How suppliers can support our sustainability transformation
At Kemira, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the very foundation of our strategy. We are dedicated to partnering with our global network of diverse suppliers to create value along the entire supply chain and drive our sustainability transformation. Together, we prioritize efficiency, safety, and responsible business practices, upholding the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct.
We invite all suppliers to contribute to a lower carbon footprint and to improve our value chain impact. Renewable and recycled raw materials take a leading role in our commitment to sustainability, playing a vital part in our collective effort towards a more responsible and circular future.
Our approach to sourcing
At Kemira, we build long-term relationships with responsible suppliers who support our global leadership in sustainable chemical solutions for water-intensive industries. Business partners with excellent environmental, social, and corporate governance standards help us deliver ever more sustainable processes and products for our customers. Through our collaboration, we can reduce our impact on the planet and develop solutions to address urgent issues like climate change and resource efficiency, ultimately contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Kemira requires suppliers to comply with our Business Partner Code of Conduct and to support us with our sustainability ambitions. To ensure compliance, we evaluate our suppliers in various ways including, for example, by conducting sustainability assessments and supplier audits, and by requesting product carbon footprint and Lifecycle Assessment data for direct materials.
Safety is the foundation of everything we do
We believe a safe business is a sustainable business, therefore we at Kemira want everyone to go home as healthy as they arrived. That includes our own employees as well as contractors and other business partners.
When selecting business partners, we consider safety records, attitude, capabilities, inclusion, and other essential criteria.
Climate change is a defining challenge for our time. We need like-minded business partners to help transform our sector by decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
At Kemira, we ask direct material suppliers to report the Product Carbon Footprint of the materials we purchase so we have a clearer understanding of our overall impact. As we work toward the science-based targets we set for the 2030s, we will collaborate with key suppliers to significantly reduce GHGs along the value chain.
At Kemira, we believe how we do things is just as important as what we do, and that should be true for our business partners too. Our Code of Conduct for Business Partners sets the tone for the way we work together. We expect all our suppliers to operate ethically, sustainably, safely, and responsibly.
The Code of Conduct is communicated to all suppliers through the ordering process as part of Kemira’s terms and conditions. New suppliers must undergo screening to assess compliance with our Code as well as with applicable laws. We also conduct a risk assessment.
We at Kemira are committed to integrity. Business partners are encouraged to report any concern or activity which violates our Code of Conduct.
For reporting, you are encouraged to use the Kemira Ethics & Compliance hotline, hosted by a third party provider, EthicsPoint. Reports are strictly confidential and will be treated anonymously if you so choose.
We use EcoVadis, a global sustainability rating company based on international standards, to carry out sustainability assessments for all of our suppliers. The assessment focuses on 21 sustainability criteria that are grouped into four themes: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement.
Suppliers receive a sustainability scorecard with detailed insights into strengths and potential improvement areas. In instances where ratings do not meet our criteria, we expect suppliers to take corrective action.
Kemira also audits direct material suppliers for quality and Corporate Social Responsibility to ensure they meet our expectations. The Corporate Social Responsibility audits are conducted by a certified third party and aim to ensure that suppliers do not violate Kemira’s Code of Conduct. The quality audit validates suppliers’ processes related to management systems, sustainability, workplace health and safety standards, production, quality, and supply security.
Kemira is proud to achieve EcoVadis Gold level with a score of 77/100 in 2024. This places us among the top 5% of companies rated worldwide, demonstrating our ongoing commitment and leadership in responsible practices.
Responsible sourcing stands as a gateway to sustainable growth. At Kemira, we hold ourselves and our suppliers equally accountable for helping us all thrive in a way that benefits people and the planet. Our diverse suppliers across the value chain play an essential role in delivering value to customers and partners.
Kemira’s sourcing function is responsible for strategic spend management. Our global sourcing units include Global Polymer Sourcing, Global Corporate Sourcing and Global Manufacturing Sourcing. Regional sourcing teams are responsible for direct materials, logistics, electricity and utilities sourcing in EMEA, APAC as well as North and South America. while our Supply Chain Management function provides procurement and logistics services on a regional level to our business segments.
If you would like to supply products or services to Kemira, please complete the Kemira RFI template and send it to us alongside the other attachments requested.
