Sustainability in the supply chain: Steinbeis Papier and Evonik Active Oxygens join forces

Steinbeis Papier and Evonik Active Oxygens are setting new standards in sustainable production. Through a close partnership and innovative approaches, the two companies are jointly reducing their ecological footprint - a win-win situation for both sides and the environment.

At Steinbeis Papier, sustainability is not just a buzzword, but deeply rooted in the company's DNA. Under the motto "ReThinking Paper", the company consistently pursues the goal of making all production and delivery processes environmentally friendly. "If it's not sustainable, we won't do it!" emphasises Veronika Warmers, Head of Marketing at Steinbeis Papier. This attitude drives the company to continuously improve and to work closely with its stakeholders - such as with Evonik Active Oxygens.

Cycles at the heart of sustainability

In production at Steinbeis Papier, everything revolves around cycles - in the truest sense of the word. As a fully integrated recycling factory, the company specialises in using resources not just once, but as often as possible. The water for paper production comes from the River Elbe, is carefully treated and flows back into the river after being reused several times. "Not a drop is wasted," emphasises Veronika Warmers. But that's not all: the residual materials from the production process are also put to good use. They are processed as fuel for the company's own power plant, which supplies the majority of the energy required. Thanks to these sophisticated recycling systems, Steinbeis Papier saves a whopping 73 per cent energy and 79 per cent water compared to conventional virgin fibre production.

Hydrogen peroxide: An environmentally friendly key

Hydrogen peroxide is an indispensable component in the sustainable production of high-quality recycled paper at Steinbeis Papier. It serves as an environmentally friendly bleaching agent that ensures the desired degree of whiteness. "The advantage of hydrogen peroxide is that it is an environmentally friendly bleaching agent," explains Andreas Steenbock, Product Manager at Steinbeis. Another plus point: hydrogen peroxide breaks down into water and oxygen after use and leaves no harmful residues. Thanks to the partnership with Evonik Active Oxygens, Steinbeis Papier can ensure that the hydrogen peroxide used is as climate-neutral as possible, not only in its application but also in its production.

Win-win through certified sustainability

The "Way to _GO2" sustainability certificates from Evonik Active Oxygens prove this and contribute to the reduction of_{CO2 emissions}. And with the approach of using "Way to _GO2" certificates from Evonik Active Oxygens, Steinbeis Papier is able to reduce its Scope 3 emissions. With the increasing demand for recycled paper and higher whiteness, the need for hydrogen peroxide at Steinbeis Papier is also growing. "We currently purchase around 4,000 tonnes per year," says Andreas Steenbock. As the main supplier, Evonik Active Oxygens is focussing on sustainability with its "Way to _GO2" initiative. The aim is to make the production of hydrogen peroxide climate-neutral by 2040 through the use of renewable energies and green hydrogen. Thanks to a certified "book-and-claim" mechanism, Evonik Active Oxygens can already offer sustainably produced hydrogen peroxide and reduce its_{carbon footprint}. "While we can use the revenue to initiate further sustainability measures, the customers continue to receive hydrogen peroxide in the usual quality and can also have the certificates credited to their own sustainability efforts," explains Christoph Batz-Sohn, Director Sustainable Transformation at Evonik Active Oxygens. For Steinbeis Papier, this is valuable support in strengthening sustainability throughout the entire supply chain.

Transparency and trust as a basis

Decisive factors for successful cooperation are transparency and mutual trust between the partners. Thanks to the certified process from Evonik Active Oxygens, Steinbeis Papier can prove that the products used are truly sustainable. This credibility is extremely important for Steinbeis Papier in order to protect itself against greenwashing accusations and to create real environmental benefits. "It was crucial for us that our contacts at Evonik Active Oxygens understand and share our attitude to sustainability. This is the only way we can create added value together that goes beyond simply supplying the hydrogen peroxide," explains Veronika Warmers.