BASF launches aroma ingredients with reduced Product Carbon Footprints to enable customers reach their sustainability targets

• PCF reduction of 10 to 15% compared to conventional BASF products
• Mass balance approach ensures unaltered high quality
• rPCF Portfolio will expand based on customer demand

Ludwigshafen, Germany – BASF Aroma Ingredients has successfully launched L-Menthol FCC rPCF as its first product with a reduced Product Carbon Footprint (rPCF). Further rPCF product launches are planned to help customers achieve their ambitious Scope 3 carbon reduction targets. BASF's rPCF aroma ingredients come with a PCF reduction of about 10 to 15% compared to conventional BASF products. The product carbon footprints of BASF's rPCF portfolio are calculated in accordance with the guidance issued by the 'Together for Sustainability' (TfS) initiative. TÜV Rheinland has certified the conformance of the BASF calculation method used with this standard.

"Bringing L-Menthol FCC rPCF to the market represents a significant milestone in our commitment to sustainability," says Steffen Götz, Vice President of Aroma Ingredients at BASF. "Adding rPCF products to our portfolio makes us the first aroma ingredient manufacturer that enables its customers to actively pursue CO₂ emission reduction beyond their own premises."

Successful collaboration between BASF and Colgate-Palmolive

Colgate-Palmolive was one of the first customers to implement BASF's new product offering. "Colgate-Palmolive has a target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040, with the majority of those emissions associated with the raw and packaging materials we procure from suppliers. The transition to a reduced carbon footprint Menthol is the result of effective collaboration between the Colgate-Palmolive and BASF teams, helping us make meaningful progress towards our goal while maintaining the highest product quality standards," says Lauren Richardson, Chief Procurement Officer at Colgate-Palmolive Company.

Mass balance approach

BASF employs a mass balance approach at its Verbund sites in the production of rPCF aroma ingredients: A specified share of conventional raw material or conventional utilities is replaced by the respective raw material or utilities with a reduced PCF. This share is attributed to the rPCF products and reduces their carbon footprint accordingly.

The production process itself remains unchanged, allowing customers to seamlessly transition to rPCF products without the need for requalification. "Deploying the mass balance approach, we can enhance the sustainability of our products while ensuring that customers can rely on the same quality they're accustomed to from our conventional products," explains Dr. Cordula Mock-Knoblauch, Head of Sustainability Accelerator, BASF Aroma Ingredients.

BASF's rPCF portfolio will grow according to customer demand

BASF is dedicated to further expanding its rPCF aroma ingredients portfolio in response to customer needs. The focus will be on large-volume products because of their ability to reduce the Scope 3 emissions of our customers significantly. In addition to L-Menthol FCC rPCF, plans include the launch of Citronellol rPCF and Geraniol rPCF in 2025.

About BASF's Aroma Ingredients unit

BASF is one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-quality and innovative aroma ingredients for the flavor and fragrance industry. We offer aroma ingredients, including fermentation-based natural aroma ingredients from our brand Isobionics^®, for flavor and fragrance compositions in a wide variety of applications, such as home and personal care products, beverages, and confectionaries. At BASF Aroma Ingredients, we combine scientific strength and excellent regulatory expertise with a global production and supply network. Our products fulfill the highest safety, regulatory and sustainability standards. For more information, please visit www.aroma-ingredients.basf.com.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €65.3 billion in 2024. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.

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