we dotesa sustainability goals

Sustainability Report2022

Beyond theboundaries ofpossibility( Where is there)
room forsolar energy ?

Back to the roots!
More sustainablebacking materials

editorial
editorial

Dear readers,
For more than 125 years, tesa has been working on improving
our customers’ operations, products and lives in a sustainable
way with the help of innovative adhesive solutions. In 2022, we
further increased the importance of our sustainability strategy
with five highly ambitious action areas. We have made sustainability a priority for tesa and are working on this importanttransformation of our business with greater speed and urgency
than previously planned. We intend to use our expertise andpassion to develop adhesive solutions and products that are
more sustainable.
Our mission is to increase the pace at which we reduce
emissions, vastly improve the sustainability of our products
and packaging and ensure responsible sourcing. We havebegun to extensively optimize our manufacturing processes
at our plants and aim to achieve climate-neutral production by
2030. In the coming years, we will also be investing millions
in research projects, knowledge, sustainable materials andour production facilities. We have been involved in the "Business Ambition for 1.5°C initiative" since 2006. We have alsoemphasized once again our commitment to the ten principlesof the United Nations Global Compact and to the Sustainable
Development Goals, which we have already been pursuing formany years. In other words, we now intend to make an evengreater contribution. Last year, we succeeded in cutting ourenergy-related CO₂ emissions (Scope 1 & 2) by 27 percent
in absolute terms (according to the market-based method)compared to 2018.
All employees support this endeavor – our specialists in thedevelopment centers in Germany, the USA and China arethinking differently, creatively and from new perspectives. Our
customers are providing daily input on what matters to themfor the future and how tesa can play its part in helping them tohit their sustainability targets.

Dr. Norman Goldberg,
CEO tesa SE,
on the relevanceof sustainability.

For us, as a company in the chemicals industry, pursuing aholistic perspective and a science-based approach determines
our actions and is a matter of course. tesa employs more thansix hundred scientists, engineers and product developers
around the globe with the expertise to come up with innovative,
sustainable products and processes. By focusing on technicalinnovation, we have our sights set not only on reducing ourenvironmental footprint, but also on achieving sustainablegrowth for tesa.

I'd like to draw your attention to a few highlights of this year's
especially interesting report:
Back to the roots: We have introduced new bio-based packaging tape to the market which can be disposed of in the paper
recycling together with the cardboard box. And, of course,
we’re looking at how we can use recycled materials and areworking on opportunities for the circular economy arising fromnew raw materials.
Source responsibly: A good half of tesa’s raw material suppliers
have a sustainability rating as of this year. We also reviewed all
natural rubber supply chains in 2022.
House of Smarts: In Suzhou, one of our three Customer Solution
Centers, we are not only making our mark on the advance ofelectromobility but also working with customers to find moresustainable solutions.
Room for solar energy: 760 square meters of photovoltaics will
be installed on the roof of our company headquarters in the far
north of Germany in the coming weeks – further installations in
China, Germany and the USA are planned.
Social responsibility has always been a part of our culture attesa. With a donation of 200,000 euros, we were able to act
swiftly to help children and their families from Ukraine withshelters and playrooms. tesa had donated a total of 3.8 million
euros by late 2022 to tackle the coronavirus crisis and help
with other causes.
These progressive actions stand out positively in a year marked
by the coronavirus crisis, the outbreak of war, raw material andenergy shortages, and rising inflation. And perhaps they also
explain why we are fascinated by the topic of sustainability at
tesa and are bringing even more creativity in our search forsolutions.
I hope you enjoy reading this informative and inspiring report!

Norman Goldberg

1contents
Creating a sustainable future is ourmost important task. In this magazine,
you will learn more about what weare doing to achieve our main goals
and discover which other themes andprojects inspire us.

reduceemissionssourceresponsibly

rethink
materials

tesa sustainability goals
push
circularity

supportcustomers

people andsociety

Page 26–27

Page 30–33

Page 36–37

Original ideas are worth
their weight in gold. A
team initiative introduces
release liner recycling.

(Where is there) room
for solar energy? A lookbehind the scenes of thephotovoltaics project at
our headquarters.
Page 10–11

Beyond the boundaries
of possibility. This is
how we take our logistics
to the next level.

Page 14–17

An interview with
Jane Chen, Head of
Responsible Sourcing.

A light in times of need.
Social responsibility at tesa.

Page 20–21

Not all PCR s are alike.
When it comes to recycling material for blister
packaging, transparency
is required.
Page 22–23

Back to the roots, backto future. On the
search for more sustainablebacking materials.

Sustainability withinyour grasp. The
tesa Sustainability Weekfor employees.
Page 38–39

substantials
Page 6–9

House of Smarts. Smartsolutions from thetesa Customer Solution
Center in Suzhou.

facts andfigures
Page 48–52

Environment

Page 53–57

SocialPage 42–43

Site by site. Highlightsfrom our factories.
Page 44–45

Fascinating details. Manyof our adhesive solutions
are where you least expect
them.

Page 58–61

Governance
Page 62–63

SDG Index

navigation
Find out more on our
websiteFind out more about
this topic on page …
This symbol will takeyou from the “Facts andfigures” section to thetable of contents.

we doreduceemissions
Tackling the global climate crisis and accelerating positive change are
central elements of our committment. Our mission to reduce global
emissions includes upstream and downstream processes as well as
our own production. Renewable energy is a key pillar of our commitment.
Since 2020, we have sourced 100 % of our purchased electricity fromrenewable energy sources. In addition to reducing fossil-based energy
consumption, increasing energy efficiency also plays an importantrole. To achieve this goal, we are implementing technologies that are
particularly efficient in conserving resources and energy and emission.
Our major sustainability targets 2030
•	Climate-neutral production (Scope 1 and 2) versus
base year 2018.
•	Our indirect supply chain emissions will be reduced byat least 20 % (Scope 3) versus base year 2018.

5

we doreduce emissions( Where is there) room
for solar energy ?
At the headquarters in Norderstedt, the photovoltaics project is moving
into the next phase. A look behind the scenes – and on the roof.

Where there is light, there are also shadows. Using the sun’s power to generate energy in northern Germany canpresent certain challenges. The Hamburg region,
with an average of 2,252 hours of sunlight per
year, is not exactly known as a sunny hotspot inGermany. The 700 photovoltaic modules 32 meters
above ground on the roof of the tesa campus in
Norderstedt have to offer a certain amount of resistance so they don’t end up gone with the wind.
Starting in the summer of 2023, these modules
will contribute to energy supply.
It’s a well-known fact that a bird in the hand is worth
two in the bush – or on the roof. This applies to the
new facility’s potential yield as well. Only a surface
area of 1,400 square meters on the campus roofs
can be used for the installation of solar panels.
Though the total area of the tesa roofs is naturally
much larger, there are already a number of otherstructures on the buildings. Ventilation systems

A place in the sun: The roofs of
the headquarters in Norderstedt
provide room for 700 solar modules.

7

we doreduce emissions
and other equipment make it difficult to installmore solar panels since they would generate toomuch shade for the panels to function. But a placein the sun was found above the tesa Technology
and Product Development Center.
For tesa, each kilowatt hour of power that thecompany can generate itself counts. At all plants
in Asia, Europe and North America, photovoltaic
systems are already in use (in Suzhou, China),
are being installed, or are in the project phase.
Planning for the tesa headquarters outside theHamburg city gates began in 2021. To keep thewind from sending the environmentally friendly
technology flying over the roofs of Norderstedt
during the next storm, the experts required a bitof finesse: “The suction forces on the edges of thebuilding are so strong that the modules need to beheld down with additional weight. What’s more, theroofs are covered in greenery, so the usual methodof fastening them from below isn’t possible. We
consulted with structural engineers, and in the end
we found a customized solution,” reports Tilo Tonn,
Head of technical building management.

Retrospective
Looking back: For more than a year, the tesa
plant in Suzhou, China, has been working on
a variety of levels to reduce its environmental
footprint throughout the entire value chain.
A photovoltaic system was installed at thesite in 2021. The 2,000 solar panels on a
Photovoltaics have beenused in Suzhou since 2021.

rooftop surface of 7,000 square meters
enable savings of around 610 tons of CO₂
emissions per year compared with conventional electricity generation.

8

230,000
kWh per year

are generated by the photovoltaic
system at our headquaters per
year. This is enough to operate theventilation system at the technology
center.

In the context of sustainability, the bird in the hand
represents every effort to save energy and avoid
the use of fossil fuels. The photovoltaics (PV) on
the top of tesa’s headquarters cover only 3 percentof the current energy consumption on the campus.
Still, the expected 230,000 kilowatt hours per year
are very welcome. This is enough to keep theventilation system in the technology center running
for an entire year, for example – and it is only oneof many ways to save energy and reduce costs,
according to energy manager Thomas Erfurth. He
finds that, despite such seemingly low numbers,
photovoltaics represent an exciting prospect ineconomic terms. Incidentally, if tesa Norderstedt
wanted to switch completely to the sunny side,
the company would need to install 50,000 square
meters of solar modules, the equivalent of sevensoccer fields.
The switch to clean energy sources is a goal oftesa’s sustainability strategy. Since the Germansites in particular use great amounts of steam
and heat, they must make an extra effort. Where
it cannot generate electricity internally, tesa hasfor years purchased exclusively renewable energy. In collaboration with factory representatives, additional steps are being taken for energy

security – to contribute to the energy revolution
as well as sustainability strategy goals. tesa wants
its operations to be climate neutral by 2030. Its
focus is on the use of energy from renewable
resources and optimized efficiency in production as well as at all other facilities where tesa isstationed. The trick here, as almost everywhere, isto balance the three important parameters of sustainability, availability and cost. Our goal for 2030
is very ambitious. “We understand ‘climate-neutral
production’ to mean an actual reduction in emissions and the use of fully renewable energy. We
will only compensate for emissions that cannot
be avoided in the short and medium term withhigh-quality certificates,” report the tesa energy
experts.
The birds in the bush are far off and hard to getto – much like all the leaves and dust their finefeathered friends leave up on the solar modules
every day. In the future, a cleaning team will climb
to the sunny top of tesa in Norderstedt once a year.
The panels must be kept clean so they can soakup as much sun as possible. As far as this “darkside” of the technology is concerned, a dirty little
bird on the roof would certainly be easier to carefor than two in the bush.

Find out more aboutclimate protectionand emissions at tesa
on pages 48-50.

9we doBeyond theboundaries ofpossibility“We shall either find a way, or makeone.” Hannibal, a great military commander in the ancient world, might
have had a brutal approach to achieving
his goals, but this saying attributed tohim still rings true today in logistics andis indicative of the professionalism andcreativity that go into reaching goals.

reduce emissions
The fine art of logistics lies in improvizationT

rue trailblazers like the specialists at tesa move mountains to ensure that around 7,000 different adhesive
solutions get precisely where they need to be all over
the world. Balancing availability, service quality and cost efficiency while also incorporating sustainability is a mission in
itself. tesa has come up with a master plan for this.

