Global consumer brands and industrial products company Henkel announced today an agreement with Shell to replace up to 200,000 tonnes of fossil-based ingredients for its laundry products with renewable feedstocks.

The companies estimate that the five-year agreement will result in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reductions of up to 120,000 tonnes.

Ulrike Sapiro, Chief Sustainability Officer at Henkel, said:

“This is an important, concrete step toward realizing our vision of a regenerative planet through a climate-friendly business model. Working together with partners like Shell will help get us there faster.”

Fossil fuel are a key ingredient used by major consumer products companies in the production of cleaning products, soaps and detergents, presenting the companies with significant challenges in their efforts to improve sustainability. Most cleaning and laundry products contain chemicals made from fossil fuel feedstocks, typically accounting for around half of the products’ carbon footprint.

Under the new agreement, Shell will produce renewable-based surfactants – an ingredient in cleaning products that help lather and lift dirt – in North America for use in Henkel’s laundry product brands including Persil, Purex and all. The renewable feedstocks will be combined with fossil feedstocks using a mass balance approach, in which Shell will attribute the total tonnes of renewable feedstocks used in the process solely to Henkel. The mass balance approach will be verified by an independent third party.

Jillaine Dellis, Vice President, Sustainability & Industry Relations, Henkel Consumer Brands, North America, said:

“We are delighted to enhance the sustainability of our top-selling consumer brands in North America through this transition to renewable-based ingredients while offering the same outstanding cleaning performance and fabric care our consumers have come to expect from Henkel.”

Shell will produce the surfactants at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Norco and Shell Geismar Chemicals facility in Louisiana.

Robin Mooldijk, Executive Vice President, Shell Chemicals and Products said:

“Our collaboration with Henkel is a fantastic example of the opportunity for future growth. We are investing in our chemicals facilities, including on the U.S. Gulf Coast, to scale up Shell’s sustainable chemicals capabilities and deliver the integrated and sustainable offers our customers increasingly want.”