Strategic collaboration to systematically enhance ESG performance at group level
Customer: ALTANA AG
Category: Chemical Industry
Heiko Giesbert
Head of Corporate Sustainability Platforms, ALTANA Management Services GmbH
“When planning to elevate our EcoVadis performance, we looked for a partner who truly understands the specific methodology behind the rating and the strategic and methodological requirements of sustainability in general.”
Lara Wedershoven
Sustainability Business Partnering, BYK-Chemie GmbH
“DFGE convinced us with their broad expertise, years of experience, and structured project execution. The decision to work with them was an easy one.”
ALTANA AG is a globally operating specialty chemicals group headquartered in Wesel, Germany. ALTANA’s four divisions – BYK, ECKART, ELANTAS, and ACTEGA – are setting worldwide standards in their markets. With a clear focus on innovation, quality, and sustainable growth, the ALTANA Group has achieved remarkable success even in a challenging market environment. ALTANA generated more than €3.2 billion in revenue in the past fiscal year and employs around 8,400 people worldwide. Sustainability is firmly embedded in ALTANA’s corporate strategy — not just in words but in practice. This is reflected, for instance, in the company’s exceptional commitment to research and development, where it invests approximately 7% of annual revenue — well above the industry average.
In addition to divisional and local sustainability efforts, the ALTANA Group joined the Together for Sustainability (TfS) initiative in October 2024, becoming the 54th member of the global alliance. TfS is a procurement-driven initiative of chemical companies committed to improving sustainability practices across supply chains. It promotes transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement, helping members assess and audit suppliers based on UN Global Compact and Responsible Care® principles. ALTANA’s membership strengthens the collective drive toward more resilient and responsible chemical supply chains.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a key pillar of ALTANA’s sustainability strategy. To reinforce its commitment, ALTANA has validated its climate targets through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). These targets align with the Paris Agreement and include a 90% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2040, building on a 70% reduction already achieved between 2014 and 2023. The company also aims for net zero emissions across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 by 2050. Measures include electrifying operations, sourcing sustainable raw materials, and optimizing logistics to reduce transport emissions.
Since 2016, ALTANA has used EcoVadis to successfully evaluate the sustainability performance of the ALTANA group as well as of individual legal entities resulting in more than 50 individual assessments. To reduce the efforts within the operating units and to strengthen the group assessment, in future, ALTANA will focus on the group rating. To ensure that this transition is carried out methodically and successfully, ALTANA selected DFGE – Institute for Energy, Ecology and Economy as its partner. DFGE was chosen for its deep thematic expertise, extensive EcoVadis experience, and structured approach to managing complex ESG topics.
Challenge
Reflecting sustainability performance at group level
Although sustainability has long been a key pillar of ALTANA’s corporate strategy, it was not always easy to communicate the full extent of these efforts within the framework of the EcoVadis assessment. Until now, legal entities have been evaluated separately, submitting their own documentation and sustainability achievements.
The transition to a single, group-level assessment posed a complex challenge: Existing sustainability efforts needed to be consolidated, aligned, and communicated in a consistent, transparent, and verifiable manner.
Importantly, this shift was not about creating new content — but about making the company’s existing sustainability impact more visible and comparable within the structure of the EcoVadis platform. Another key objective was to identify synergies between the divisions and legal entities and close gaps in ESG data and policy alignment. Achieving this required a systematic approach that addressed all relevant ESG dimensions and involved key stakeholders across the organization.
Solution
Holistic EcoVadis support with strategic depth
Over a period of seven months, DFGE supported ALTANA with a tailored, end-to-end consulting approach. The engagement began with a detailed gap analysis, which highlighted both strengths and areas for improvement across all four EcoVadis categories. Based on these findings, DFGE formulated practical recommendations, supported the refinement of relevant documentation, and provided hands-on guidance to address key ESG topics.
One of the central elements of the collaboration was the facilitation of internal alignment: Through stakeholder workshops, one-on-one discussions, and presentations to senior management, DFGE helped build a shared understanding of the assessment methodology and create transparency around what needed to be done to improve performance.
DFGE also assisted ALTANA in harmonizing ESG policies across the group, formulating additional quantitative targets, and introducing a proven template for a centralized KPI dashboard. This dashboard now serves as the backbone for future EcoVadis submissions as well as broader ESG reporting and internal performance consolidation and tracking.
The project concluded with a capacity-building workshop to ensure that knowledge and momentum are sustained beyond the initial assessment cycle.
Result
EcoVadis Platinum and an improved level of ESG management
The collaboration led to an exceptional result: In 2025, ALTANA achieved Platinum status in the EcoVadis sustainability rating, placing it among the top 1% of companies worldwide. The company earned top scores in nearly all rating areas, with significant improvements in sustainable procurement and labor and human rights.
Beyond the rating itself, the project delivered lasting strategic value. With clearly defined targets, harmonized ESG policies, and a centralized KPI structure, ALTANA has strengthened its internal sustainability management. The company is well equipped to systematically track performance, identify gaps, and implement improvements across the organization, supported by a robust, data-driven foundation for ESG decision-making.
Michael Berkei
Head of Corporate EH&S, ALTANA Management Services GmbH
“Our collaboration with DFGE was appreciative, solutions-oriented, and highly effective. Together, we achieved more than just a top rating—we improved the internal structures that will continue to support our sustainability journey.”