The aim and intention is to manufacture, provide and ship
products as quickly and punctually as possible. Air freightin particular is generally considered a relevant originator ofclimate-damaging CO₂. How can we depart from well-trodden
paths without losing sight of customer satisfaction? Ultimately,
dates and deadlines are dictated by what goes on elsewhere:a large smartphone producer in China may order wafer-thinadhesive film today, ideally for delivery yesterday, while automakers require a wire harness bundling and protection solution
in North America, and a home improvement store in Bavaria
needs more painter’s tape. Off go the packages...

Balancing environmental compatibility and cost effectivenessand coping with the current energy crisis often requires us tothink smart and outside the box. tesa has set itself ambitious
sustainability targets for its logistics operations. These fallunder the “Reduction of emissions” strategic action area inthe sustainability strategy. A roadmap has been laid out withinitial plans, and the means, routes and modes of transport are
being scrutinized.
As is the case for other companies, logistics emissions contribute to tesa’s overall Scope 3 footprint as defined by theGreenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Protocol. The declaredobjective is to reduce these by 20 percent in absolute termsby 2030, compared to the 2018 baseline. One of the first projects for this in the transport category at global level involves
optimum capacity utilization of the containers used in overseas
shipping. The pallets in these containers are now being stacked
higher and higher, which has already resulted in a promisingdecrease in the number of container loads booked in 2022. “It’sabout smart planning,” says Michele Hinze, Corporate Logistics. “How can we better predict when we will have to movewhich products in our global network? We might also leave acontainer where it is or order it for later. Having an overview
of all the requirements is crucial.” Like in many other areas ofplanning, digitalization will make the difference here. And tesa
has already started with this.

tesa’s Europe logistics region also wants to cover further groundon the road to sustainable success. The tools for this include
order consolidation and optimized delivery cycles. This would
then render unnecessary some of the approx. 94 million ton
kilometers registered annually (tkm = kilometers covered multiplied by the quantity of goods transported in tons).
A reduction in air freight would be welcome, but, “many electronics customers in the Chinese market impose demanding
shipping deadlines and are rather spontaneous with their orders – unfortunately, this means we sometimes have no choice
but to ship the ordered products by air,” says logistics expert
Michele Hinze. “However, we are confident that we can develop
models that will take account of sustainability and customer
satisfaction in this and other transport areas.” This includes
tesa optimizing its production and storage facilities worldwide,
as it did in China in 2022. Another plant is also currently being
built in Vietnam. “In general, tesa’s ‘local for local’ concept will
increasingly result in shorter supply chains – for example, inAsia. If tesa’s production remains close to all of its local markets,then we will be able to gradually cut our transport distances
and thereby reduce emissions,” says Hinze.
To put it in similar terms to Hannibal: We will either find a way,or pave one ourselves.

Find out more about
our reduction of emissions
from page 48.

“

In general, tesa’s‘local for local’ concept
will increasingly
result in shorter supply
chains.”Michele Hinze, Corporate Logistics

11

we dosourceresponsibly
We want to ensure that fair working conditions, human rights andenvironmental protection are upheld along the supply chain. To thisend, we plan to use certifications, get involved in associations andassess suppliers. In the long term, we aim to achieve 100 % responsible
and sustainable sourcing for all of our raw materials.
Our major sustainability targets 2030
•	We target full transparency of our supply chains.
•	At least 80 % of our spend will go to suppliers thatare aligned with our sustainability standards.

13

we dosource responsibly„

By 2030, we intend toestablish full transparency
regarding the sustainabilityof our supply chains.”

form. We want to build on what has been achieved
to date. By 2030, we intend to direct 80 percent of
our expenditures solely to suppliers who not only
fulfill our sustainability standards but also have thecertification to prove their commitment to these.
Already at this stage, half of tesa’s raw material suppliers can produce the relevant, audited
self-disclosure forms. This is also true for tesa itself,
as we also act as a supplier for various industries
and have obtained EcoVadis certification, for example – currently with a “Silver” rating. We aim tocontinuously improve in the future.

Isn’t it difficult for some of the smaller material
suppliers to conduct these kinds of equivalence
assessments?
That may be the case, as certifications and assessments take time, effort and also money, evenif evaluations like this generally take the size ofthe company into account. There are also somecompanies that do not yet see any particular needto carry out these assessments because they canfind other customers whose requirements are notas high as ours. But we have noticed a positive
trend and interest worldwide.

tesa sources raw materials from over 800 suppliers in many parts of theworld. In order to ensure responsible sourcing and further expand ourpractices in this area, tesa established a team of experts to address thiselement of our sustainability strategy. In our interview, Jane Chen, Headof Responsible Sourcing, talks about the developments that took placein 2022 as well as transparent supply chains and bio-based materials.

Jane Chen, Head of Responsible Sourcing,on the responsible sourcing of raw materials. One focus is the use of certified natural
rubber (see image) as a bio-based raw
material.

What does responsible sourcing at tesa
involve?
When purchasing raw materials, primarily in Asia
and Europe, tesa aims to ensure the high qualityof our products and their availability at all times.
What’s more, we are equally committed to assuming social and environmental responsibility along
the supply chain. tesa is on the right track in thisregard, as demonstrated by our Code of Conduct
for Suppliers (CoCfS), for example. For many years,
this has set out in very concrete terms our funda-

14

mental rules and requirements in respect of humanrights, labor standards, environmental protection
and corruption prevention. The CoCfS is reviewed
and updated on a continuous basis.
What are tesa’s targets for the coming years?
By 2030, we intend to establish full transparency
regarding the sustainability of our supply chains.
And we are not starting from zero – in 2020 webegan to invite our material suppliers to share theirsustainability performance via a sustainability plat-

70 %of the materials tesa
uses should be bio-basedor recycled by 2030.

15

we doWhat hurdles have to be overcome?
More sustainable alternatives are not yet available
for some raw materials, and there are also limits
in terms of the availability of the raw materials. In
addition, close cooperation is required with all
stakeholders along the supply chain – and sometimes tesa is just a small cog in a big industry inthis regard. We have to convince suppliers of ourpath to greater sustainability, which sometimes
also means putting pressure on them in order tobring about change. A great deal of persuasion isstill needed. Sustainability is by no means afforded
the same relevance in all countries and industries
as it is here with us.
Do the raw materials themselves and theircontribution to sustainability pose a particularchallenge?
tesa aims to increase the share of bio-based or
recycled materials to 70 percent by 2030. This
includes natural rubber, paper, cotton and fabric,
as well as natural resins and new bio-based raw

materials such as monomers and polylactic acid
(PLA). Ideally, we are also able to prove the responsible origin of the raw materials with accredited
certifications. To do so, we primarily count on the
FSC standard for paper products. Natural rubber
is often PEFC-certified. As certifications of thisnature are often specific to materials and notstandardized globally, we are not always able toprocure all raw materials from certified sources.
We are continuing to work on this as an importantelement of transparent and responsible sourcing.
Recyclates are the second big raw materialarea...
The more companies that use recycled material,
the less new material will be produced. That’sgood. However, we also have to take care notto create an imbalance between the significantly
increased demand for recycled materials and their“source responsibly

We need to make sure thateveryone, no matter what
job they do, recognizes theimportance of sustainability
and takes the initiative
to see how they can makesomething more sustainable.”
Jane Chen, Head of Responsible Sourcing

Responsible sourcing involves social andenvironmental responsibility.
More on sustainability in our supply chains
beginning on page 60.

Consciously
sustainabletesa’s supply chains are complex, since the necessary
raw materials come from across the globe. From thecompany’s perspective, sustainability is not just a matter of
responsible sourcing, product development or communication. tesa sees itself as part of a wide community ofdifferent players who are moving boldly ahead to takeresponsibility for our future. This includes not only our suppliers and customers, but especially our employees. They
are all called upon to think and rethink things. Such a shift
in awareness has a big impact on day-to-day work. It motivates people to promote sustainability out of conviction.

16

still limited supply. The recycling industry needs
time to obtain more material, improve the efficiencyof recycling processes and establish closed cycles.

develop new concepts that will make our adhesive
solutions and our customers’ products more sustainable in the long term.

How are goals and measures managed andmonitored?

What is the outlook for the years ahead?

The responsible sourcing action area has a verybroad interface to numerous functions, task forces
and business units within tesa. There is very close
collaboration with the Technology Development
department, which is responsible for testing all
materials to determine whether they meet ourvarious requirements for greater sustainability.
During product development, we also frequently
collaborate directly with our customers. Industries
such as the electronics and automotive sectors
have considerably different requirements of materials. We take an open-minded approach andWe have established specific goals and are passionate in pursuing these. Wherever possible, we want
to go beyond the requirements of the regulationsin the area of sustainability.
Our goal of ensuring that at least 80 percent of
tesa's suppliers have demonstrated a responsible
approach to sustainability to a high standard by2030 is a realistic one. As they say, “How do you
eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”17we dorethink­materials
tesa has set itself the goal of significantly increasing product sustainability
and is working on this every day. Over the next few years, for example,
we will be developing many new products that make a sustainable contribution to our top product ranges in the automotive, electrical, andconstruction industries, as well as for our consumers in the office andhome. In doing so, we are focusing on the reduction of non-recycled
fossil plastics and will increasingly use recycled and bio-based materials.
Our major sustainability targets 2030
•	70 % of the materials for our products and packaging will berecycled or bio-based.
•	We will cut the use of virgin fossil plastics by half until 2030.
In our packaging we want to achieve this already by 2025.

19we doNot all PCRs
are alike
When it comes to recycling material
for blister packaging, transparency isrequired. tesa’s new more sustainable
sleeves are made of 100 percent postconsumer recycled material (PCR).

rethink materials

S

traw today, gold tomorrow? Though not
impossible in fairy tales, everyday industrial
reality prefers not to rely on hocus-pocus.
Tangible inventions and developments are required
if a material is to be replaced with another, betterone. This was the case when we set about to create“green” packaging for our famous tesa tape. The
trick was to use worn-out and recycled consumer
plastic waste (PET-PCR).
What might have until recently been a PET plastic
bottle is now more sustainable packaging that protects the well-known adhesive film as well as about
350 additional tesa consumer products. Millions
of hobbyists and do-it-yourself enthusiasts won’t
notice the difference. While plastic for the transparent wrappers was still produced using crude
oil as a fossil-based energy source (PET standard)

On courseWith its sustainability targets, tesa is in stepwith the times. Within the context of theGreen Deal, the EU Commission is currently
proposing additional new packaging regulations. These are intended to reduce thedemand for primary raw materials, increase
Europe’s recycling capacity and minimize its
dependence on primary raw materials andsuppliers from non-European countries. Ultimately, everyone wants to avoid the nearly
50 percent increase in plastic packaging
EU by 2030 unless countermeasures are
adopted.

until the summer of 2022, fully recycled plastic has
gradually been introduced, and the transition is
now complete. The crystal-clear appearance has
been preserved through the green innovation, andthe protective wrappers are now even thinner. This
reduces the material used by up to 20 percent. The
sustainable blister covers – retaining their highquality – continue to make all adhesive solutions
look smart on store shelves while protecting themfrom dirt and damage.

