Sustainability Policy
1. Subject
SONAX GmbH is deeply committed to making an active contribution to a more sustainable society. The company fully recognizes the environmental, social, and economic impacts of its actions and strives to shape them in a responsible and forward-thinking way.
The sustainability policy provides a binding framework to ensure that processes, products, and decisions are aligned in a way that meets the needs of the current generation without compromising the opportunities for future generations. The sustainability principles reflect our clear commitment to sustainability and transparently communicate our values, goals, and actions both internally and externally.
2. Scope
The sustainability guidelines apply to:
all employees of SONAX GmbH
all locations and facilities of SONAX GmbH
all relationships with business partners of SONAX GmbH
The sustainability guidelines are directed at all internal and external stakeholders – employees, business partners, suppliers, customers, authorities, society, academia, as well as banks and insurance companies, and external service providers or business partners working for SONAX GmbH.
3. Objectives of Sustainability Management
The long-term ambitions and overall objectives of sustainability management are:
To make a positive contribution to the development of society
To work with our partners to reduce the ecological footprint along the value chain
To comply with legal requirements, promote innovation, and strengthen competitiveness
4. Principles of Sustainability Management
The sustainability management system has been developed in accordance with all relevant German and international sustainability standards and regulations, specifically:
The Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which reaffirms our commitment to civil liberties and non-discrimination
The fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
The principles of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)
The sustainability department and management are responsible for the implementation of this policy.
5. Sustainability Management
Sustainability management encompasses all topics identified through the double materiality analysis. For each topic, the corresponding impacts, risks, and opportunities were determined, and specific goals and measures were defined.
Product portfolio
SONAX actively manages the use of raw materials with the aim of minimizing the ecological footprint without compromising the performance of its products. A SONAX raw material list categorizes all used materials to meet both legal requirements and voluntary commitments.
Product Portfolio Goals:
100% elimination of microplastics in all ingredients by 2035
Reduction of "Category 1" formulations on the SONAX raw material list1 by 50% by 2035
Increase of the proportion of in-house manufactured formulations without raw materials from "Categories 1 and 2" of the SONAX raw material list1 to over 80% by 2035
99% of all formulations are SVHC-free (≥ 0.1%) by 2035
100% of all products are SVHC-free (≥ 0.1%) by 2035
100% of formulations are PFAS-free
Social responsibility
SONAX promotes a corporate culture based on respect, trust, and equal opportunity, with a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion to enable all employees to fully realize their potential. Additionally, safety and health protection are of the utmost importance to ensure a healthy and safe working environment.
Social Responsibility Goals:
Accident rate per 1 million working hours < accident rate per 1 million working hours BG RCI (SONAX / BG RCI ratio)
Reduction of the LTIR2 metric to < 3.5 in the 5-year average (2031-2035)
Striving for zero serious accidents
Development of the occupational safety culture
Establishment of systems and data base to set a quantitative training goal within future strategic adjustments
Maintain gender ratio of all employees at 50% (+/- 5%)
Avoid any employee discrimination, striving for no incidents according to AGG reported by the internal complaint office
Employee turnover < 7% in the 5-year average (2030-2035)
See also: Occupational Safety and Health Policy
See also: Corporate Responsibility Code
See also: Corporate Philosophy
Environment
SONAX is actively committed to minimizing the environmental impact of its actions. The focus is on preventing and reducing wastewater and waste, as well as protecting against soil contamination, air pollution, and noise generation. At the same time, the company is dedicated to continuously reducing energy consumption and the associated CO₂ emissions in compliance with legal requirements.
Environmental Goals:
Environment: Reduce wastewater volume (m³) per ton of product by 20% by 2035
Environment: Ensure 80% recyclability of all packaging by 2035
Environment: Integrate 65% recycled material in our plastic packaging by 2040
Environment: Reduce waste volume (t) per ton of product by 10% by 2035
Energy: Reduce CO₂ emissions by 35% per ton of product by 2035
Energy: Transition to 100% renewable energy (“green electricity”) for externally sourced power by 2030
See also: Environmental Policy
See also: Energy Policy
Supply chain
SONAX adopts a holistic approach to ensure transparency, security, and accountability in the supply chain. The focus is on close collaboration with suppliers and a strong emphasis on sustainable practices throughout the entire value chain. Additionally, SONAX employs proactive risk management to identify and mitigate potential hazards in the supply chain early on. This includes regular awareness training for the workforce regarding governance risks.
Supply Chain Goals:
More than 95% of the relevant workforce is trained on identified governance topics
100% of partnerships and business practices are based on a Code of Conduct
Regular analysis and minimization of sustainability risks in the supply chain
6. Declaration of Commitment
Sustainablity Management is deeply embedded in the mindset and actions of SONAX GmbH and represents a central element of the company's strategy and culture. Our sustainability-related success factors are based on the consistent alignment of all processes with our sustainability principles, the active commitment of all stakeholders, and the promotion of a culture that supports innovation and continuous improvement.
These guidelines are reviewed annually by the sustainability department and the management board, updated as needed, and approved during the strategic review meeting.
1Raw materials in Categories 1 and 2 of the SONAX raw material list are substituted either due to legal requirements or voluntary corporate policies.
2LTIR: Number of accidents per total working hours in a year multiplied by the standardization factor (200,000 working hours).
Leitheim, 15.07.2026