EQS-News: Lenzing AG: Lenzing presents Online Sustainability Report 2021 ‘Linear to Circular’ for the first time
EQS-News: Lenzing AG / Key word(s): Sustainability
Lenzing AG: Lenzing presents Online Sustainability Report 2021 ‘Linear to
Circular’ for the first time
05.04.2022 / 07:30
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Lenzing presents Online Sustainability Report 2021 “Linear to Circular”
for the first time
• Lenzing continues to march purposefully towards Group-wide climate
neutrality
• Lenzing recognized as “sustainability champion” several times
worldwide – one of only 14 companies awarded “AAA” rating by CDP
• New, innovative reporting methods – Lenzing presents its [1]Online
Sustainability Report for the first time
• Sustainability Report 2021 based on the results of the updated
materiality analysis
Lenzing – The Lenzing Group, the world’s leading supplier of wood-based
specialty fibers, released its Sustainability Report 2021 today, April 05,
2022, on the occasion of “Earth Month”. Bearing the title “Linear to
Circular”, the report emphasizes the company’s focus on carefully
balancing its needs with those of nature in the spirit of the circular
economy. The report has been prepared in accordance with the standards of
the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Austrian Sustainability and
Diversity Improvement Act (NaDiVeG) and audited by KPMG Austria GmbH
Wirtschaftsprüfungs- und Steuerberatungsgesellschaft.
“Our innovations in relation to the circular economy and biodegradability
stem from a deep sense of responsibility to our planet and a desire to act
in ways that future generations can be proud of. We hope that you will
discover and share this sense of responsibility when you read the Lenzing
Sustainability Report 2021,” notes Robert van de Kerkhof, Member of the
Managing Board of Lenzing Group.
Aiming for a carbon-neutral future
With the implementation of the two key projects in Brazil and Thailand, as
well as with the investments at the existing Asian sites in China and
Indonesia amounting to EUR 200 mn, Lenzing continues to march purposefully
towards Group-wide climate neutrality. In 2019, Lenzing became the first
fiber manufacturer to set a target to reduce its carbon emissions by 50
percent by 2030 and to be net-zero by 2050. This carbon reduction target
has been verified and approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative.
The partnership with Swedish pulp producer Södra marks a further milestone
in Lenzing’s efforts to realize its ambitious climate and sustainability
goals. These two global market leaders, which have been proactively
promoting the circular economy in the fashion industry for many years, are
joining forces to give the issue a further boost and to make a decisive
contribution to resolving the global textile waste problem. An expansion
of capacities for pulp recovery from waste textiles is also planned. The
goal is to be able to recycle 25,000 tonnes of used textiles per year by
2025.
Sustainability is not only a very important element of strategy at
Lenzing, but also a guiding principle for innovation and product
development. Lenzing continued to expand its product offering for the
textile and nonwovens sectors in 2021. The third quarter saw the
presentation of the first TENCEL(TM) lyocell fibers made from wood- and
orange-based fiber pulp. The upcycling of orange peels as part of the
TENCEL(TM) Limited Edition initiative represents a further successful step
by Lenzing to develop new closed loop solutions together with partners
along the value chain. The introduction of the first carbon-neutral fibers
on the global nonwovens market under the VEOCEL(TM) brand comprises a
further product innovation from the reporting year that exemplifies
Lenzing’s ambitious path in climate protection.
Solution to plastic pollution
With its wood-based, biodegradable VEOCEL(TM) fibers, Lenzing’s nonwoven
business also benefits from new regulations such as the Single-Use
Plastics Directive (EU) 2019/904.^[2][1] The EU Commission published its
implementation guidelines in the second quarter, specifying which products
fall within the directive’s scope. Lenzing welcomes the measures taken by
the EU in the joint fight by member states against plastic waste
pollution.
In a study published in October 2021,^[3][2] scientists from the renowned
academic research institute Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at
the University of California, San Diego, confirmed that wood-based
cellulosic fibers biodegrade in the ocean within a short time frame at the
end of their life cycle, making them a significantly better alternative to
fossil-based synthetic fibers.
Honored as global “sustainability champion”
Lenzing received several awards worldwide in 2021 for its achievements,
especially in the sustainability area: Lenzing was one of only 14
companies worldwide to receive a “AAA” rating from global non-profit
environmental organization CDP for its environmental leadership in climate
change, water security and forest conservation. CDP is recognized as the
gold standard of environmental reporting worldwide.
Renowned rating agency MSCI upgraded Lenzing’s rating from “A” to “AA”.
