Avient Corporation
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Reporting Period: 2019
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Circular Economy
- Product Stewardship
- Supplier Collaboration
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Safety
- Ethical Conduct
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions (though specific percentage reduction not explicitly stated)
- 52% of total waste recycled or reused
- Cumulative annual CO2e avoidance of over 6,800 MT per year from energy savings projects
- Signed a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) in 2020 to procure 36 MW of renewable energy capacity (this achievement is from 2020 but mentioned in the 2019 report)
Social Achievements
- Launched PRIDE at Avient, LEAD by Women, and HYPE employee resource groups
- Achieved a 100% score on the Corporate Equality Index (CEI)
- Over 30,000 hours of employee training completed
- Offered Flex Fridays and 16 hours of paid time off for community service
Governance Achievements
- Updated Supplier Code of Conduct to align with ILO standards
- Established a Global Energy Management Committee
- 30% female representation on the Board of Directors
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Reduce Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 35% by 2030
- Reduce waste to landfill by 35% by 2030
- Obtain 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources by 2030
- Enable 100% of products manufactured for packaging applications to be recyclable or reusable by 2030
- Deliver sustainable solutions in 100% of technology platform projects by 2030
- Assess top suppliers representing 90% of raw material costs (30% assessed by end of 2020)
Environmental Challenges
- REACH reclassifications of substances
- Managing climate-related risks (physical and transition risks)
- Plastic waste in the environment
- Supplier sustainability assessment
Mitigation Strategies
- Developing a low-carbon transition plan
- Joining the Alliance to End Plastic Waste
- Implementing a Supplier Sustainability Program using EcoVadis
- Prioritizing risk assessments for GHS category 1 and 2 products
- Developing sustainable replacement initiatives for REACH-impacted materials
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 330 supplier self-assessments completed over two years (2018-2019)
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct (aligned with ILO standards)
- EcoVadis assessment of top-tier suppliers
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes
- Market shifts
Opportunities
- Development of energy-efficient products
- Renewable energy procurement
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI Standards: Core Option, SASB, TCFD (commencing alignment)
Certifications: ISO 9001 (78 facilities), ISO 13485 (relevant facilities), ACC Responsible Care®
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- WithStand™ antimicrobial additives
- ColorMatrix™ Amosorb™ oxygen scavenger
- OnColor™ IR sortable black colorants
- Many other examples detailed in the report
Awards & Recognition
- Great Place to Work® certification
- Recognition from 2020 Women on Boards
Reporting Period: 2020
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Product Innovation
- Supplier Engagement
- Corporate Responsibility
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Human Rights
- Safety
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 37% since 2019
- Increased renewable energy usage to 31% of energy needs
- Reduced waste to landfill by 17%
- 90% of Avient’s products met recyclability/reusability criteria for packaging applications in 2020
Social Achievements
- Achieved a recordable incident rate of 0.50, 7 times better than industry average
- Received Great Place To Work® certification
- Earned a perfect 100/100 score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index
- Launched EMBRACE, an Employee Resource Group focused on racial diversity and inclusion
- Over 115 people leaders completed Core Leadership program
- Associates completed over 30,000 hours of training
Governance Achievements
- Updated Position on Human Rights
- Increased transparency and disclosures on human capital matters in 10-K
- Updated Corporate Governance Guidelines and Committee charter to promote board diversity
- Zero incidences of non-compliance with legally required and voluntary labeling standards
- Zero product recalls
Climate Goals & Targets
- Achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050
- Achieve operational carbon neutrality by 2050
- Enable 100% of products manufactured for packaging applications to be recyclable or reusable by 2030
- Deliver cumulative annual revenue growth from Sustainable Solutions portfolio of 8–12% by 2030
- Obtain directly or contract for 60% of electricity demand from renewable sources by 2030
- Reduce Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 60% by 2030
- Reduce waste to landfill by 35% by 2030
- Assess top suppliers representing 90% of raw material costs by 2030 (39% assessed by end of 2020)
Environmental Challenges
- Climate change impacts (extreme weather, supply chain disruptions, regulatory changes)
- REACH reclassifications of substances
- COVID-19 pandemic
- Plastic waste in the environment
- Insecticide resistance in malaria control
Mitigation Strategies
- Low carbon transition plan encompassing Scope 1 and 2 emissions, aiming for operational carbon neutrality by 2050
- Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs) for renewable energy
- Development of sustainable solutions portfolio
- Collaboration with Alliance to End Plastic Waste
- Development of new recycled-content materials
- Creation of a new masterbatch production laboratory for malaria control research
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 420 supplier self-assessments completed in 2018 and 2020; 39% of total direct spend evaluated through EcoVadis