“Reduce, reuse, recycle” isthe principle at the heartof our waste and raw materials management. Find out
more beginning on page50-51.

20

All shrink-wrap packs for
packaging industrial products
are also more sustainable. They
now consist of up to 50 percent
recycled plastic (PE-PCR).

waste that is projected to accumulate in the

Numerous experiments were needed to achievea customized mixture of post-consumer recycling
materials (PCR). After all, not all PCRs are alike.
Different kinds of recycled plastic were tested
using varying amounts of recycled material fromconsumer plastic waste and bottle flakes to makethe resulting material as colorless as possible. The
final result was a crystal-clear “green” product.
tesa is “Rethinking materials” to reduce thevirgin plastics it uses in packaging – meaning nonrecycled fossil-based plastics – by at least

50 percent by 2025. To manage this, quite a bit
more straw will still have to be spun into environmental gold.

Film for shrink-wrap packaging is
also becoming more environmentallyfriendly
Not only has the blister packaging produced at the
Offenburg tesa plant become more sustainable,
but so has all the shrink film needed to package
industrial products . Starting in the spring of 2023,
this will no longer be made of the conventional 100
percent PE standard. Instead, 50 percent of it will
come from PE-PCR industrial waste, i.e. recycledplastic. However, more than 50 percent of the films
cannot be made of recycled material or they would
not be durable enough to hold together objects
such as roll containers; they would stretch or tear.
But we will keep trying and strive for continuous
improvement.

19 million

blister covers are manufactured every year from recycled plastic at the tesa plantin Offenburg; they come invarious sizes and shapes foraround 350 different typesof articles.

21

we dorethink materials

Back to the roots,back to future
Natural and rich in recyclable material:tesa developers put alternative backing materials to the test.

tesa is continuously researching and developing newtechnologies and products to get it just right. From theinitial steps to quantum leaps towards a sustainable future,
everything lies in the hands – and heads – of our 600 in-house
specialists around the world. They bear great responsibility,
for example, when it comes to finding and creating backing
materials that are more environmentally friendly.
Back to the roots, back to future – both bio-based and recycled
raw materials that already have their roots in plastic products
used in private homes and industry have excellent prospects
at tesa. tesa has already committed to increasing the shareof recycled and bio-based materials used to 70 percent andsignificantly reducing CO₂ emissions by 2030. What are the“natural” limits to chemistry in this regard and how can they beovercome? Why is it so complicated to make the move back tonature? A project team has been tackling these issues for quite
some time now – and has already found an exciting answer incooperation with a large number of stakeholders.

Pioneering work for product solutions that
perfectly meet the requirements
As tesa does not produce all important backing materials
combined with adhesive to create adhesive tape in-house,
there is a great deal of interest in ensuring that sustainable
innovations in the industry for film, foams, paper backing, fabric,
non-woven material and even laminates are also a precise fit
for tesa’s adhesive solutions. “For this reason, we collaborateclosely with a wide range of partners. Either they already have
solutions in their portfolio that meet our specific requirements or
we want to work with them to develop formulas tailored to ourneeds,” says Dr. Ingrid Sebald, who is responsible for product22

and technology development at tesa. “In this regard, we reallyare a pioneer for these adhesive systems.”
In trial and pilot facilities, tesa tests the suitability of these andother materials for many of tesa’s 7,000+ products. Bio-based andrecycled materials are promising backing materials. Alternative
mediums such as PLA film (based on natural cornstarch) or fromrecycled paper and recycled PET film (made from post-consumer
plastic waste such as water bottles) are now commerciallyavailable and have already been incorporated into various tesa
products following extensive test phases.

“

Our goal is toachieve the perfectresult. We findways to do this.”

Test passed: At the end of a long trial
phase are qualified materials.

Dr. Ingrid Sebald, Chief Technology Officer

More complex film made from recycled materials is yet to be
developed. “The building blocks we use are often alreadyquite specific and therefore require particular backing materials,” explains Dr. Sebald. Quality is crucial for these, but it is
not always possible to find recycled materials that meet therequirements. “We test everything available until we achieve
the perfect result.” For example, tesa is also active in the areaof chemical recycling. Here, the entire polymer chain is broken
down again into its monomer building blocks. “Although thesemonomers come from a petrochemical source, they can then berecycled and reused. And the end product is also recyclable.”
Here, too, the future is clearly rooted in the past.
More on our circular economy
beginning on page 50 and 58.

Around600

of tesa’s in-house
specialists worldwide work on
finding the rightchemistry.

Hole-covering tape for the automotive industry, with a 90 percent PCR PET backing, isone example of a product that has made thegrade and established itself on the market inrecent months.

23

we dopush
circularity
tesa will contribute to the circular economy and use resources as
carefully as possible. First and foremost, this involves avoiding
waste. Where that is not possible, we reduce it. Where waste isunavoidable, we seek to reuse or recycle it by various means.
By 2025, we want to eliminate all landfill disposal of productionrelated waste.
tesa will further invest significantly in the further development ofsolvent-free and energy-efficient production technology andcapacity. The facilities on which we currently coat with solvents
are to be technically upgraded so that the solvents are fully
recovered at the end of the process and thus remain in the cycle.
Our major sustainability targets 2030
•	We strive for reduction of waste from our production
and products.
•	By 2030, we will provide more products with sustainable
end-of-life solutions.
•	We will invest into solvent-free processes and full recovery
of solvents.

25

we doOriginal ideas
are worththeir weight ingold.

At tesa Manufacturing
Hamburg, the specialist in
precision punched parts,
employees are boosting
the circular economy. An
impressive 15 tons of releaseliners no longer need to
be burned every year andare now recycled instead.

I

used to be a valve on a coffee bag,” reads thelabel. The joint effort for increased sustainability
includes similar success stories. “I am a model
for success” is the claim of the pilot project specifically launched for this at the Hamburg-based
stamping specialist in May 2022. Tons of paper
waste are produced there every year, also dueto the yearly production of an impressive amountof around 300 million coffee bag valves. Now, in
cooperation with a specialized company, these arebeing reintroduced in a new raw material cycle andare no longer being incinerated. At the processing
center, they are first collected and then picked up
from our partner, who separates the silicone layers
as part of the “RafCycle” process before reusing
the remaining pulp and paper for new labels orother paper products.

“

The best productsolutions often emerge
in everyday life.”

The Collective

Tino Heitmann, tesa Process Engineer

At tesa, the passion for collecting has taken hold. tesa Manufac-

Many types of waste can bereintroduced in new cycles“The best solutions are often found in everyday
life,” says tesa process engineer Tino Heitmannfrom tesa Manufacturing Hamburg. There, over abillion stamped adhesive strips or dots for the mostdiverse applications – such as coffee bags – areproduced every year. Production waste includes
a number of materials that cannot be recycled
as scrap paper or plastic waste. In particular, thisconcerns release liners that were used to coverprocessed adhesive tapes or gaps.
Nowadays, the staff at industrial companies maintain constant communication with other specialists– for example, the waste disposal company nextdoor – as part of their day-to-day activities. A similar
opportunity brought the creative tesa employees
closer to the solution for more sustainable waste
recycling. Now, a number of paper companies offer
special recycling programs for exactly these kindof materials. Why shouldn’t tesa get on board?
“Team spirit and collaboration for the environment
pay off,” say the resourceful stamp pros. Recycling
release liners can even translate into a small plus
in tesa’s finances, as well as “the certainty of
having made a significant step towards a circular
economy.” And the pragmatists have their sights
set on the recycling of other waste materials too.
The next recycling success story could also begin
with “I used to be a”.

More on the subject of waste at tesa
from page 50.

26

push circularity

turing Hamburg is finding really great deals. In addition to great
quantities of release liners, a further pilot project deals with therecycling of other types of film that are no longer disposed of ascommercial waste. This prevents the generation of at least seventons of waste every year – and we can even sell the waste,
which is rich in recyclable material, instead of having to pay todispose of it as in the past.
Packaging and other films have been collected separately since
fall of 2022 and handed over as recyclable material to a waste
disposal company based near tesa’s processing center. In addition
to waste prevention and increased recycling, the mindful handlingof materials also brings in cash since the packaging andstretch film made of PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene) or PA(polyacrylate), or also “roll maskers” – the industrial varietyof Easy Cover® film for painting for home use – contain valuable
materials that can be reused. That makes for an attractive collection.
Waste becomes a valuable source of raw materials. A true
collector’s item.

Around300
millioncoffee bag valves
are produced at tesa Manufacturing
Hamburg every year. Since May
2022, even the release liners usedin this process are recycled.

27

we dosupportcustomers
Achieving a higher level of sustainability is an important goal for manyof our customers – just as it is for us. We are taking this path together
with them and supporting them with innovative adhesive solutions.
In addition to our own product sustainability, we are working to ensurethat our customers enjoy ecological benefits through the use of our
products; for example, tesa® Bond & Detach makes smartphone components recyclable and can be removed easily without leaving any
residue. The aim is to make these contributions more visible in the future.
Our major sustainability targets 2030
•	Innovative adhesive solutions are available for our customers
that contribute to sustainability of their processes and applications.
•	We will make these positive contributions measurable.

29we dosupport customers

House of Smarts

Smart solutions from the tesa
Customer Solution Center in Suzhou
allow customers to operate moresustainably.

A smartphone clatters to the ground for the fiftieth time. A tablet
display bakes under a sunlamp, an adhesive hook holds its own in icy
water and an electric car battery is put on a restricted feedingschedule. These are all everyday occurrences at the largest of tesa’s
three Customer Solution Centers (CSCs).

E

xpanded in 2022, the “House of Smarts” isa future lab for all kinds of adhesive solutions and therefore sometimes also a place
where new developments are put through stressand endurance tests. Sustainability is built in. “Theannex itself is probably the best-insulated buildingin this Chinese metropolis,” Uwe Michel, Head of
the tesa Customer Solution Center, notes with asmile. All kinds of equipment for developing new
products can be found throughout the five floorsof this state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly
building. Behind the insulated facade and its

30

triple-glazed windows, an activated charcoal filter
system also ensures that no vapor is released into
the atmosphere.