Lenzing thereby ranks among the top six percent of companies evaluated in
its peer group. This improved MSCI ESG rating also leads to a reduction in
interest expenses for Lenzing. Lenzing placed a bonded loan of EUR 500 mn
in November 2019, which is linked to its own sustainability performance.
In the EcoVadis CSR rating, Lenzing achieved platinum status for the first
time in 2021, ranking it among the top one percent of companies evaluated
worldwide in terms of the environment, fair working conditions and human
rights, as well as ethics and sustainable procurement.
Online Sustainability Report 2021: “Linear to Circular”
Lenzing is also taking new, innovative paths in terms of its non-financial
reporting. It will offer its sustainability report in digital form from
2022. “We have set ourselves the goal of also reflecting Lenzing’s high
level of innovation in terms of its communications, and we are breaking
new and innovative ground in this area. This year, we are pleased to be
able to present our reports in digital and thereby interactive form for
the first time. This not only makes our reporting more user-friendly, but
also takes place exactly where the majority of our users are – online,”
comments Dominic Köfner, Vice President Corporate Communications & Public
Affairs. The Lenzing Sustainability Report 2021 is available at the
following link: [4] https://reports.lenzing.com/sustainability-report/2021.
Materiality analysis 2021
The content of the Sustainability Report 2021 is based on results of the
new materiality analysis. The regular update is an integral part of
Lenzing’s sustainability strategy “Naturally Positive”. In 2021, the
materiality analysis was updated and expanded. For the first time, a
so-called double materiality analysis was carried out. It was developed in
three phases and, in contrast to the 2015 version, produced new material
aspects such as biodiversity and ecosystems, health and safety, and
digitalization and cyber security. Find out more about this in the
[5]focus paper “Materiality analysis”.
Photo download:
[6] https://mediadb.lenzing.com/pinaccess/showpin.do?pinCode=JuPdGBS7nNEs
PIN: JuPdGBS7nNEs
Your contact for Corporate Sustainability:
Public Relations:
Krishna Manda
Dominic Köfner Vice President Corporate Sustainability
Vice President Corporate Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
Communications & Public Affairs Werkstraße 2, 4860 Lenzing, Austria
Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
Werkstraße 2, 4860 Lenzing, Phone +43 7672 701 3417
Austria E-mail [9]sustainability@lenzing.com
Web [10]www.lenzing.com
Phone +43 7672 701 2743
E-mail [7]media@lenzing.com
Web [8] www.lenzing.com
About the Lenzing Group
The Lenzing Group stands for ecologically responsible production of
specialty fibers made from the renewable raw material wood. As an
innovation leader, Lenzing is a partner of global textile and nonwoven
manufacturers and drives many new technological developments.
The Lenzing Group’s high-quality fibers form the basis for a variety of
textile applications ranging from elegant clothing to versatile denims and
high-performance sports clothing. Due to their consistent high quality,
their biodegradability and compostability Lenzing fibers are also highly
suitable for hygiene products and agricultural applications.
The business model of the Lenzing Group goes far beyond that of a
traditional fiber producer. Together with its customers and partners,
Lenzing develops innovative products along the value chain, creating added
value for consumers. The Lenzing Group strives for the efficient
utilization and processing of all raw materials and offers solutions to
help redirect the textile sector towards a closed-loop economy. In order
to reduce the speed of global warming and to accomplish the targets of the
Paris Climate Agreement and the “Green Deal” of the EU Commission, Lenzing
has a clear vision: namely to make a zero-carbon future come true.
Key Facts & Figures Lenzing Group 2021
Revenue: EUR 2.19 bn
Nominal capacity: 1,145,000 tonnes
Number of employees (headcount): 7,958
TENCEL(TM), VEOCEL(TM), LENZING(TM), REFIBRA(TM), ECOVERO(TM), LENZING
MODAL(TM), LENZING VISCOSE(TM), MICROMODAL(TM) and PROMODAL(TM) are
trademarks of Lenzing AG.
^[1] Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council
of June 5, 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products
on the environment
^[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721031314
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05.04.2022 This Corporate News was distributed by EQS Group AG.
www.eqs.com
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Language: English
Company: Lenzing AG
4860 Lenzing
Austria
Phone: +43 7672-701-0
Fax: +43 7672-96301
E-mail: office@lenzing.com
Internet: www.lenzing.com
ISIN: AT0000644505
Indices: ATX
Listed: Vienna Stock Exchange (Official Market)
EQS News ID: 1319925
End of News EQS News Service
1319925 05.04.2022
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