CovationBio™—a renowned biomaterials firm known for its Sorona®, Susterra®, and Zemea® propanediol offerings—has unveiled its inaugural sustainability report less than one year after becoming an independent entity. This report underscores the company’s dedication to making a difference in four key areas of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Responsible Production and Consumption (SDG 12), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Commitment to Life on Land (SDG 15).
At CovationBio, we are committed to making high-performance biobased materials accessible to all. Our 2022 report offers an in-depth look into our performance in the four key priority areas: safety, climate, circularity, and life on land. Taking into account our baseline performance, it provides a comprehensive overview of our progress and identifies further actions that can be taken to further support our values and mission.
At CovationBio, our mission has been to become a world leader in providing sustainable and high-performance biomaterials solutions. So when we launched our new company, we set a bold goal to proactively release a sustainability report within the first seven months. And today, I’m proud to say that we have achieved that goal!
Our sustainability report is a testament to our commitment to sustainability, and provides an in-depth look at our company’s progress towards our sustainability goals. I’m excited to share our report with the world, and to continue pushing the boundaries of sustainable biomaterials solutions. -Dr. Michael Saltzberg, CEO of CovationBio
CovationBio is dedicated to making meaningful, measurable changes to create a better world. In this report, we outline our progress over the last seven months, as well as the opportunities for us to further strengthen our sustainability efforts. Here’s a quick snapshot of the report’s findings:
Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)
In its first seven months of operation, CovationBio has achieved an impressive feat of zero injuries requiring treatment beyond first aid for both contractors and company personnel. In terms of process safety management, the company has seen no Tier I incidents.
While there have been Tier II events and environmental deviations, a cross-sectional group including the Global Environmental, Health, and Safety team is investigating the contributing factors to such incidents with the aim of preventing them from occurring again and achieving the ambitious goal of zero incidents.
Responsible Production and Consumption (SDG 12)
At CovationBio, we have three product lines that are derived from plant resources that are renewed annually. Our BIO-PDO™ products, Susterra® propanediol and Zemea® propanediol, are 100% biobased and our Sorona® polymer is 37% biobased.
Our cross-functional team is actively exploring ways to create Sorona® polymer from renewable and/or recycled resources. We’re also continuously updating the life cycle assessment (LCA) for our products to ensure their sustainability. With our commitment to renewable resources, we strive to make a positive impact on the environment.
By the end of 2022, all of CovationBio’s sites will make the switch to electricity sourced from the grid, which will include between 6.5% and 13.7% renewable energy. Although traditional fossil resources are currently relied on for process energy requirements at manufacturing locations, plans are underway to make the leap towards a higher proportion of renewable electricity.
Climate Action (SDG 13)
CovationBio is taking strides towards a greener future by developing a plan to reduce site direct emissions and the footprint of purchased energy. This plan will help ensure that our planet remains healthy and livable for generations to come.
CovationBio is taking initiative to reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions of 94 thousand metric tons. They have already started work-streams to explore low to zero GHG options for electricity and steam.
Furthermore, they are joining forces with the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) to help defossilize the materials industry. CovationBio is leading the way to a more sustainable future.
Commitment to Life on Land (SDG 15)
In 2022, CovationBio announced a partnership with Truterra™, a farmer-led program, to promote the sustainable use of land-based resources. This program, aimed at improving stewardship of agricultural land in the United States, has enabled CovationBio to enroll 49,904 acres of land with Truterra™, which is the land necessary to grow the 100% corn feedstock used to manufacture their Susterra® propanediol, Zemea® propanediol, and Sorona® polymer products. Through this partnership, farmers are able to adopt and practice agricultural methods that can improve soil health, increase crop yields, and reduce fertilizer use.
At CovationBio, our commitment to sustainability is integral to our business strategy. We strive to not only improve our own sustainability efforts, but to also influence the entire materials industry. For almost two decades, our people and products have been dedicated to creating more sustainable materials that are biobased, sustainable, and scalable. We are proud to be a part of this movement, and look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the environment.
About CovationBio
CovationBio is an innovative global leader, founded in 2022 in Newark, Delaware. With a legacy of groundbreaking scientific discoveries from DuPont, CovationBio is dedicated to providing a wide range of high-performance, sustainable solutions to multiple industries, such as apparel, carpeting, cosmetics, food and packaging.
Products such as Sorona® polymer, Susterra® propanediol, and Zemea® propanediol ensure CovationBio is delivering biobased products that are accessible to everyone. Their mission is to build a better, more sustainable future.
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