On health and safety, Stahl reported a three-year trend
of improvement in our key safety KPIs in December 2023.

We came close to achieving our 2023 target of 100% of Stahl employees trained in diversity, equality and inclusion, with 98% of employees trained. On diversity, we achieved our 2023 target of one woman in the Leadership Team and came in just under our target of 25% women in the Extended Leadership Team and heads of function category.

Another important milestone was the achievement of our EcoVadis Platinum rating - a target originally set for 2023, but achieved one year ahead of schedule in 2022. Stahl also exceeded its 2023 target of an average EcoVadis rating of at least 60/100 for our top ten suppliers, with an average rating of 68/100 reported in December 2023.

Progress with social
and governance targets

Among the targets set for 2023, we achieved our target of having three production sites using on-site renewable energy (solar panels are already installed at four Stahl sites and supply more than 37% of their electricity demand: Brazil, Mexico, India and Singapore).

The year also brought progress with our climate change ambitions. We put in place a robust set of targets to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, which were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in May 2023. 

We also made progress on our climate resilience and adaptation plan with the completion of a rigorous physical climate risk assessment at our manufacturing sites, thanks to a tailor-made tool we developed for this purpose.

One of our biggest advances in 2023 was in the collection of environmental impact data. Stahl's original target for 2023 was to have life cycle assessment (LCA) data for 50 products. As of December 2023, full LCA or product carbon footprint (PCF) data has been calculated for 353 of Stahl’s strategic products, representing 47% of our total sales revenue.

2023 also brought the certification of 2,160 Stahl products to the latest MRSL (3.1) from ZDHC, representing 70% of total sales and over 90% of leather revenue.

Forward momentum with our
environmental commitments

Stahl has set out an ESG Roadmap to 2030.
Targets and key performance indicators (KPIs) are organised under three pillars:

Environmental impact, social impact and governance.

Stahl’s ESG Roadmap to 2030

ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

Stahl's ESG commitments are based on seven principles:

The Stahl ESG Roadmap is a list of commitments and targets for 2030, supported by KPIs and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 2023 was a milestone year in Stahl's ESG Roadmap, providing the first set of environmental, social and governance commitments and targets that underpin our sustainability ambitions.

Our purpose is an integral part of how we think, act, work, plan and communicate as a company. It encapsulates our commitment to addressing today’s critical industrial, social and environmental challenges, and working with our value chain partners to create a better future for people and the planet. Around the world, Stahl employees live our purpose through their work and actions. In 2023, we also introduced our ‘Volunteer day’ programme, giving all colleagues the opportunity to give back to society and their local communities by spending one work day each year volunteering with a charity of their choice.

Living our purpose

Hear from Stahl's CEO, Maarten Heijbroek, as he introduces our 2023 ESG Report and his personal highlights from the past year.

Our Purpose:

Touching lives,
for a better world

Stahl is the world leader in speciality coatings and treatments for flexible substrates. Our solutions are touched by consumers around the world, as they are applied to essential everyday materials across countless industries and markets, from automotive interiors to apparel, luxury goods, footwear, packaging and home furnishings.

Stahl’s story began in 1930 in Peabody, Massachusetts, when it began to supply finishing chemicals to local leather manufacturers. In the century since, Stahl has become a leading global organisation with approximately 1,900 employees. Headquartered in Waalwijk, the Netherlands, we are supported by a network of nine Centres of Excellence, 14 manufacturing sites and more than 51 strategically located application laboratories. Stahl also has sales offices in 21 countries.

We operate mainly in Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Singapore, Spain, Turkey and the United States. We are active (producing, sourcing and selling) in more than 70 countries.

Three strong pillars to grow our business 

In April 2023, Stahl completed the acquisition of the ICP Industrial Solutions Group (ISG), a global specialty packaging coatings business. Following the acquisition, we now have three pillars on which to grow our business further: Leather, Performance Coatings and Packaging Coatings. This structure is supported by our business model of customer intimacy, innovative mindset and ESG leadership.

2023 is the 11th edition of Stahl’s annual ESG Report. The report was originally launched in 2013 to provide stakeholders with greater understanding and transparency surrounding our activities. Sustainability reporting has evolved significantly since then and its scope is widening.

In 2023, Stahl took significant steps towards addressing the requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which will come into effect in 2025. Indeed, CSRD disclosures will soon be the central feature of our ESG reporting.

This report summarises our achievements and activities from 2023 related to our environment, social and governance commitments. The report also provides an update on progress with the targets established in Stahl’s ESG Roadmap to 2030, including safety and health, ambitious climate mitigation targets, and its transformation into a more diverse and inclusive company.