Better Health for All

Evonik's core products include lipid nanoparticles for mRNA vaccines, active pharmaceutical ingredients for cancer medications, and 3D-printed scaffolds for bone regeneration.

The company also produces essential amino acids for animal nutrition and omega-3 fatty acids from microalgae. In 2024, 2% of Evonik’s sales came from products classified as "challenged" due to negative market signals. The company reported a Lost Time Injury Rate (LTI-R) of 0.14 and a Process Safety Incident Rate (PSI-R) of 0.44 in 2024. Evonik plans to invest over €3 billion in Next Generation Solutions and €700 million in Next Generation Technologies between 2022 and 2030, with 12% of total capital expenditures in 2024 allocated to Next Generation Technologies. The company protects and archives medical data in accordance with national data protection regulations. Evonik is expanding its capacity to rapidly produce high volumes of lipids for pandemics, with a new facility funded by the U.S. government with up to US $150 million. The company offers programs to counter inadequate work-life balance and address mental health problems, including participation in a mental health week in Germany. Evonik India partnered with Ujaas to provide menstrual health awareness sessions to over 1,000 individuals in underserved communities. The company offers counselling for substance abuse as part of 'Project Arogyam' by Covestro (India) Private Limited, which is not Evonik's project.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

No specific, quantitative evidence was found in the provided articles for any of the KPIs related to Fair Pay & Worker Respect. Information regarding living wage coverage, CEO-median pay ratio, collective bargaining share, safety incident rate, pay equity ratio, worker engagement score, turnover rate, insecure contract share, or health insurance coverage was explicitly stated as missing or not mentioned across all articles.

While Article 0 states "No regulatory actions, violations, fines, or compliance issues mentioned," this is an absence of evidence, not a positive data point for 'labor_violation_incidents'. Historical context on wage disparity from 1960 for a predecessor company was mentioned, but it was not applicable to current pay equity metrics.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Evonik reports that for palm oil derivatives, 69% of its supply chain is traceable up to plantations.

Additionally, 97% is traceable up to refineries/crushing facilities and mills.

Kind to Animals

Evonik's animal testing policy, revised in 2024, states that animal studies are only commissioned if required by national or international legislation or are absolutely necessary, with thorough checks for alternatives

. If unavoidable, tests are performed by validated institutes meeting animal protection standards , and an Animal Welfare Officer coordinates audits . The company actively engages in the transition to New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) , utilizing existing data, exposure-based waiving, joint studies, alternative test systems, and in silico systems . Evonik invests in developing artificial 4D skin models through a startup, Revivo BioSystems , and animal-free leather-like materials through Modern Meadow . Evonik is an active member of multiple institutions, including the European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA) , Stiftung set, Cefic-LRI, and ECETOC , supporting them financially and with personnel . The company works to ensure alternative testing methods are validated and accepted by regulatory authorities , maintaining dialogue with national and international decision-makers on animal welfare and related regulations . Evonik is involved in a joint project with WWF and Beiersdorf to strengthen sustainable palm oil production in Borneo , aiming to certify 15,000 hectares by 2026 , create ecological corridors , and stabilize populations of threatened species like Borneo elephants and orangutans . As a chemical company, Evonik does not have its own animal husbandry or captive operations, and animal studies are outsourced to certified institutes . While Evonik offers solutions to the animal agriculture industry to improve animal welfare and reduce antibiotic use , it does not have its own animal agriculture operations or sourcing. No percentage of animal-derived ingredients replaced with ethical alternatives is provided.

Planet-Friendly Business

Evonik's total Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions for 2024 were 26.9 million metric tons of CO₂e (5.3 million Scope 1+2 and 21.6 million Scope 3).

The company has SBTi-validated targets for Scope 1 & 2 emissions, aiming for a 25% reduction by 2030 (from a 2021 baseline), and an 11% reduction for Scope 3 emissions by 2030 (from a 2021 baseline), aligned with a 1.5 °C pathway. In 2024, 47% of its operational energy consumption was sourced from renewables. The waste diversion rate in 2023 was 52%. In 2023, 13% of the company's capital expenditure was aligned with the EU Sustainable Taxonomy. The ratio of recycled material to virgin material used in raw materials was 0.1% in 2024. 84% of key suppliers have SBTi-aligned targets. The company settled with the EPA for violating permitted emission limits at its Reserve, LA facility, incurring a civil penalty of $75,000 and a supplemental environmental project cost of $335,000. Evonik has a stated net-zero target year of 2050. The company has fully adopted TCFD recommendations and includes climate scenario analysis, considering various scenarios. A formal zero-deforestation policy is in place with details on palm oil initiatives, including a target to use only RSPO-certified palm oil by 2025.

Safe & Smart Tech

Evonik Industries AG has 100% of its operations certified to ISO 27001 or similar standards in both 2023 and 2024.

The company achieved a 95% participation rate in cybersecurity training in 2023 and 94% in 2024. Evonik explicitly states compliance with GDPR, referencing Articles 12, 13, and 21. Users can manage cookies and consents via a UserCentrics Consent Management system. The company states that data is stored only for the duration of the visit or relationship, with retention periods specified for website usage data and contract-related data. Evonik mentions monitoring and auditing AI systems for bias and addressing potential harms, and aims for transparency in AI algorithms. The company performs internal penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities. Evonik also conducted 8 phishing test campaigns in 2023 and 11 in 2024.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Evonik has not reported any waste disposal violations in the past three years.

The company has set a target to achieve €1 billion in annual sales from circular products and technologies by 2030, and specifically aims for €350 million annually from its Circular Plastics Program by 2030. In 2022, sales from the Circular Plastics Program exceeded internal expectations, reaching over €30 million.