Corporate Sustainability

“We understand that being truly innovative and winning the right way requires risks and tough choices to minimize our impact on the planet while enabling our customers to offer sustainable products and services around the globe.”

Shortly after arriving at H.B. Fuller in 2022, I joined an army of fellow volunteers to participate in the company’s Make a Difference Day, an annual employee volunteerism initiative that takes place at H.B. Fuller sites around the world. That fall morning, I worked alongside my new teammates to plant more than 100 trees in the beautiful nature preserve surrounding H.B. Fuller’s Willow Lake headquarters in Minnesota.

I could not have asked for a better introduction to this great company. The experience also provided the ideal metaphor for H.B. Fuller’s corporate sustainability efforts and environmental priorities: passionate people coming together to enable our customers’ sustainability goals and reduce the environmental impact of our operations.

We plant trees with the expectation they will grow and blossom. Yet we know full well it might take time for our efforts to bear fruit. We understand that being truly innovative and winning the right way requires risks and tough choices to minimize our impact on the planet while enabling our customers to offer sustainable products and services around the globe. And we recognize that the growth we foster will benefit the many who follow us, ideally for years to come.

Our remarkable employees drive this growth; they are our roots that spread far and wide, representing diversity of culture, geography, thought and opinion. We seek and find the brightest people with a range of experiences and provide a safe and inclusive environment where they can grow and thrive, learning from one another along the way.

We calculate our four key sustainability metrics – energy intensity, greenhouse gas emissions intensity, waste intensity, and water withdrawal intensity – with the highest degree of specificity, while remaining willing to adjust as needed. These metrics help to ensure we are embedding sustainability into everything we do – our values, culture, and processes. The results speak for themselves. In 2022, we were recognized by several leading organizations for our commitment to operating responsibly at multiple global sites.

H.B. Fuller’s reach goes far beyond our own operations, as evidenced by our new product pipeline. More than 50% of our new product development focuses on sustainable solutions across our global businesses. This includes Millennium Sprayable PVC Single-Ply Bonding Adhesive, used for adhering PVC waterproofing membranes to roof surfaces; a range of adhesive materials used in the burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) market; adhesives for PET and glass bottles that drive savings and reduce environmental impact; the introduction of our new Earthic™ product line, a near carbon neutral adhesive that enables a circular packaging industry – and so many more.

I am very proud of what we have achieved this past year and excited for the future. As I learned on Make a Difference Day, H.B. Fuller employees are committed to doing the right thing and winning the right way. As our business continues to grow and expand in the months and years ahead, this tremendous team will keep that commitment at the forefront – positioning H.B. Fuller for long-term success and making a difference for our customers, employees and planet.

Celeste Mastin
President and CEO