Messer has published its 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report, showcasing a drop in emissions intensity and the rollout of innovative solutions to aid customers in reducing their environmental impact.
The company reported a 23.4% reduction in the emissions intensity of its plants and logistics compared to the previous year, marking a step toward its goal of a 40% reduction by 2030 from a 2019 baseline.
“Our employees’ expertise, diversity, and commitment drive Messer’s innovative solutions forward,” said CEO Bernd Eulitz. “Hand in hand with customers, partners, and suppliers, we’re making a meaningful change to shape a sustainable future.” Eulitz highlighted the company’s commitment to sustainability across its regions in Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Beyond its emissions achievements, Messer has introduced “ZeCarb” – a Carbon Capture as a Service (CCaaS) initiative aimed at supporting industries with high CO2 emissions. The initiative is a part of Messer’s broader efforts to address environmental impacts within its operations and help customers achieve efficiency gains and environmental compliance.
The company also continues to play an active role in the hydrogen sector, partnering with organisations to drive decarbonisation across both mobility and industrial applications.
In line with its sustainability ethos, Messer has seen a 15.7% drop in absolute emissions, largely due to decreased electricity consumption and improved emission factors. Since 2019, the company has achieved a cumulative 36.2% reduction in emissions intensity, bringing it closer to its 2030 target.
Messer also underscored its commitment to diversity, with the share of women in management rising to 27% in 2023, up from 24.7% the previous year. The company aims to reach 30% by 2030.
Throughout 2023, the company also implemented initiatives to deepen its safety culture and promote safe practices across its entire value chain.
In support of its enhanced sustainability goals, Messer appointed Patricia Hargil as its first Chief Sustainability Officer in April 2024. Hargil’s role includes advancing Messer’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) strategies.
“I’m honoured to lead Messer’s global sustainability and D&I efforts,” Hargil commented, adding that the company’s voluntary sustainability reporting, initiated a decade ago, is now aligned with the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive standards.
Messer’s ZeCarb initiative
ZeCarb (short for ‘Zero Carbon) was launched earlier this year in April in response to the growing global demand for solutions to reduce CO2 emissions in industrial processes.
Messer captures CO2 emissions from various industries like steel, cement and power plants to prevent their release into the atmosphere.
This captured CO2 is then either used in applications to reduce fossil fuel usage, like producing synthetic and sustainable fuels, or stored underground in depleted oil and gas fields.
“We are in the process of changing the way in which companies across all industries reduce their carbon footprint, aligning with global sustainability goals while tapping into new growth opportunities,” said Bernd Eulitz, CEO of Messer.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), 1.2 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions must be prevented each year through CCUS alone to achieve the Net Zero by 2050 scenario.
“With our ‘Carbon Capture as a Service’ offering under the name ‘ZeCarb’, we provide companies and municipalities a solution to achieve their CO2 targets from an economic point of view and fulfil their ecological responsibility,” said Eulitz.
Messer and BASF have collaborated to open a CO2 recovery plant in Austria, operational this year, which captures CO2 from flue gas using BASF’s OASE blue technology.
Messer will refine the captured CO2 to food-grade quality, boosting supply in regions like Western Austria and Bavaria. A recent study by Custom Market Insights highlights strong growth prospects for the global CO2 removal market, with the sector projected to rise from $521.1 million in 2022 to $2.1 billion by 2032.