Specific stress tests for every
scenario
The predecessor facility set up here near China’s
east coast in 2008 was quickly bursting at theseams. It has now gained an additional 5,400 square

meters of space in the large annex. The goal remains
the same: the laboratory units aim to help companies
find the best possible adhesive tape and application
solution from tesa for their requirements. This also
allows them to operate more sustainably themselves.
To enable this, the products get put through theirpaces. Extreme heat, icy cold, floods of water, heavyloads and movements ranging from uncomfortableto turbulent are just some of the criteria that products
are tested on here. Ultimately, the tesa adhesive
technology has to meet the relevant product specifications, namely strength and durability requirements. These are usually some years in the caseof a smartphone, a full 15 years for a car and even
30 years when bonding facade parts.
After numerous trials, tesa is able to deliver cleveradhesive tape elements for any scenario – tailored tothe smart products of its major industrial customers.
The know-how at Suzhou is available to the entire
Asian market, from India to China to Australia – aregion known as a source and stronghold of popular
consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets
and wearables. “But also a longstanding key market
for electromobility,” says Uwe Michel, “as you cannot
have electric cars without display screens.”

Smart cooperation for products indevelopment
All of the up to 2,000 customers per year that canmeet with the tesa specialists or, for example, takepart in training in the CSC share similar goals. Given
the breathtaking pace of development in smartphone
design and similar products, tesa has to continuously
come up with new solutions for bonding screens,batteries and casing parts. These developments
are generally cooperative projects between thetesa Customer Solution Centers and the productdevelopment laboratories in China and Norderstedt.

31

“

we do

support customers

The repairability of popular devices is ahigh-priority topic in China at the moment.
Smartphones break quickly because theyeasily slip out of our hands and pockets.
The screens and back panels are madeof glass that shatters and has to be replaced. All of these elements, as wellas the batteries, are often held in place
today by wafer-thin tesa adhesive tape,which can also be detached to someextent to repair individual components.
This is not only cheaper than purchasing
a new device, but also more sustainablebecause it extends the service life. Somegovernments are also recognizing this. In
Europe, for example, the law will require
smart communication technology to be
repairable to a certain extent from 2025

onward. “This means we have to findways to ensure that individual parts canbe replaced,” says Michel.
The Customer Solution Center is theright place for challenges like this, withthe specialists there working tirelessly tofind solutions – for example, if a mobile
phone manufacturer decides that a repair
time of 45 minutes is 39 minutes too long.
According to Uwe Michel, an impressive
80 discarded smartphones successfully
served as guinea pigs in Suzhou. They
were dropped, taken apart and then put
back together perfectly. The bondings
were repeatedly reformulated and repositioned until a new, doable six-minuterepair standard was achieved. “Our cus-

In the past, we would
send sample adhesiverolls by parcel, but today we can do this byemail in some cases.”

tomer is happy. Saving this time meansreal money for the manufacturer and ultimately also the repair shops.”

State-of-the-art equipment–from a climatic chamber toan innovation workshop
The almost 50 specialists in Suzhou love
to tackle these kinds of tricky tasks. In
2022, they ran around 1,900 projects towork on optimizing products. For example, automakers can see in person how
adhesive tape is automatically applied
to vehicle bodies for the painting process. A sizable walk-in climatic chamber

AroundUwe Michel, Head of tesa Customer Solution Center

50

specialists

work at the Customer Solution
Center in Suzhou. In 2022,
they optimized products forapproximately 1,900 projects.

With a trained eye, the team of experts at the Customer
Solution Center keeps a watchful eye on customized
solutions for our application solutions. Through our product solutions, we aim to help our customers increase thesustainability of their production and achieve their goals.

32

enables testing with large objects thatare brought in, while an innovation workshop can be used by project teams forbrainstorming and testing. These arejust a few of the opportunities that thecenter offers. One entire floor is home tooffices and labs equipped to the highest
technical standard.
This is a good place to work – also in thefield of electromobility. Every kilo counts
when it comes to battery range, so tesa
is helping to cut crucial weight from theelectrical system, for example. “We areable to give a fixed form to cable bundles
there, which had not been possible until
now for space reasons. For this, we havedeveloped a new cable wrapping tapethat is cured by UV irradiation. This gives
cable bundles in the electrical system astructure, while also reducing weight andcreating space. Compared to conven-tional cable ducts and depending on thespecific application, this can save up to
hundreds of grams in weight. At the sametime, it frees up room that can be usedas precious installation space, which isoften in short supply. Smart solutions
can also be developed for new trends
that are bringing increasing levels offunctionality and intelligence to vehicles,”
explains Uwe Michel.
For example, incremental progress isbeing made day after day with the aidof drop towers, tumblers, autoclaves/pressure tanks and lots of enthusiasm.
The Customer Solution Center doesn’t
just put in-house adhesive solutions on
the test track or run computer-simulated
stress models to meet requirements
profiles, though. As a very innovative
form of customer service, the team is
especially proud of the invention ofits virtual adhesive tape. “Where previously we would have sent adhesiverolls as samples in a parcel, we can
now use email for this in some situations,” says Uwe Michel, explaining
the innovation.
The tape is now described digitally. While
this does take a good two weeks, “customers know in advance all the special
features that we can offer them and canswiftly adapt their product to take advantage of these. When they have drawings
available at such an early stage, they canchange something with just a few clicks
on the computer, making the smartphoneshell a little wider, for example, to suit.
This eliminates complex reworking later
on. Providing a digital twin means that
our customers get a sample at an earlystage, which really helps to accelerate
development.”33

­peopleand­society

35

Sustainability
within your grasp
Explore, participate, inquire. Over the course of threeaction days, employees were given an impression of
the ways in which our sustainability strategy is being
implemented in practice.

W

ith great dedication, tesa is currently
translating its ambitious sustainability
strategy into specific programs, projects and initiatives. Sustainability is integrated into
the existing organizational structure, and hundredsof employees are already actively involved. In orderfor the sustainability agenda to become an integral
part of daily work, it is important for everyone todevelop the same understanding of its importance,
the topics involved and the challenges it presents.
Explanation and clarification are at the heart of thesustainability strategy’s success.

Clearly a “sought-after” event:The sustainability experts wereavailable to answer questions at
various stations at our headquartersthat led through the diverse
aspects of sustainability at tesa.

36

What makes the difference with natural rubber?
How is blister packaging becoming sustainable?
What levers do we have to make production processes more environmentally friendly? What do
we want to change going forward, so that tesa
can quickly achieve its ambitious goals for moresustainability?
Over the course of three action days in the fall of2022, employees at the tesa headquarters wereable to familiarize themselves with these and other topics relating to the company’s sustainability
goals. Joining in, asking questions and discussions
were expressly encouraged. Various initiatives suchas information booths, lectures, discussions, film
presentations and tours were on the program. The
focal point was a large informational marketplace
where projects that have already been initiated could be discovered, touched and observed.
Experts in the areas of technology development,

production, energy procurement, product sustainability, packaging and climate protection were on
hand for discussions and to provide answers to theparticipants. CEO Dr. Norman Goldberg and Chief
Sustainability Officer Dr. Stefan Röber opened thesustainability week together. “Sustainability is mandatory,” is the CEO’s message. “We all have to pitch
in and help contribute.” Specialist presentations
and keynote speeches by organizations such as
the WWF and the European School of Management
and Technology (ESMT Berlin) sparked numerous
new ideas and interesting discussions.

“­p eople and ­s ociety

Sustainability is
mandatory. We all
have to pitch in andhelp contribute.”
Dr. Norman Goldberg, CEO

An interactive tour provided informative insights behind the scenes
The event would not have been complete without a look behind the scenes. During a tour tothe technical supply facilities, employees learned
about subjects such as the energy concept at
tesa’s Norderstedt location. The demonstrations
were very descriptive – showing how the company’s own combined heat and power plant works,
how much power the building needs, and where
there is still potential for optimization. Participants
gained these and other interesting insights during
an interactive tour.

The sustainability marketplace provided employeeswith a wealth of information.

There was great interest in the topics on the agenda, as well as intense discussion. There was one
key takeaway from the day: “Don’t wait for instructions or an invitation in either your work or yourprivate life. The time to act is now. Be part of thetransformation! All employees can contribute andsubmit ideas,” urged Stefan Röber in his closing
address at the first sustainability week. Additional
action days are currently being organized aroundthe world.

37

­P eople and ­s ociety
This commitment did not mean that children in numerous
other countries were forgotten. Poverty is growing, and with it
hardship. “The sky’s the limit” is the challenge facing all who
want to help. “tesa once again wholeheartedly demonstrated
its commitment to the children of this world in 2022,” says CEO
Dr. Norman Goldberg. For example, Save the Children used tesa
donations to continue its Safe Back to School global education
initiative and sought to instill a love of reading in children in
Colombia with the Dream, Live and Read club project. Catch-up
clubs were also established there and in many other countries
in order to help children catch up quickly with the educational
material they had missed during the pandemic.
This crisis was no way near over when Russia attacked Ukraine
in early 2022. “We are all shaken by the terrible news reports
and images coming out of Ukraine,” said Dr. Goldberg in his
initial reaction. tesa immediately donated 200,000 euros sothat Save the Children could help young people and families
from Ukraine. The organization set up mobile shelters andplayrooms, for example, where children and parents could
take a break and receive psychosocial support directly on the
ground. In addition, the organization provided care for refugee
children and their mothers arriving at the borders and reception
centers in Romania, Poland and elsewhere.

A light in times of need –social responsibility at tesa
For Solomiia from Ukraine and Natalia from Guatemala, for Dipan from India andMajo from Colombia: There are still so many children without adequate or permanent access to education, even though this is a basic human requirement. Somechildren do not even get to go to school at all. tesa is there to help them in many
parts of the world – after all, compassion knows no borders.

For many years, tesa has been providing neighborly
assistance in the form of funding for children’s rights
organizations and local projects near to where our sites
are located. We are committed to promoting the education ofyoung people, especially in the area of science and technology.
By the end of 2022, tesa had donated 3.8 million euros to alleviate the consequences of the education crisis brought about
by the coronavirus pandemic and its ripple effects, especially38

school closures lasting months. 1.7 million euros of this went
to Save the Children, with whom we work closely. Under the
motto “Education connects. Together worldwide.”, the world’s
largest independent children’s rights organization and tesa
joined forces during the coronavirus pandemic to combat
ever-growing educational inequality through aid projects in six
countries on three continents.

