Sustainable solutions
Pioneering sustainable solutions for the paints and coatings industry
As customer demand for sustainable solutions gathers increasing momentum, we continue to take a pioneering approach to product development and how we assess our portfolio.
To help us measure the sustainability characteristics of our product portfolio – and as part of our product stewardship programs – we introduced our Sustainable Product Portfolio Assessment (SPPA) framework.
Co-developed with peers and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, we were the first paints and coatings company to launch a full SPPA.
“As sustainability leaders in the industry, we’re proud that our SPPA methodology has been adopted as an industry standard,” explains Klaas Kruithof, AkzoNobel’s Chief Technology Officer.
“By constantly innovating and developing products with market-leading sustainability benefits, we’re not only making a significant contribution to achieving our own sustainability ambitions, we’re also enabling the broader industry to evolve.”
In 2020, we combined our approach to sustainable solutions and our priority substance program into SPPA. This now allows us to cover both the sustainability advantages and the legislative concerns on substances in our portfolio management. Customer demand for sustainable solutions is also a key driver in the transformation of our product portfolio.
Our approach promotes the use of safer and more sustainable products in all stages of the value chain. We take action to manage the use of harmful substances in advance of legislation, future-proofing our products against changes in regulations and public concerns. We also constantly review our existing offer in close alignment with our strategic focus and our customers’ needs. This helps to ensure the delivery of sustainable products and solutions that are fit-for-purpose in our key markets.
We’ve split our portfolio into three categories: - Sustainable solutions – products that bring sustainability advantages to our customers - Performers – products that have no immediate positive or negative sustainability indicators - Transitioners – products that have known sustainability issues
Our SPPA analysis also enables us to:
- Improve decision-making and create more robust strategies
- Drive innovation and develop the use of sustainable solutions with our customers
- Provide transparency and credible communication on the sustainability benefits of our products
- Develop better relationships with our customers, suppliers and other stakeholders
- Reduce risks related to our product portfolio
Adopting this approach gives us a holistic view of the sustainability characteristics of our product portfolio and – together with our customer-focused product stewardship process – it enables value-selling strategies tailored to specific customer needs. In addition, it helps us to take a harmonized approach in our portfolio management