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct aligned with ILO standards
- EcoVadis assessments
- Supplier self-assessments
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather events
- Supply chain disruptions
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes
- Market shifts
- Energy transition
Opportunities
- Development of energy-efficient products
- Renewable energy procurement
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD, UNGC
Certifications: ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ACC Responsible Care®, Great Place to Work®
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Goal 13: Climate Action
Avient's initiatives contribute to these goals through various programs and product offerings
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- reSound™ R VX TPEs (recycled content)
- Amosorb™ Oxygen Scavenger for PET
- OnColor™ and CESA™ IR Sortable Black Colorants
- Optica™ Toners for PET
- Reprize™ IV Builder
- Smartheat™ Infrared Absorbers
- Hydrocerol™ Chemical Foaming Agents
- Versaflex™ HC Thermoplastic Elastomers
- Complēt™ & Onforce™ Long Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics
- Nymax™ PIR Post-Industrial Recycled Nylon Formulations
- Fiber-Line™ Coated Kevlar® Fiber
- Syncure™ Crosslinked Polyethylene Formulations
- Smartbatch™ Color And Additive Concentrates
- ECCOH™ Low Smoke and Fume, Non-Halogen Formulations
- Glasforms™ Pultrusion Technologies
- CESA™ Additive Masterbatches
- Preperm™ and Edgetek™ Formulations
- Fiber-Line™ Swellcoat™ Water Blocking Yarns
- Polystrand™ continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) tapes and laminates
- MagIQ™ Non-Woven Electret Plus
Awards & Recognition
- Great Place to Work®
- Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies
Reporting Period: 2021
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Product Innovation
- Supplier Engagement
- Corporate Responsibility
- Diversity & Inclusion
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 40% in 2021 versus 2019 baseline
- Reduced waste to landfill by 6% versus 2019 baseline
- 44% of Avient’s electricity demand globally was from renewable sources in 2021, up from 0.69% in 2019
Social Achievements
- Launched EMBRACE, an Employee Resource Group focused on racial diversity
- Maintained world-class safety performance with a recordable incident rate of 0.55
- Avient associates performed more than 10,500 hours of community service
Governance Achievements
- 64% of CEO direct reports and 42% of Board of Directors are female or racially diverse
- 100% Corporate Equality Index score for three consecutive years
- Zero incidences of non-compliance with legally required and voluntary labeling standards and zero product recalls
Climate Goals & Targets
- Achieve operational carbon neutrality by 2050
- Achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2050
- Reduce Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 60% by 2030
- Achieve 60% renewable electricity by 2030
- Reduce waste to landfill by 35% by 2030
- Assess top suppliers representing 90% of raw material costs by 2030
- Complete 100% of risk assessments on hazardous materials greater than >1 ton by 2025
Environmental Challenges
- Supply chain disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Global plastic waste in the environment
- Meeting ambitious 2030 sustainability goals
Mitigation Strategies
- Developed alternative sourcing strategies
- Joined the Alliance to End Plastic Waste
- Aligned 20% of 2022 annual incentive plan with ESG metrics
- Implemented energy saving projects (102 in 2021)
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 52% of top suppliers assessed by the end of 2021
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct aligned with ILO standards
- EcoVadis assessments
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather events
- Supply chain disruptions
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes
- Market shifts
- Low carbon energy transition
Opportunities
- Development of energy-efficient products
- Expansion of renewable energy availability
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD, UNGC
Certifications: ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ACC Responsible Care®, Great Place to Work®
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
- Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)
- Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)
- Goal 13 (Climate Action)
Avient's innovation capabilities can make the greatest impact in these areas
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- reSound™ TPEs
- ColorMatrix™ Capture™ Oxygen Scavenger
- ColorMatrix™ SmartHeat™ RHC
- Edgetek™ PKE
- LubriOne™ PKE
Awards & Recognition
- Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies
- Barron’s Most Sustainable Companies
- The Wall Street Journal’s 250 Best Managed Companies
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- People
- Products
- Planet
- Performance
Environmental Achievements
- 35% reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Scope 1 & 2) vs. 2019
- 6% annual reduction in waste to landfill intensity
- 53% renewable energy source electricity
- 92% of products manufactured for consumer packaging are recyclable, reusable, or compostable
- 8,800 MWh in energy savings from efficiency projects
- 41 "landfill free" sites
Social Achievements
- 40% of overall hires and promotions were diverse individuals
- 60% of CEO's direct reports are female or racially diverse
- 42% of Board of Directors are female or racially diverse
- Maintained world-class safety performance with a recordable incident rate of 0.51
- 142,000 hours of training completed by associates
- Launched SERVE ERG for veterans
- Increased employee engagement survey scores across all five Great Place to Work® categories
Governance Achievements