The focus areas of tesa’s support with other partner organizations differ from country to country. In Suzhou, China, children

from migrant families are assisted under the Sunshine Education
Program, while 445 children at the Guangong Village School
received much-needed “hardware,” from a water dispenser toa new projector. tesa sites in China also invited a few hundred
pupils of different ages to visit our plants and learn about thepossible careers there.
In Vietnam, we assisted orphans and children with HIV, whiletesa’s plant in Haiphong donated a water heater and filter system to the Tanh Xuan Social School. Other examples of gooddeeds in 2022 included support provided to primary school
children in Indonesia in the form of fans, lockers and snacks.
Food, clothing and medication were given to the Philippines
Orphanage Foundation. The list of donations is long. Many projects and institutions in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas
as well as all over Europe received contributions from tesa.
Sometimes these donations were a few hundred euros, but
often they ran to many thousands. And occasionally they camein the form of a donation in-kind. The tesa plant in Offenburg
gave 800 rolls of tesa tape to the Freiburg City Mission, whichorganizes German classes for Ukrainian children fleeing thewar – including Jurij.
tesa’s activities are based on the guiding principle “Holding theworld together – for a sustainable future.” This reflects not only
tesa’s core competence, but also our determined aspiration totake responsibility for the world around us.

200,000
euros

directly donated by tesa to Save
the Children to help children andfamilies from Ukraine.

Lucky centsfrom employees fora good cause
tesa employees are also very willing to make donations
themselves. Many of our staff at a number of German tesa
companies donate the odd cents from their monthly wage
packages. At the end of the year, tesa doubles this amount.
In the reporting year, a total of 9,087.36 euros were raised.
The beneficiary organization will be decided together.

39

substantials

41substantials

around5,000

14

employees worldwide

production sites(production andprocessing centers)

active inmore than

Site by site

100
countries

We produce adhesive tapes
for the world at five plants on
three continents. A sixth iscurrently being constructed in
Haiphong, Vietnam, and will
be commissioned in 2023.

1		
company headquarters
5		
regional headquarters
14		production sites(production andprocessing centers)
61 		affiliates(incl. regional headquarters
and production sites)3 		Customer Solution Center
Source: tesa Annual Report 2022

Sparta– U SA

Concagno– I TALY

Offenburg– G ERMANY

Hamburg– G ERMANY

Suzhou– CHINA

completion in 2023

Haiphong
Quelle: tesa Geschäftsbericht 2– VIETNAM

43

substantials

Fascinating
details

More than

7,000
adhesive solutions

130+
different
adhesive tapes

are used in the productionof electric cars – for example,
in the bonding of battery
packs.

More than125
years ofexperience

with innovative productsolutions are containedin every tesa product.

More than100
products

Ratings and rankings confirm our clear
commitment to sustainability.

Find out more at https://www.tesa.
com/en/about-tesa/sustainability/
sustainability-ratings-assessments

are introduced to themarket by tesa every year.

are already improving thework, products and lives ofour customers.

Since 2014,

1.8 billion
smartphones

have been equipped with
innovative adhesive technology
developed by tesa that makes it
possible to replace the battery.

600

engineers and developers
develop our tapes so they arein tune with the times, andadapt them to the needs of ourcustomers in all areas.

45

factsand­figures

47

360
350
340

facts and figures330

environmentsocialgovernance

SDG index

320
310
300
290

Environment

We support these Sustainable Development Goals in
the area of "Environment".

Reducing emissions and using resources responsibly: These
are the areas we focus on with our environmental protection
efforts. We aim to achieve completely climate-neutral production
by 2030 at the latest. We support the circular economy and aretaking measures to reduce the amount of waste generated in ourplants and to use the precious resource water more sparingly.

Climate protection andemissions
As a company, we’re dedicated to limiting the increase in the average global temperature to no
more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, since we viewclimate change as one of the biggest social challenges of our time. At tesa, we are directly helping to protect the climate by lowering our energy
consumption, using energy more efficiently andutilizing more renewable energy. Every year aspart of our environmental program, our plants define measures for expanding our contribution toclimate protection.

Strategies – Goals – Progress
Climate protection is a strategic action area inour sustainability strategy at tesa. Management is
responsible for monitoring climate-related decisions, taking stock of the progress made towards
achieving climate goals and ensuring that climate
protection measures are implemented.
We review the effectiveness of our activities throughmonthly tracking of site-specific energy consumption. Since 2020, we have sourced 100 percent of
our electricity from renewable energy sources at allof our offices and production facilities worldwide.

Increasing efficiency

We revised the tesa sustainability strategy and set
ourselves even more ambitious climate goals during
the reporting year: By 2025, we intend to cut ourabsolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 30
percent by comparison with 2018. By 2030, wewant our operations to be climate neutral. We aim
to reduce our Scope 3 emissions by 20 percent
in absolute terms by 2030, compared to the 2018baseline. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
has confirmed our climate goals up to 2025 as partof the Beiersdorf Group. We have also pledged ourlong-term commitment to the Business Ambition
for 1.5°C initiative aimed at limiting the increase in
the average global temperature to no more than
1.5 degrees Celsius and achieving a climate-neutral
business model by 2050 at the latest.

Finding new ways to save
We optimize energy-intensive processes by identifying energy-saving opportunities, and we reduce
our CO₂ emissions and the related costs. Corporate
management is involved in these tasks every year
through a management review. The environmental
and energy experts at the respective locations bear
operational responsibility.
We use ISO 14001-certified environmental management systems at seven sites for the continuous organization and planning of our operational
measures to protect the environment. External
environmental audits are conducted annually as
part of matrix certification of the ISO 14001 sites.
The environmental management system at selected ISO 14001-certified sites is additionally reviewed

280

through internal audits. A work instruction sets out 270Reducing emissions
the approach to be taken in the event of environmental incidents and instances of environmental
We calculate our GHG emissions based on thedamage with the intention of minimizing their
guidelines of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG
ecological impact.
Protocol) and use the market-oriented method.
These determinations showed that we succeededin reducing our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by
Hamburg and Offenburg, our largest production
facilities, emit 65 percent of the combined GHG
27 percent in absolute terms between 2018 andemissions of all of our ISO 14001-certified sites. We Vorlage:
2022. Accordingly,
Stand deremissions
Balken were down 11.6 perare monitoring and assessing the progress madecentage points in comparison with the previous year.
by these sites in reducing their CO₂ emissions.
We also lowered our specific emissions per metricThey, like our Norderstedt headquarters, are also 370ton of end product by 25 percent in the same period.
certified to ISO 50001:2018, the German version 360
of the global standard for energy management 350Fig. 1: Total energy consumption in GWh
systems. It serves as a guide for establishing sys- 340370
370
330
tematic energy management and is intended to 360
360
320
help reduce energy costs, greenhouse gases and 350350
344
310
338
340
other environmental impacts.
340
300

Scope 1 comprises emissions
resulting from our own activities – for example, production.
Scope 2 comprises emissions
resulting from procured energy– for example, electricity.
Scope 3 comprises emissions
generated by upstream anddownstream activities along
the value chain – for example,
by suppliers.

330
330
290
320
320
280

We continued to work on expanding electricity
generation with solar energy during the reporting
period. All tesa plants have initiated feasibility
studies and instigated specific investments. We will
install an almost 760 square meters photovoltaic
system on the roof of our headquarters. It will
have an output of 260 kWp and is expected to go
into operation in the first half of 2023, with further
installations in China and Offenburg to follow in
the near future.

301

2018

340

310

320
310

2019

2020

2021

2022

Fig. 3: Scope 1 and Scope 2 3 CO₂ emissions in t CO₂ e

14,251
55,639 13,121
50,32060 000

300
290
280
270

1

Base year2

This includes purchasing
guarantees of origin70for renewable electricity, self-generating
60
electricity, e.g. through photovoltaic and the operationof50
CHP plants with biogas.
40

3

30

Definitions as per GHG
20
Protocol Scope 2 Standard;
10 emisMarket-Based Method;sion factor for electricity from0
renewable sources is set atzero.
●
Scope 2●
Scope 1100 000
80 000350

330

Another strategic approach for increasing energy290290efficiency is the use of energy and resource-saving 280280
technologies. That includes the efficient generation 270270
2018 1
2019
2020
2021
2022
of our own energy: At several of our production
facilities, we operate combined cooling, heat andpower (CCHP) or combined heat and power (CHP)
plants. These enable efficient self-generation ofFig. 2: Electricity from renewable sources 2 in %energy, as we not only use the electricity gener66
70 70
ated, but also the heat that is produced – such as
60
for production processes or heating. In addition,60
52
50
we have been covering the energy consumption50 50of the CHP plant at our headquarters in its entirety40 40
34
30
since 2021 and in part at our production facilities in
30 30
Hamburg, Offenburg and Italy since 2022 throughbiogas certificates. All in all, we were able to gen-20 20
erate more than 50 percent of the electricity we10 10
require using energy-efficient CHP plants in 2022.
0

Expanding solar energy

360

327

310
310
270
300300

0

370

0
12
8
54,128 58,367 50,852

40 000
20 0000

2018 1

2019

2020

2021

2022

49

290
280
270

environmentsocialFig. 4: S pecific CO₂ emissions per metric ton of end productin t CO₂ e
1,0

1.0

0,8

0.8

0,6

0.6

0,4

0.4

0,2

0.2

0.94

0.91
0.82

0.80
0.69

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

We have been collecting data on material emissions along the value chain (Scope 3) since 2018.
In the process, we have identified the areas ofraw materials, finished goods manufacturers andVorlage:Stand der Balken
product transport as material categories. We reportour Scope 3 emissions to our stakeholders throughCDP. We further expanded our CO₂ monitoring370
for Scope 3 emissions during the reporting year.
360
350

340Our production processes result in what are known

330as volatile organic compounds (VOC). We want to
320minimize emissions of these exhaust gases. To

310this end, we use regenerative thermal oxidation

systems for thermal exhaust gas purification as
well as adsorption and waste air purification plants
280
with solvent recovery. We commissioned a new
270
thermoreactor at our Hamburg plant and anothertwo at our new site in Vietnam during the reportingyear. Our total global VOC emissions amounted to
152 metric tons in 2022.
300
290

Fig. 5: VOC emissions in t
200
1,0
160
0,8

156

152
111

120
0,6

123

800,4
400,2
0 0,0

2019

2020

2021

2022

governancefacts and figures

SDG index

Waste
We promote a circular economy and want to use
1,0materials that can continue to be used within thecircular economy or can otherwise be recycled
0,8upon reaching
the end of their useful lives. It is
not yet possible to eliminate all waste during pro0,6
duction. However,
we are committed to reducing
it efficiently. That is why we attach great importance to the0,4 efficient use of resources.

