Clariant Updates its Corporate Strategy to Reflect its Deepened Commitment to Sustainability

Muttenz, September 4, 2014 - Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, strives for sustainable long-term value creation. Recognizing the increased significance of its current sustainability activities in driving growth and innovation, Clariant is adding sustainability as a pillar to its corporate strategy. The corporate strategy is now based on five pillars: increase profitability, reposition portfolio, add value with sustainability, foster innovation and R&D, and intensify growth.

Hariolf Kottmann, CEO Clariant, comments: "We can only add value to our business if we operate sustainably and when our products and solutions help our customers to improve their own sustainability performance. Therefore, it is a logical step for us to reflect our commitment to sustainability more visibly on a strategic corporate level by defining it as a pillar of our corporate strategy."

"Anchoring sustainability in the company is an ongoing process", says Joachim Krüger, Senior Vice President, Corporate Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs at Clariant. “As well as overarching, centrally-driven sustainability initiatives, Clariant’s sustainability concept is in the process of being adapted and implemented within all our Business Areas and Functions. Employees at all levels are integrated into the development and implementation of respective sustainability initiatives and measures.”

Clariant has set various sustainability initiatives to match its strategic alignment, such as improving its products through continuous research and innovation, further increasing its system safety, running steadily more efficient programs for employee qualification and stepping up communication with its stakeholders.

As a result, in 2013 Clariant was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Europe) which serves as a benchmark for the industry's best practices.