- Expanded carbon disclosures, including Scope 3 emissions, and third-party certification of carbon emissions
- Added ESG performance metrics to associates’ Annual Incentive Plan
- 100% of required associates completed cybersecurity training
- Third-party audit of IT cybersecurity processes
- Zero incidences of non-compliance with product safety standards
Climate Goals & Targets
- Achieve operational carbon neutrality by 2050
- Reduce Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 (vs. 2019 baseline)
- Achieve 60% renewable energy by 2030
- Enable 100% recyclable/reusable packaging by 2030
- Complete 100% of risk assessments on hazardous materials greater than 1 ton by 2025
Environmental Challenges
- Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 (requires new technologies and innovation)
- Reducing Scope 3 emissions (requires collaboration across the value chain)
- Increasing the use of renewable energy (requires investment and infrastructure)
- Supply chain disruptions due to climate events
- Regulatory changes and market shifts
Mitigation Strategies
- Investing in energy efficiency and waste reduction technologies
- Expanding the use of renewable energy
- Developing sustainable products
- Collaborating with suppliers and customers to reduce emissions
- Implementing a low carbon transition plan with intermediate goals
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 60% of suppliers assessed in 2022 using EcoVadis
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct aligned with ILO standards
- EcoVadis assessments
- Conflict Minerals Policy
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather events
- Supply chain disruptions
- Technology changes
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes
- Policy changes
- Low carbon energy transition
- Liability issues
Opportunities
- More efficient production processes
- Emergence of new technologies
- Increased market share
- Products with low environmental impact
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD, UNGC
Certifications: ISO 14001, ISO 9001, ISO 45001, ISCC Plus, ACC Responsible Care®, Great Place to Work®
Third-party Assurance: TÜV Rheinland (for Product Carbon Footprint)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
- Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)
- Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)
- Goal 13 (Climate Action)
- Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)
Avient's innovation capabilities can make the greatest impact in these areas.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- ColorMatrix™ Ultimate™ UV Light Barrier for PET
- Cesa™ NOX A4R Additive
- Rejoin™ PCR Masterbatch
- Mevopur™ Healthcare Bio-Based Polymer Solutions
- Mevopur™ Nucleation Additive Concentrates
- Mevopur™ Chemical Foaming Agents (CFA)
- REMAFIN™ EP White Colorants
- Trilliant™ HC Glass Filled Polyketone
- Versaflex™ HC Thermoplastic Elastomers
- Complet™ REC solutions
- Polystrand™ R continuous fiber thermoplastic composites
- Edgetek™ PKE NHFR formulations
- Artisan™ ABS portfolio
- Molded-In Color Metallic
- Dyneema® DM20
- Glasforms™ Pultrusion Technologies
- Cesa™ Additive Masterbatches
- Syncure™ Crosslinked Polyethylene Formulations
- Smartbatch™ Color And Additive Concentrates
- ECCOH™ Low Smoke and Fume, Non-Halogen Formulation
- PREPERM™ material solutions
- Edgetek™ formulations
- ECCOH™ Micromodules
- ECCOH™ + Syncure™ 5G Hybrid Cable Insulation + Jacket materials
- Fiber-Line™ Swellcoat™ Water Blocking Yarns
- Glasforms™ pultrusion technologies
- Bio-based Dyneema® fiber
Awards & Recognition
- Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies
- Barron’s Most Sustainable Companies
- The Wall Street Journal’s 250 Best Managed Companies
- Great Place to Work®
Reporting Period: 2023
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- People
- Products
- Planet
- Performance
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced carbon footprint through lightweighting solutions and sustainable infrastructure solutions
- Active participation in the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW)
Social Achievements
- 5th Consecutive Great Place to Work® Certification
- Recordable incident rate of 0.58 per 100 full-time workers per year (compared to industry average of 3.40)
- 50% of Board of Directors are female or racially diverse
- 60% of CEO's direct reports are female, racially or ethnically diverse
- Over 7,000 volunteer hours and $1.5 million in donations globally in 2023
Governance Achievements
- Not disclosed
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Weak global demand conditions and significant customer inventory destocking
- Supply chain disruptions (experienced in 2022, but not material in 2023)
- Environmental remediation costs ($52.1 million in 2023)
Mitigation Strategies
- Controlled cost and focused on cash generation
- Successful integration of Avient Protective Materials business
- Enterprise-wide Lean Six Sigma program to improve margin, profitability and cash flow
- Investing in a cloud-based ERP system (S/4HANA) to improve integration and customer service
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Not disclosed
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- changes in laws and regulations regarding plastic materials
Opportunities
- light weighting and metal replacement and development of solutions that respond to ever-changing market needs by offering alternatives to traditional materials
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: Null
Certifications: Great Place to Work®, American Chemistry Council Responsible Care®
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- unique technologies that improve the recyclability of products and allow recycled content to be incorporated in products; light-weighting solutions; sustainable infrastructure solutions
Awards & Recognition
- Not disclosed