Reduce,0,2reuse, recycle“Reduce, reuse, recycle” is the tenet at the heart ofour waste and raw materials management. Avoiding and reducing waste has the highest priority. In
addition, we continuously identify various options
for recycling. Waste is disposed of only when thisis unavoidable. We have set our plants the strategic
goal of eliminating all landfill disposal of productionwaste (“zero waste to landfill”) by 2025. We havealready achieved this status for six out of seven of
our plants.

Resource efficiency
We develop more sustainable, solvent-free production methods and use bio-based and recycled
raw materials where possible. In order to recycle
materials wherever possible, we take care to ensure resource efficiency from the early stages ofdeveloping our products and the methods used
to produce them. We also work constantly on minimizing production-related losses of raw materials
in our plants. This applies just as much to adhesive
manufacturing as it does to coating and cutting.
One of our planned measures is to upgrade thetechnology in systems that require the use ofsolvents by 2030, with the aim of recovering the
200solvents entirely at the end of the process. Waste
that is generated during a production process and160
cannot be avoided is collected separately at oursites. tesa recycles almost all non-hazardous and120
hazardous waste containing solvents, which is thus
80kept in circulation. Likewise, tesa supports sustainable forestry through the use of FSC®-certified
40raw materials. Accordingly, many of our products
already carry FSC® certification (FSC® C148769).

Packaging recycling

Waste volumes

Using less packaging is another way to minimize
waste and thereby the negative impact on theenvironment. In the industrial area, we want to
reduce the amount of packaging materials asmuch as possible and to avoid all packaging thatis not absolutely necessary – without harming thequality, performance or protection of our productsin the process. Where packaging is necessary, we
attach importance to the highest possible degreeof recyclability of the packaging materials. As ageneral rule, the constituent elements are indicated on the product package in order to ensure
proper disposal.

We sort waste by disposal method. In total, thewaste volume per metric ton of end product generated in our plants rose by 5 percent compared
to 2018. During the reporting year, 88 percent of
the waste was also recycled (89 percent in theprevious year).

Active involvement of employees

CDP is an organization thatanalyzes the sustainability
performance of companies
once a year through the useof detailed questionnaires.
More on CDP on pages 52
and 59.

We harness our employees’ expertise in order todevelop further waste-reducing measures. As partof this, in 2022 we continued the successful “Big
Ideas Instead of Waste” campaign at the tesa plantin Offenburg. Behind this campaign is a long-term
project through which we intend to continuously
reduce our energy and resource use. Employees
from production, process development and technology are participating in the campaign.

Fig. 6: Waste volumes by typeand disposal method
in 1,000 t

2020

2021

2022

Disposal of hazardous waste

0.6

1.0

1.3

Disposal of non-hazardous waste

1.2

1.1

1.2

Recyling of hazardous waste

5.9

6.4

6.0

Recycling of non-hazardous waste

9.7

11.5

12.4

Total

17.4

20.0

20.8

The project involves regular intra-departmental
and inter-departmental discussions, which assist
in coordinating the implementation of potential
improvements and in fostering the exchange of
information regarding best practice solutions. The
project includes communication measures that aredesigned to create awareness of the issue among
employees. All in all, 15 resource efficiency projects
were implemented in 2022. These projects led tosavings of 286,000 euros.

051

environmentsocialgovernance

Water

Water volumes and sources

Water is a precious resource that is threatenedby various influences and in short supply in someregions. Responsible, resource-conserving andeconomical use of water is therefore extremely
important to us. Moreover, we consider it to be our
responsibility to protect water sources from contamination caused by our production activities.
This is also set out expressly in our Group-wide
environmental guidelines.

Among other things, we use water for the production of adhesives – for example, for the dilution and granulation of rubber or to manufactureintermediate products. In recent years, the shareof water-based products has increased since weare using water more frequently as an auxiliary
resource. We keep track at our production facilities
every year of water data such as water consumption and effluent quantities.

Risk minimization
We disclose information on our water management through CDP. Based on the Water Security
questionnaire, we received a C rating during thereporting period. We want to work even harder toimprove this rating.
We would like to reduce risks for water sources that
result from our production as much as possible.
The World Resources Institute (WRI) has created
the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, a data tool that we
use to perform an annual risk assessment on all ofour production facilities and our headquarters. We
take preventive measures against any conceivable
accidents. For example, liquids that pose a threat
to water are only ever emptied, refilled or stored
in areas that are equipped with appropriate retention tanks. If water-endangering substances leak,emergency plans come into effect that regulate
the precise course of action to take. All measures
are regularly reviewed in external ISO 14001 audits.

Fig. 7: Water data in cubic meters

2022

Water withdrawal

514,000

cubic meters from groundwater

215,000

cubic meters from municipal sources

299,000

Water consumption

facts and figures

SDG index

142,000

The water we use is primarily obtained from the local drinking water supply and from the groundwater.
The water is reused several times in our coolingsystems. We are implementing appropriate measures at our sites in order to return industrial water
to the water cycle. Our wastewater is differentiatedinto sewage and rainwater, and concentration levels
are continuously monitored. In addition, the wastewater is examined for prescribed parameters by an
external laboratory each month. Our new plant in
Vietnam (to be commissioned in 2023) will have arainwater treatment system. The water will be used
to irrigate plants on the factory grounds.

Social

We support these Sustainable Development Goals in
the “social” category.

It is part of our corporate culture to assume not only ecologicalbut also social responsibility, pursuing an approach characterized
by appreciation and respect. We are guided by the principles
of honesty, trust, tolerance and integrity and we support diversity
and equal opportunity.

Occupational health andsafetyAs a company with international operations andmore than 4,982 employees, we invest in initialand advanced training and take great responsibility for worker safety and health. That is why
we have set ourselves the goal of reducing thenumber of work accidents to zero and avoiding
work-related ill health as well as physical andmental strain at work. We regularly check to see
if and how we can make our company workplaceseven safer and healthier.
Health and safety in the workplace are a key
priority at tesa. We aim for our employees andsuppliers to benefit from the highest health andsafety standards. For us, effective occupational
health and safety measures require a systematicand consistent approach. We focus on prevention
and raise our employees’ awareness of possible
risks – for their own protection and for that of
their colleagues.

Avoidance and prevention
We formulated and approved the Group-wide tesa
Policy on Occupational Safety and Health during
the reporting period. This replaces the previous
Occupational Safety Guidelines. In conjunction
with legal requirements, the new policy forms thebasis for our internal management system in thearea of occupational safety. This revolves aroundsix key topics: crisis and emergency management,
health care, risk assessment and ratings, accident
prevention, fire and explosion prevention, andplant safety. The Policy on Occupational Safety
and Health is further specified through internal
rules and specific operating instructions and also

applies to sub-contractors who handle tasks at our
production sites. Operating instructions for occupational health and safety are made available toemployees in the local language of the respective
tesa sites.
Our employees and especially our supervisors
are aware of their responsibility for occupationalsafety. In occupational safety committees and in
the annual management review, corporate management works with the occupational safety unit
to evaluate the accidents that occurred that year.
Based on this information, management then takes
new steps to further improve employee safety andreduce work-related health risks.
Germany’s professional association for the raw
materials and chemical industry (Berufsgenossenschaft Rohstoffe & chemische Industrie, BG RCI)
evaluated tesa’s Hamburg and Offenburg plants in
2022 and awarded them the “Sicher mit System”
seal of approval for occupational safety. This meansthat all of our German sites have received the seal
– an important occupational safety milestone at
tesa. The seal confirms that occupational safety
has been systematically integrated into leadership
responsibility at our plants.

Protection through evaluation of
hazards and risks
Event-driven risk assessments in the area ofoccupational health and safety are conductedin our plants on a regular basis. These assesschanges to machines, systems or workrooms
or for new acquisitions and process adaptations. Safety-related testing and acceptanceas well as systematic hazard identification andrisk assessment with the involvement of expert
employees ensure that technical and organizational

53

environmentsocialshortcomings are avoided and that work can be
conducted in a manner conducive to safety andhealth. Safety specialists, employee representatives and management meet in occupationalsafety committees to discuss the material resultsof the risk assessments and define satisfactory
avoidance and corrective measures.

Personal protective equipment for
employees
tesa provides suitable personal protective equipment to all employees who require this. The
requirements for wearing the equipment are set
out in the respective operating instructions. Employees are involved in the selection of certain
items of equipment in order to ensure individual
requirements are met and increase user acceptance.

Regular training
Risks can only be reduced if our employees act ina responsible and proactive manner. Accordingly,
all employees are required to take part in basic
occupational health and safety training. This covers
a number of areas, including general safety rules,
preventive measures, what to do in an emergency
and health tips. There is also regular safety training
for external service providers at all sites.

governanceHandling hazardous substances andaccident risks
The handling of hazardous substances is also regulated in detail. The occupational safety unit, thecorporate regulatory affairs unit and those responsible in research, development and production
draw up the processes on the handling, labeling,storage and transport of hazardous substances.
Storage of hazardous waste is also regulated via an
operating manual. Employees who work with certain
hazardous substances receive regular mandatory
training and undergo regular health checks. Facility and workplace safety is periodically inspected
and reviewed. The procedure in case of accidents
involving hazardous substances is set out in theemergency management guidelines.
Our occupational safety management activities
focus in particular on our ISO 14001-certified production facilities – as the risks of accidents andadverse health effects and environmental damage
are greater there than at our office locations. We
employ our own safety specialists at all of ourISO 14001-certified sites and promote international
dialogue among them. Key occupational health andsafety risks are discussed and joint projects are
initiated in annual meetings. By 2025, we intend
for all tesa sites that already have an ISO 14001-certified environmental management system to also
obtain ISO 45001 occupational safety certification.

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Work accidents ≥ 1 day (number)

21

22

18

21

20

Accident frequency rate ≥ 1 day(number / 1 million working hours)

4.1

4.3

3.6

4.1

3.6

Work accidents > 3 days (number)

10

8

9

6

12

Accident frequency rate > 3 days
(number / 1 million working hours)

1.9

1.6

1.8

1.2

2.1

Fig. 8: Occupational safety in figures

facts and figures

SDG index

We use the"Accident Frequency Rate“ (AFR) to
document all work accidents that result in at least
one lost day. In 2022, the AFR of documented
accidents with at least three lost day was 2.1 per
million hours worked across all sites (2021: 1.2).
This was below the German industry average (BG
RCI) of 12.3 (2021).

Prevention through information
We continued to focus on fire safety during thereporting period. For example, fire protection assistants at the plants received evacuation and fire
extinguishing training. A fire extinguishing drill
was also held under expert guidance at tesa’s
headquarters to familiarize employees with fire
prevention measures and instruct them on what
to do in the event of a fire. An occupational safety

and health day covering a wide range of topics wasorganized for tesa Manufacturing Hamburg GmbHand a Safety Week at our Suzhou site like every
year. This gave all employees the opportunity tolearn more about personal protective equipment
and noise exposure, how to identify and safeguard against pinch points, and more. Preventive
measures against noise and other interferences
are taken at our production facilities. Sound levels
are regularly measured in the various operational
areas of the plants. Any new machines and systems purchased must satisfy our requirements
on noise emissions. The use of some monomers
in the polymerization process may result in unpleasant odors. We take measures to counter
these, including utilizing special attachments for
air filter systems.

