Actions

[ESRS E3-2; GRI 3-3d, 303-1]

A summary of the “Actions taken” can be found in the management approach section at the beginning of this chapter.

Integration of global water-related assessment tools into risk management

Water risk assessment at the corporate level is carried out by collecting contextualized qualitative and quantitative information on the supply chain and Lenzing’s own production using the WRI Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas and WWF Water Risk Filter. These data and tools not only support evaluation of the current water situation and identification of areas at water risk for specific locations, including regions of high water stress, but also provide insight into future scenarios, such as those induced by the effects of climate change on water availability and quality. The activity is a continuous annual process and was again conducted in the reporting year.

Water footprint assessment of fiber products and raw materials

At the product level, LCA is the primary tool used for assessing cradle-to-gate impacts within direct and indirect operations, i.e. own pulp and fiber production and upstream supply chains. This not only supports substantiation of product-related environmental claims but also enables identification of areas for improvement such as pulp production (including recycling) or key chemicals. The procedure is supported by the environmental data collection process relating to in-house operations, including water use, effluents, and discharge of priority substances of concern, as well as the increasing collection of primary data on water use from suppliers. While the focus was initially on pulp suppliers, primary data is now also being requested from important chemical suppliers. This systematic collection of data from Lenzing’s own production and its suppliers is performed on demand and feeds into the continuous updates of LCA calculations for Lenzing’s products.

Efficiency and improvement measures

By the end of 2024, the installation of an additional reverse osmosis unit was completed at the lyocell plant at the Lenzing site in Austria, which will reduce water consumption by regaining water for use in other process steps. In addition, less water is required for NMMO recovery, which increases the water reuse rate even further. Moreover, improvements in spin bath evaporation help to noticeably reduce GHG emissions. For more information on Lenzing’s actions in relation to operations in areas at water risk, please see the “Water consumption” section of this chapter.

Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM)

In 2024, Lenzing continued to implement the Higg FEM assessment and conducted self-assessments at all production sites to monitor water footprints, reduce risks related to water use, and devise measures to enhance water efficiency. Additionally, three sites in Prachinburi (Thailand), Nanjing (China), and Purwakarta (Indonesia) underwent third-party verification.

For the action in own operations regarding the “Negative impact on water resources through water withdrawal by Lenzing and its value chain”, please see the “Water stewardship” section in this chapter. Lenzing did not take action to address this impact in its downstream value chains, Lenzing has been prioritizing and working on key topics in a step wise manner.