusivity across our business. Today we have achieved 97.8 percent of our finished goods portfolio which are not labelled as CMR hazards3, with a target of achieving 100 percent by 2030.
We are also working with our supply chain to promote more sustainable sourcing and best practices in their operations. Today, for example, over 60 percent of our palm oil is fully segregated through the RSPO and we are actively leveraging the EcoVadis platform to audit the environmental and social performance of our suppliers.
This multi-faceted strategy has contributed to Quaker Houghton being recently named as one of America’s Climate Leaders by USA Today and being awarded a silver medal by Ecovadis.
The bigger picture
We have recognised the need for a clear and unifying vision to focus our work. The result is ‘See BeyondTM’, an overarching strategy which brings together all our existing sustainability initiatives and acts as a roadmap for how we will think, act, and evolve as a business.
Key to meeting our ambitious goals is supporting our customers as they tackle their own unique sustainability challenges and keep pace with the demands of a changing world. We do this is by developing innovative solutions which help customers reduce their product, water, and energy consumption, reduce their waste output and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as reduce human health hazards across value chains.
Going beyond to drive change
We continually invest in R&D to support our transition to high-performance, more sustainable solutions. We have introduced Green Chemistry guidelines and a preferred raw material list to help guide the adoption of the most favourable raw materials in terms of renewability, human and environmental safety.
Whilst many of our industrial process fluids deliver sustainable benefits to customers through the sustainable raw materials selected and by reducing the environmental footprint of our customers in application, we understand the manufacturing industry requires more than just best-in-class industrial process fluids to achieve challenging sustainability goals.
Through our QH FLUIDCARE™ business line we provide sustainable and cost-effective technical solutions that help our customers achieve waste elimination or avoidance. Measurable improvements are already being delivered at customer locations worldwide. In 2023, for example, we combined Quaker Houghton insight and technologies to save some 26,000 metric tonnes of waste at QH FLUIDCARE™ partner locations.
By combining our process fluids and expertise with our fully digital and automated solution to monitor and control fluid performance, QH FLUID INTELLIGENCE™, we help our customers to operate safely, sustainably, and at the optimized total cost of ownership.
Going beyond for our customers
For customers, See BeyondTM is about improving operational performance to help create sustainable growth and long-term economic value, while making the whole industrial landscape safer and more sustainable. Equally, while our solutions contribute to reducing waste, consumption and minimizing our customers’ carbon footprint, these benefits reach far beyond their factory walls and contribute, in small incremental steps, to protecting the wider environment for generations to come.
Quaker Houghton can work closely with customers to drive ongoing improvements to their businesses and the well-being of communities and the planet. We aim to become the trusted partner to the world’s leading manufacturers, helping advance the world safely and sustainably.
For years, Quaker Houghton has had a clear sustainability strategy. With See BeyondTM, we now have a powerful framework which underpins all our work and demonstrates how we act tangibly and measurably to become a global leader in sustainable process fluid solutions. It positions our agenda not just as a business imperative but as a creator of social change, strong economic growth, and positive environmental benefit – for our customers, investors, communities, and, most of all, our planet.
To learn more about See BeyondTM and how Quaker Houghton’s sustainability initiatives can drive improvements into and beyond your operations, please visit: https://home.quakerhoughton.com/
Quaker Houghton is the global leader in industrial process fluids. With a presence around the world, including operations in over 25 countries, our customers include thousands of the world’s most advanced and specialized steel, aluminum, automotive, aerospace, offshore, can, mining, and metalworking companies. Our high-performing, innovative and sustainable solutions are backed by best-in-class technology, deep process knowledge and customized services. With approximately 4,700 employees, including chemists, engineers and industry experts, we partner with our customers to improve their operations so they can run even more efficiently, even more effectively, whatever comes next. Quaker Houghton is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, located near Philadelphia in the United States.
Sources:
- The International Energy Agency Industry – Energy System – IEA
- The US Environmental Protection Agency. Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions | US EPA
- GHS Category 1 A/B (Not including Category 2 and Carcinogens, Mutagens, and Reproductive Health Hazards in Category 1 A/B that were tested by oral route of exposure).