See Fig. 8:
Occupational safety
in figures.

At the tesa Manufacturing site in Hamburg,one of our processing centers, an intensive
occupational safety and health day was heldfeaturing numerous practical exercises,
for example on the correct way to safeguard
against falling when working at heights.

55

environmentsocialgovernance

Employees
Our employees make an important contribution to
the company’s sustainable development. Their expertise, skills and commitment secure our competitiveness and innovative capacity. We aim to create
an attractive working environment that recognizes
individual performance and actively embraces thepotential of a diverse workforce.

Success through development
Our company's success depends to a significant
extent on the skills of our workforce. We want torecruit and retain dedicated employees. Our humanresources strategy is designed to ensure that weare perceived as an attractive employer and tocontinuously increase our appeal through targetedmeasures. We also count on the willingness of ouremployees to continue to develop themselves andsupport this by offering a wide range of initial andadvanced training options and by providing opportunities for them to assume responsibility. The
intention behind all of this is to ensure the longterm satisfaction of employees who show a great
deal of potential. That is why we work transparently
and in close communication with our employees
to continuously improve our working conditions.
Besides giving our employees development prospects, we are committed to diversity and equal
opportunity. The People Values describe our corporate culture in our day-to-day activities and are
integrated into annual employee performance appraisals and feedback discussions. We encourage
all employees to participate in shaping the values
and embody them in practice.

Healthy working environment
Much of our approach to health management isbased on prevention. In addition to the counselingprovided by the company medical service and thesocial advisory service, we offer free psychologicalconsultation hours aimed at supporting employee
mental health in collaboration with an external
partner. Our work stations are ergonomic and contemporary. In addition, we offer flexible options for
self-determined work, such as flextime and working
from home.
A parent-child office at tesa’s headquarters is one
way in which we support employees’ flexible organization of their working time. There is also anfacts and figures

SDG index
Customized training opportunities

People Values
Our teamwork values
Focus on our customers
Be close to our customers so that we
can anticipate and meet their needs.
Set the pace
Be self-driven and proactive.
Team up
Be open-minded and strive forsuccess as one team.
Achieve goals
Be willing at all times to improveyour performance and achieve thebest possible results.
Challenge yourself
Be committed and open to change
and challenge yourself.
Act responsibly
Be fair and honest and act responsibly
at all times.

extensive health management scheme in place
there, including everything from ergonomics advice
to an in-house gym.
In order to additionally support healthy living, weoffer our employees counseling and assistancethrough the company medical service as well as
preventive health checks, and run various mobility
schemes. For example, electric cars and bikes canbe charged at a charging station on the company
premises.

We treat all employees as individuals with their own
potential and offer a wide range of development
opportunities. Our annual performance appraisals
help us to integrate personal and professional aspirations into our employees’ development plans
and to effectively tailor their further development
to them. For their professional development, wehave created a portal for externally and internally
advertised positions. This ensures that our employees have the transparency they need and ameans of applying for internal roles in various units
and countries.
Our training programs include basic qualifications for new employees. In addition, all employees can participate in in-person training covering
topics such as compliance, occupational healthand safety, environment, sales, management andleadership. The digital Learning Hub contains
courses on providing active feedback, self-learning, sustainability and more. Since 2021, all of ouremployees have also had access to sustainability
training on our global learning platform, covering
topics such as greenhouse gas emissions andclimate protection. Our own programs are supplemented by offerings on the LinkedIn Learning
digital learning platform.

Actively combating the shortage ofskilled workers: Training and dual study
programs at tesa
The tesa Group offers standalone professional
training at the Hamburg-Hausbruch and Offenburg
production sites and we are planning a similar
program for the tesa SE headquarters from 2023
onward. The focus is on technical careers, forexample in chemical technician apprenticeships,
electronics technician for operating technology,
industrial mechanic, machine and system operator
and mechatronics technician. In addition, we offer
cooperative university education and vocational
training programs as well as commercial vocational
training, for example in the areas of plastic andelastomer technology, electrical engineering, data
science, business administration and industrial
engineering.

Promising interns and student employees withoutstanding performance may join our tesa Talents program. This allows us to maintain contact
with talented young people, who benefit in turnfrom additional job prospects. Our talent network
consisted of 53 former interns and students in thereporting year.

Diversity and equal opportunity
We aim for all of our employees to have the same
opportunities – irrespective of their gender, age,origin, sexual orientation or religion. Our humanresources departments and our managers worldwide are made aware of the need to prevent any
form of discrimination. When filling new positions,
we attach great importance to hiring people fromdifferent cultural backgrounds. In the tesa headquarter, the proportion of employees with a nationality
other than German rose 3.2 percentage points to
8.7 percent between December 2020 and December 2022. In order to promote this trend, we
advertise posts for certain functions exclusively inEnglish. We also support programs aimed at integrating disadvantaged groups. In Norderstedt, wework with the company Elbe Nord, which trains andemploys people with disabilities.
Over the next few years, we want to work even harder on achieving gender equality in our workforce andin management positions. The targets we have set
ourselves for tesa SE are 30 percent women at thefirst management level below Executive Board leveland 35 percent women at the second managementlevel by mid-2027.

57

governance

Governance
Environmental and social concerns are an essential considerationin every kind of corporate action. At tesa, we are responding tothis challenge and aligning our business processes with a sustainable economy. We also demand that our suppliers act accordingly.
International initiatives such as the UN Global Compact and theSustainable Development Goals serve as guiding principles forshaping our sustainability activities and requirements.

We also engage in regular dialogue with our external stakeholders. Through this exchange, we
continuously review our sustainability activities
and incorporate the latest social and environmental
developments into our planning.

• Reduction of emissions• Responsible sourcing• Use of recycled and bio-basedmaterials• Circular economy and reducing

Fig. 9: tesa Sustainability Agenda

RS

duct
pro ilitysrd ab
wa stainoT sucustomers

The sustainability agenda reflects
our aim of taking a holistic
approach to sustainability andtherefore also includes topics
that go beyond the strategic
fields of action.

For
posit a clim
ive
fut ateure

SUSTAINABILITYAGENDAwaste• Enable sustainability at our

In order to determine as specifically as possible which of
the international sustainability
goals our processes and products contribute to, we haveconducted a comparison withthe 169 SDG sub-goals. The
results can be found in theindex on pages 62-63.

In 2022, tesa also once again participated in the
EcoVadis sustainability ratings and was awarded asilver medal for its sustainability efforts. EcoVadis
is a well-known rating platform for companies with
global procurement chains.

fe
sa w
h, t
a lt e n
He decResponsibility for managing major sustainability
topics such as climate protection lies with theextended Executive Board, the Global Executive
Committee. This is composed of the Executive
Board members and other senior executives, suchas the Chief Sustainability Officer. The Committee
meets every two weeks to discuss sustainability
and other aspects. In addition, the Chief Sustainability Officer reports directly to the tesa CEO.

Strategic action areas

Ratings and rankings regularly confirm our clear
commitment to sustainability. We see the resultsof these assessments as a form of motivation
for us to continue improving. CDP has awarded
tesa a B score for its efforts in the area of Climate(B- in the previous year) and a C in Water Security(please refer to the Water section, p. 52).

T
ONMEN
VIR
EN

Sustainability management at tesa

We revised our sustainability strategy during thereporting year and identified five strategic action
areas for which we formulated long-term targets
up to 2030. The action areas cover our entire
value chain:

In order to define as precisely as possible theinternational sustainability goals to which we cancontribute with our processes and products, wehave carried out a comparison with the 169 SDG
targets. The result can be found in the index on
pages 62-63.

Ratings and awards

circularfullys
For resource

We view sustainability as our responsibility, as anattitude – and as an opportunity. Sustainable behavior requires us to think one step further and tocontinuously improve. That is why sustainability isa firmly established key component of our corporate strategy at tesa. We revised our sustainability
strategy during the reporting year and raised thebar of our ambition even higher: We want to use
all our expertise and passion to develop products
and adhesive solutions that are more sustainable.

Our sustainability strategy

Our sustainability agenda, which is geared toward
the ten principles of the "Global Compact“ (UNGC)
and the United Nations’ "Sustainable Development Goals" (SDGs), remains a cornerstone of thestrategy. We also made slight changes to the agenda in 2022. It reflects our commitment to a holistic
understanding of sustainability and therefore also
encompasses topics beyond the strategic action
areas – such as occupational health and safety(for more on this, please refer to the Occupational
health and safety section, pages 53-55).

ov e n s ib
w a r s it i li t y
te y, la forr u ndse

Importance ofsustainability in our
corporate strategy

facts and figures

SDG index

goa s'
lssocialCU
ST
OM
Enable our cus
t
o
t
a
s
i
u
n
E
s
ability merenvironment

sp i
Re iod db antor y an
k d

SO

C IE

For anin cl u siv e s o cie ty

TY59environmentsocialSustainability in the
supply chain

governancefacts and figures

SDG index

ComplianceTransparency with suppliers

We have set ourselves the goal of incrementally
improving transparency and sustainability in the
supply chain. Since 2020, we have been inviting
As an international company, we purchase raw materials all over the world. Our global supply chainsdirect suppliers to undergo an assessment on
are correspondingly complex. Europe and Asia are
the EcoVadis platform. This gives them a means
two of our most important markets. Close cooperaof establishing the extent to which they consider
tion with our suppliers enables us to guarantee highhuman rights, fair working conditions and environproduct quality and security of supply. At the samemental aspects as well as responsibly produce andtime, we assume social and ecological responsibility.
procure their products, raw materials and services.
We expect all of our suppliers to meet our high exThis assessment is the first step in increasing transpectations. That includes respecting and safeguardparency and therefore an important contribution
to strengthening sustainable development in theing human rights.
supply chain. In addition, we regularly invite ourVorlage:Stand der Balken
buyers and suppliers to undergo training on variHigh standards for responsible sourcing
ous aspects of sustainability offered by EcoVadis
on its platform.
We want our suppliers to meet our standards and370
to remedy grievances in the event of violations, and360
have put our own inspection process in place toAt the end of 2022, EcoVadis self-disclosure infor350
track this. Our buyers are trained on the Purchasing 340mation was available for 54 percent (2021: 43 perCompliance Guideline, the Code of Conduct for 330cent) of our direct purchasing volume. We intend
Suppliers, antitrust compliance and sustainability. 320to gradually increase this share over the next few
As part of this course, we also promote aware- 310years so that we have sustainability assessments
ness among participants of the need to respect 300covering 80 percent of our direct purchasing volhuman rights. The provisions underpinning our 290ume by 2025. Our goal is to ensure that 80 percent
280
global purchasing processes are set out in ourof our purchasing volume is directed solely to
270
Purchasing Compliance Guideline (PCG), which
suppliers that meet our high requirements and canforms part of the Group-wide Compliance Manual
provide evidence of this in respect of responsible
and contains binding rules of conduct for tesa as
supply chains by 2030.
a purchasing company. This is evaluated by us on
an ongoing basis.
Suppliers who deliver directly to us are required
to sign the Code of Conduct for Suppliers (CoCfS),
which sets out fundamental rules and obligationsin the area of human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and corruption prevention. In
view of the new German Supply Chain Act (LkSG),
we expanded the CoCfS during the reporting year
and attributed even greater relevance to the topic
of human rights. This new version takes effectfrom 2023. As a responsible company, tesa rejects
any form of human rights violations; any reported
violations are dealt with immediately. We reserve
the right to terminate business relationships in theevent of serious violations. No reports of humanrights violations were received in 2022.

tesa observes internal standards and guidelines,
applicable laws and overriding regulations, making
it a trustworthy partner for all stakeholders andinterest groups. This applies to environmental
and social issues as well as other matters of corporate management. But this is only achievable if
we internalize and understand the existing legal
framework, applicable laws and internal guidelines
and apply them properly.

