Clariant re-designs set-up to accelerate sustainability-driven innovation

• New organizational set-up with a core focus on sustainability-driven innovation 
• Strategic alignment with the company’s purpose and the purpose-led strategy
• Richard F. Haldimann appointed to the new position of Chief Technology & Sustainability Officer

MUTTENZ, FEBRUARY 18, 2022 – Clariant, a focused, sustainable, and innovative specialty chemical company, today announced that it is introducing a new global operating model for its Innovation & Sustainability unit. The reorganization aims to accelerate sustainability-driven innovation, which is a key component of Clariant’s purpose-led strategy ‘Greater chemistry – between people and planet’. It is through such innovations that the company will enable profitable growth.

“With this new organizational structure, we will better connect key aspects of our new purpose-led growth strategy, namely Customer Focus, Innovative Chemistry, Leading in Sustainability, and People. While culture is core to bringing the purpose to life, the organization needs to be designed in such a way that it best leverages the existing innovative power that our customers value so highly”, said Chief Executive Officer Conrad Keijzer.

The new organization was designed to optimally combine sustainability know-how with innovation power. Thus, it will be able to deliver sustainability innovations with an outstanding technical profile that create a meaningful impact for Clariant’s customers - and beyond - by helping them to undergo their own sustainability transformation. 

Innovation & Sustainability will focus on three core agendas: climate-neutral and sustainable operations, sustainability-driven portfolio change, and sustainability-based engagement. 

The current Head of Sustainability Transformation, Richard F. Haldimann has been appointed to the newly created position of Chief Technology & Sustainability Officer and will report directly to our Chief Executive Officer Conrad Keijzer. Richard Haldimann joined Clariant twelve years ago. His professional experience in Innovation Excellence, New Business Development, and Sustainability Transformation combines both innovation and sustainability in an ideal way. Richard has been leading the work on the development and execution towards the science-based targets for Scope 1, 2 & 3 greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the roadmaps for the sustainability driven portfolio change and climate neutral and sustainable operations.

The former Chief Technology Officer and Head of Innovation & Sustainability Martin Vollmer will pursue an opportunity outside the company. “I would like to thank Martin Vollmer for allowing us to position Clariant as a truly innovative specialty chemical company and for bringing our innovation processes to an even higher level of excellence. Martin passionately worked on building strong capabilities in our R&D organization and leading a highly qualified and engaged team of true professionals”, said Conrad Keijzer.