Taking lubricants beyond 'environmentally acceptable' to advance sustainable operations
Published: 28 July, 2021
Shell Naturelle says its lubricants go beyond being “environmentally acceptable”, with a high percentage achieving the new EU Ecolabel certification1. They can reduce emissions thanks to renewable and sustainable biobased raw materials – and are now carbon neutral2.
Improving environmental impact to drive future business growth
The relaunch of the Shell Naturelle range is set against a backdrop of tightening environmental legislation and stakeholder pressure for companies to act on addressing climate change. Being able to show that they are implementing solutions to improve their overall environmental impact – from CO2 emissions to local ecosystems – is fast becoming a critical element in strengthening a company’s license to operate.
Taking the lead in this area and getting ahead of incoming legislation is now not only an essential factor in being able to pursue new opportunities; it can contribute to businesses gaining a competitive advantage in their sector. Companies must take that step beyond being “environmentally acceptable” to deliver on their sustainability ambitions and drive growth in revenue.
An easy choice for customers looking to take concrete steps towards improving sustainability
Shell Naturelle lubricants are designed for a wide range of conditions and application types, including hydraulics, gears, greases, transformer fluids and more. The high biodegradability3 and low ecotoxicity4 of these products makes them especially suitable for operations in environmentally sensitive areas, such as wind farms, forestry, and agriculture.
Carbon intensity of Shell Naturelle is reduced by:
Solar-powered manufacturing, to reduce emissions during production5
Sourcing sustainable and renewable bio-components6
Packaging made with up to 40% recycled plastic7
Compensating product lifecycle CO2e emissions through Shell’s global portfolio of nature-based carbon credits2
All of this can contribute to businesses’ voluntary emissions targets.
Releasing the Potential of Sustainable Business Decisions with Bio-Lubes
The refreshed Shell Naturelle portfolio highlights the need for companies to make positive changes that deliver sustainable alternatives to products and processes across their entire supply chain. An often-overlooked element in a company’s decarbonisation journey, biodegradable lubricants are one of many ways that businesses can deliver improvements to their environmental impact – helping them to adapt to legislation and maintain their license to operate.
A newly released report from Shell Naturelle explores these trends, plus:
the issues driving increasing demand for bio-lubes, and
why biodegradable lubricants should be a part of a strategy to reduce environmental impact.
Download the free report and visit the Shell Naturelle page for more information.
1 85% of sales volume of Shell Naturelle holds EU-Ecolabel certification
2 In participating locations. “Carbon neutral” indicates that Shell has engaged in a transaction where an amount of CO₂ equivalent to the CO₂e amount associated with the raw material extraction, transport, production, distribution and end-of-life of the product has been avoided as emissions through the protection of natural ecosystems or removed from the atmosphere through a nature-based process. CO₂e (CO₂ equivalent) refers to CO₂, methane and nitrogen oxides.
3 Readily biodegradable in accordance with OECD 301 B, >60% degraded by the end of the 28-day test.
4 Meeting the requirements of OECD common acute toxicity tests for assessing EALs according to US EPA requirements
5 Bern, Switzerland, 90 MWh of electricity generated from solar energy, representing 19% of the plant’s total electricity use and avoiding an estimated 0.004 kt/y of greenhouse gas emissions (2019 data).
6 Average 80%. Tested in accordance with ASTM 6866; RSPO-certified source materials.
7 Pails: at least 25% post-consumer resin (PCR). IBCs: at least 40% PCR
