Sustainability in the lubricants industry can feel like a complex balance between responsibility and business sense – but it can also be seen as a key to long-term growth. With a series of successful partnerships and initiatives behind us, we continue our journey and our efforts towards reaching NetZero 2050.

FUCHS’s global sustainability strategy rests on three core pillars: economic, social and environmental sustainability. Economically, the key is to create the right conditions for increased efficiency and value-creating potential that come from acting more sustainably. We know that by contributing to our customers’ profitability, we also lay the foundation for our own success. When our customers do well, we do well. Socially, it’s about recognising our responsibility towards individual employees and our wider community. The environmental pillar is a particularly exciting challenge – there is still much to do for us to reach both our own targets and the UN’s climate goals.

The journey has just begun

FUCHS’s global ecological sustainability strategy is clear: the long-term goal is to reduce all emissions by 90% up to 2050. By 2030, we aim to reduce operational emissions within our own organisation by 42%, and by 2035 to cut our indirect emissions across the value chain by a minimum of 25%. This is our most challenging task, as it lies outside of our own operations. 

“Here in the Nordics, we have already made great progress. Operationally we are in a strong position, thanks to our investment in a modern production facility with low carbon emissions. Our greater challenge lies with our raw materials,” explains Åsa Perlerius, Senior Quality & Sustainability Manager for FUCHS in the Nordics.

To understand the sheer scale of this challenge, one must first understand the specific climate challenges of the lubricants industry. As the majority of a finished lubricant’s climate impact comes from the raw materials – that is, the indirect emissions in the entire value chain – the potential for reducing emissions lies within the supply chain, rather than in our own production. Solutions must therefore be found, in collaboration with suppliers, in new circular alternatives, and by using raw materials with different origins or lower climate impact during the manufacturing process.

Unique position, unique opportunities

As the world’s largest independent supplier of lubricants, FUCHS has the advantage of being able to choose its suppliers, raw materials and research partners, creating unique opportunities to truly influence the entire value chain – from raw material suppliers to the end users of our products.

Here in the Nordics, we have made more progress than many other parts of the world when it comes to sustainability – thanks in part to the availability of green electricity and other favourable conditions. Also, industry generally is more engaged here, with clear expectations on concrete action. At FUCHS, we see this as an advantage.

“We get a lot of questions from customers about our strategy and the way we work. By actively engaging in sustainability matters, we are undoubtedly opening doors to new collaborations and opportunities with customers both existing and new. Active sustainability work has quite simply become a competitive advantage,” Åsa explains.

PCF – transparency as the foundation for trust

Transparency is a vital aspect of sustainability work. That’s why FUCHS has developed a methodology for calculating the carbon footprint of individual products – internationally referred to as PCF, or Product Carbon Footprint. 

“After many years of global efforts, we can now finally share information about the carbon footprint of each specific product. With PCF, we can help our customers make more sustainable choices and calculate their own climate savings. We see this as a competitive advantage,” says Åsa.

The methodology is certified by an independent third party and follows both industry and international standards (ISO 14067, UEIL, ATIEL).

Collaboration – a key success factor

As mentioned, a sustainability strategy like NetZero 2050 requires collaboration throughout the entire value chain – from raw material suppliers to the end users of the finished products. Together with suppliers, customers and partners, we must continuously review how we work and explore areas where we can make improvements. We also need to continue developing new sustainable products, testing innovative solutions and scaling up the ideas that work. 

One example of a successful project related to our climate efforts – like PCF as mentioned above – is our collaboration with filtration specialists C.C. Jensen Sweden. Another is our investment in electric trucks for heavy bulk transport, in partnership with logistics provider Den Hartogh. We have also previously highlighted FUCHS’s various initiatives, from our new production facility to projects such as ACT, which sums up everything we do to transform our value chain from linear to circular. 

“We must have the courage to try new things and learn together. We don’t have all the answers, but we do know it’s possible to combine ambitious sustainability goals with a strong business operation. It is through collaboration that we can give ourselves and each other the chance to help shape the industry of the future,” Åsa Perlerius concludes.