Code of Conduct – basic values forresponsible action
We established a Code of Conduct (CoC) to ensurethat our strict compliance standards are observedto the maximum extent possible and thereby takeaccount of our social responsibility. As an overarching value framework, the CoC guides our approach
to all business activities and is intended to help our
employees, managers and corporate bodies to observe and embody the key principles and values ofour divisions. We anchor the compliance principles
within our company through regular training specificto the respective target groups. We routinely train an
average of several thousand employees worldwide
on the Code of Conduct and corruption prevention
as well as compliance with antitrust law and dataprotection. In addition, our Corporate ComplianceManagement department supports our corporate
management with identifying compliance risks andpreventing violations. Compliance risk assessments
are conducted on a regular basis in order to pinpoint
key compliance risk fields. Corporate ComplianceManagement advises the local compliance officers
and helps them implement the measures derived
from these assessments.

Fig. 10: Direct purchasing volume covered by EcoVadis in %

100
1,0

100

80
750,8

75

54

0,6

43

50
0,4

50

31

25

25

0,2

00,0

2020

2021

2022

target2025

0

Risk assessment
All of our suppliers undergoscheduled annual screening.
We also conduct event-driven
audits, for example when onboarding new suppliers. Throughthis, we identify risks specificto the respective country andindustry. Purchasing volume isone of the considerations in theclassification into six categories,
ranging from “very low” to “veryhigh.” In addition, factors suchas “strategic relevance” play arole, for example when dealing
with an important raw material or
single-source supplier.

When it comes to our corporate activities, the following international standards and guidelines aredefinitive:• The United Nations’ (UN) Universal Declarationof Human Rights• The guidelines of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for
multinational enterprises• The fundamental conventions of the International
Labour Organization (ILO)

We also drew up a Human Rights Policy Statement during the reporting year, which was published both internally and externally. At the sametime, we have expanded our training on topics
that fall under our Code of Conduct. As a result,all employees now undergo awareness training
on matters of labor law, such as child and forcedlabor, as well as human rights issues, including
discrimination and harassment. We continue toensure that employees are made well aware ofthese topics as well as the whistleblower process.

Find out more about ourguidelines and standards athttps://www.tesa.com/en-us/
about-tesa/sustainability/ourguidelines-and-standards

Compliance Management System
Our Group-wide compliance management system(CMS) is based on established standards such as
audit standard 980 of the Institute of Public Auditors in Germany (IDW), which sets out principles
for proper auditing of compliance management
systems (IDW PS 980). We pursue the central ideasof “avoidance and prevention,” “recognition” and“reaction and improvement.”• Avoidance and prevention: We have preventive
measures in place to avoid improper conduct.

• Recognition: We use risk assessments in or-

der to identify and manage key compliancerisks Group-wide early on. Additional control
mechanisms ensure that irregular activities arebrought to light.

• Reaction and improvement: We punish any

violations of legislative or internal requirements
as appropriate given the specific situation. We
also continuously identify improvement measures for the entire CMS.

During the reporting period, we introduced a digitalwhistleblowing system that all employees,
managers, customers, suppliers and other external
whistleblowers can use to report possible violations
confidentially and also anonymously if so desired.
For further information about the areas of focus of
our CMS, please consult the compliance section in
the non-financial disclosure, which we submit with
our parent company, Beiersdorf. Is alicidu ciatur aut
archillorio. Ratur, sit, is adistia invel inulpa consequibea cus elliatquam aliquib usapit ut quunt exerum
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ercilibus sitatectotat voloria nia dest, volorernam,
sa que res conserepe pro blatureius, sit voluptatis
ma verum ut esci duci berum rate consequi id

Find out more about our
digital whistleblowing system
at https://www.bkms-system.
net/tesa

61environmentsocialgovernancefacts and figures

SDG index

Sustainable Development Goals Index
We contribute to the following SDGs and their corresponding targets:
SDG

SDG targets

Our contribution

In thisreport

4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number ofyouth and adults who have relevant skills, including
technical and vocational skills, for employment,
decent jobs and entrepreneurship.

Wherever its sites are located, tesa is committed to promoting the education of young
people, especially in the area of science and technology By the end of 2022, tesa had
donated 3.8 million euros to alleviate the education crisis brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Among other things, the company worked closely with children’s rights
organization Save the Children in a joint effort to combat the negative effects of thepandemic and provide emergency assistance to children and parents from Ukraine.

5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at alllevels of decision-making in political, economic
and public life.

7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the shareof renewable energy in the global energy mix.

SDG targets

Our contribution

In thisreport

Pages
38–39

12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.

tesa develops eco-friendly, solvent-free production methods, and uses bio-based andrecycled raw materials wherever possible and sensible. We take care to ensure resource
efficiency and avoid production waste from the early stages of developing our products
and the methods used to produce them. Likewise, tesa supports sustainable, responsible
forestry through the use of FSC ®-certified raw materials. Accordingly, many of our
products already carry FSC ® certification (FSC ® C148769).

Pages
14–17
27–33
48–52

At tesa, all of our employees have the same opportunities – irrespective of their gender,
age, origin, sexual orientation or religion. tesa is also working to achieve gender equality
in our workforce and in management positions. We have set ourselves the target of 30
percent women at the first management level and 35 percent at the second level by
mid-2027.

Pages
53–57

There is no way to eliminate all waste when producing goods. Our waste and raw materials management activities are geared toward using materials efficiently and recycling
wherever possible. Therefore, we constantly work on minimizing production-related losses
in the raw materials we use. tesa recycles almost all non-hazardous waste and hazardous
waste containing solvents. We intend to eliminate all landfill disposal of production waste(zero waste to landfill) by 2025.

Pages
48–52

Since the end of 2020, renewable sources have provided 100 percent of the electricity
purchased for all tesa sites worldwide. In addition, we are increasingly relying more on
the use of renewable fuel sources, such as biomethane for our CHP systems.

Pages
48–52

12.4: By 2030, achieve the environmentallysound management of chemicals and all wastes
throughout their lifecycle, in accordance withagreed international frameworks, and significantly
reduce their release to air, water and soil in orderto minimize their adverse impacts on human healthand the environment.

Both production facilities in Hamburg and Offenburg and our headquarters have an
ISO 50001-certified energy management system. The introduction of the energy management systems paved the way for further increasing the energy efficiency of our facilities.
Another strategic approach for tesa is the use of energy and resource-saving technologies. This includes the efficient generation of our own energy through cogenerationand photovoltaic systems.

Pages
6–9
48–52

13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity
to climate-related hazards and natural disasters
in all countries.

We have set ourselves the target of reducing our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by
30 percent in absolute terms by 2025 compared to 2018. By 2030, we want our operations
to be climate neutral. This goal is consistent with the scientific consensus (Science Based
Targets Initiative) that global warming should not exceed 1.5° Celsius. We intend to reduce
Scope 3 emissions by 20 percent in absolute terms by 2030, compared to the 2018baseline. We are aiming to achieve a completely climate-neutral business model by
2050 at the latest.

Pages
5–11
48–52

8.4: Improve progressively, through 2030, global
resource efficiency in consumption and productionand endeavor to decouple economic growth fromenvironmental degradation, in accordance with theten-year framework of programs on sustainableconsumption and production, with developed
countries taking the lead.

Our products should be as harmless as possible to the environment over their entire
lifecycle. During development and manufacturing we take care to ensure resource efficiency and to avoid production waste as much as possible. Measures to this end are an
integral part of our environmental protection activities as a company. By 2030, we expect
70 percent of the materials we use for our products and packaging to be made fromrecycled or bio-based materials. The reduction and avoidance of packaging materials also
help to minimize waste and thereby the negative impact on the environment. For example,
we will halve the use of plastic from non-recycled fossil sources in our packaging by 2025.

Pages
20-27
48-52

15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial andinland freshwater ecosystems and their services,in particular forests, wetlands, mountains anddrylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.

We aim to use water responsibly. Our primary concerns are using water efficiently andprotecting it against contamination. Every year, we keep track at our production facilities
of water data such as water consumption and effluent quantities and perform a regularwater risk assessment. We also report the results through CDP.

Pages
48–52

16.5: Substantially reduce corruption and bribery
in all their forms.

We reject any form of corruption, bribery or other forms of unlawful conduct. Corruption prevention is one of tesa’s Core Compliance Fields and plays a central role in the
Compliance Management System.

Pages
58-61

8.8: To protect labor rights and to promote safe
working environments for all employees, including migrant workers, particularly female migrant
workers, and people in precarious employment
situations.

As a responsible employer, we see it as our duty to protect our employees from risks andhazards in the exercise of their activities. With a wide range of measures, we contribute topreventing accidents and occupational illnesses. In 2022, Germany’s professional association for the raw materials and chemical industry (Berufsgenossenschaft Rohstoffe undchemische Industrie) awarded tesa’s Hamburg and Offenburg plants the “Sicher mit System”
seal of approval for occupational safety. This means that all German sites have received theseal, and an important occupational safety milestone has been achieved at tesa. We havecreated a supplier program to increase transparency in our supply chain. We ask direct
suppliers to share their sustainability performance with us.

Pages
53-57

7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

SDG

63

imprint

tesa Sustainability Report 2022

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