Home SustainabilityOur CornerstonesLighting the WayWorking Together Works Better

Working Together Works Better

We truly believe in the power of cooperation, that supporting sustainable progress throughout our industries works better when we do it together. We're therefore actively scouting for initiatives and organizations that promote new standards and we love joining from the start as co-founders, like we've been with some of these organizations.

The Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI): as a founding member of this global cooperation, we're putting policy into practice to promote a fair, responsible and sustainable supply chain for natural mica from India.

The Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI): as a member we share 3rd-party assessments of responsible sourcing of rare earth minerals. By utilizing the Conflict Minerals Reporting Templates, we support sourcing transparency for our customers.

Together for Sustainability (TfS): a member-driven initiative, raising CSR standards throughout the chemical industry, committed to making sustainability improvements within their own – and their suppliers' – operations. One focus lies on harmonization of scope-3 calculations practices

Traceability Alliance for Sustainable CosmEtics (TRASCE): as a founding member we contribute to supply chain transparency for cosmetic ingredients by promoting and using the digital Transparency-One tool.

HOW WE LIGHT THE WAY...

Banish the Microplastics | EMD Surface Portal
We offer effective, scientifically proven alternatives to microplastics: equivalent but sustainable solutions that let you eliminate them from cosmetic formulations and regain consumers’ confidence.
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany x TRASCE Consortium | EMD Surface Portal
We are part of a consortium of 15 cosmetics industry companies that have announced that they have joined forces to create the TRaceability Alliance for Sustainable CosmEtics (TRASCE) to enhance traceability in key ingredient and packaging supply chains across the industry.
Certifications
Many new and creative labels and certificates have emerged in recent years to inform customers and consumers of healthy, safe and sustainable facts about products. Such labels and certificates are a confirmation of good practices, suitable product designs and a sustainable background. Many of our products meet such label and certificate (third party or self-assessment) criteria and we're happy to use them.
Lighting the Way
Collective progress requires collective action. We recognize the sustainability challenges facing our industries and we're ready to lead in addressing them, using our unparalleled experience to transparently share best practices, drive global harmonization and collaboratively raise standards and transparency.
Harmonization & Verification
Global harmonization of CO2e calculation and reporting standards, combined with independant verification methods that are trustworthy and acceptable for all stakeholders, are prerequisites for sound environmental progress and a positive sustainability culture in our industries. Harmonized standards strengthen the comparability, consistency and decision usefulness of climate-related disclosures around the world.
Partnerships for Success
We understand that we cannot enact meaningful change on our own. That's why we work closely with partners across our value chain to drive collective action at scale.
Social
Sound sustainability policies include social and ethical factors, like how organizations interact with people, communities, society and respect human rights. At Surface Solutions this starts with our value system and our principles-based approach to our daily practices. We believe it's our duty to meet our fundamental responsibilities in topics like human rights, labor conditions and anti-corruption practices. We are incorporating social and safety factors in our policies to improve health and wellbeing for all people that interact in any way with our company, and we have strong internal guidelines to ensure we adhere to ethical business practices. We subscribe to the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact and have incorporated these in our internal guidelines for good behavior and practices.