Climate Action Plan of PNZ
Note: This is a machine-translated version of the original German Climate Action Plan. The translation was generated with AI assistance. In case of any discrepancy, the German original shall prevail.
This is a summary of the full action plan here.
PNZ Produkte GmbH has been net CO₂-neutral across all three scopes since 2019 – and that was just the beginning. This Climate Action Plan documents how a medium-sized manufacturer of ecological wood protection products from the Altmühltal Nature Park not only meets the 1.5 °C pathway of the Paris Agreement, but consistently goes beyond it. It fulfils the requirements of the B Corp Standards Version 7 (April 2025) in the areas CA3.3 and CA3.6, as well as the requirements of the UN Global Compact as a Communication on Progress.
00 — The Core Statement
PNZ commits not only to meeting the 1.5 °C pathway, but to actively contributing to the reduction of atmospheric greenhouse gases through CO₂-negative products as a pioneer in the chemical industry. The MCCU project (Microbiological Carbon Capture and Utilization) is the most ambitious initiative of its kind worldwide – as an open-source initiative for the benefit of the entire industry.
01 — PNZ and the Climate Question
PNZ Produkte GmbH, Kipfenberg (Altmühltal Nature Park), has been developing and producing ecological wood protection and wall paint products from renewable, regional raw materials since 1970. As a certified B Corporation (since 2019, score 139+, top 4 worldwide Industrial Manufacturing) and recipient of the German Sustainability Prize 2024, climate protection is not about image management – it is the core of the business model.
Climate protection is enshrined in the Articles of Association (§ 2.5) as the corporate purpose. All 45 employees are actively involved in sustainability work – no separate department, but lived practice.
Climate-relevant activities:
- Raw materials: Predominantly regional and renewable – linseed oil, plant waxes, sugarcane wax
- Production: CO₂-neutral certified; electricity consumption per kg of product reduced by ~30 % since 2012
- Energy: 100 % green electricity; Scope 2 emissions = zero
- Logistics: CO₂-neutral including supply chain (Scope 3), certified by Climate Neutral Group
- Products: Durability design as the primary sustainability lever; over 95 % renewable raw materials in PNZ Oil (Cradle to Cradle Gold)
- Research: MCCU project – wood protection products as CO₂ sinks (starting 2026)
02 — Emissions Inventory per GHG Protocol
PNZ measures, avoids, reduces and compensates greenhouse gas emissions according to the GHG Protocol across all three scopes. Base year: 2019.
| Scope | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 – Direct emissions | Net-neutral | –40 % reduction vs. 2019; vehicle fleet fully switched to electric mobility (2024) |
| Scope 2 – Purchased energy | 0 t CO₂ | 100 % green electricity; market-based emissions completely eliminated |
| Scope 3 – Value chain | Net-neutral since 2019 | Action programme for gross neutrality running until 2030 |
Monitoring & data quality: Annual CO₂ accounting per GHG Protocol; external validation by SBTi; ISO 14001 environmental management system; 24/7 wastewater monitoring; annual Sustainability Report as UN Global Compact COP.
03 — Climate Targets
All targets are SMART and externally validated where possible. PNZ goes beyond the Paris targets.
| Timeframe | Target | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Achieved | CO₂ reduction –40 % vs. base year 2019 (Scope 1+2) | ✓ Completed |
| Since 2019 | Net neutrality Scope 1, 2 and 3 including supply chain | ✓ Active |
| 2026 | Launch of MCCU project – wood protection products as CO₂ sinks (publicly funded, open source) | In progress |
| By 2028 | Modernisation of heating and building envelope at the Kipfenberg site | Planned |
| By 2029 | MCCU – first products with proven CO₂ binding available on the market | Planned |
| By 2030 | Gross neutrality Scope 3 without offset credits | In progress |
| Ambition 2030 | Climate-negative – PNZ products actively reduce atmospheric CO₂ | Ambition target |
04 — Action Plan
Energy & Production
| Measure | Status |
|---|---|
| 100 % switch to green electricity | completed |
| Efficiency programme: –30 % electricity/kg of product since 2012 | ongoing |
| New compressed air system with higher energy efficiency (2025) | completed |
| Central energy sensors & real-time data capture (2026) | in progress |
| Modernisation of heating and building envelope 2026–2028 | planned |
| Vehicle fleet fully switched to electric mobility (2024) | completed |
Raw materials & Products
| Measure | Status |
|---|---|
| Use of regional renewable raw materials (>95 % in PNZ Oil) | ongoing |
| Durability design as the primary sustainability lever | ongoing |
| Elimination of strontium compounds in driers (2024) | completed |
| First zero-waste wall paint (2023, with Zentek); 100 % PCR-HDPE containers | completed |
| PNZ Packaging Index since 2021 | ongoing |
| MCCU project 2026–2029 (open source) | starting 2026 |
Supply chain & Scope 3
| Measure | Status |
|---|---|
| Code of Ethics for all suppliers since 2013 | active |
| Net compensation of all Scope 3 emissions since 2019 | active |
| Regional raw material sourcing | ongoing |
| Gross neutrality Scope 3 without compensation by 2030 | in progress |
Research & Innovation
| Project | Details |
|---|---|
| Carbon2Coatings (completed 06/2025) | Binding CO₂ in wood coatings. Partners: Max Planck Institute, Charité |
| MCCU (starting 2026) | Wood protection products as CO₂ sinks. Duration: 3 years. Open source for the entire industry |
| Fraunhofer IPA Eco-Hub | Cross-company environmental database for the chemical industry |
| NatureTec©-process | Closed loop in container cleaning – –80 % waste, –100 % solvents, –99 % CO₂ |
05 — Water, Energy & Waste
The PNZ manufactory is located directly on the Birktalbach stream in the Altmühltal Nature Park. What we release into nature must be clean.
Water:
- Wastewater treatment in a multi-chamber system with coalescing separator
- Discharge of wastewater at drinking water quality – permanent comparison with drinking water regulation values
- 24/7 real-time sensors (in-house development with Fraunhofer IPA, since 2024)
- Monthly independent sampling – not a single complaint in 5 years
- The water authority has switched PNZ to self-monitoring
Energy:
- 100 % green electricity – Scope 2 emissions = zero
- ~30 % less electricity consumption per kg of product since 2012
- New compressed air system (2025); central energy sensors under development (2026)
Waste & Circular Economy (NatureTec©-process):
- In-house developed cleaning agent: –77 % waste, –100 % solvents, –99 % CO₂, –90 % costs
- Closed-loop container cleaning with up to 50 cycles without replacement
- Internal wastewater treatment plant with 24/7 sensors (Eco Hub, Fraunhofer IPA)
- 80 % of cleaning waste saved
- 100 % PCR-HDPE for all plastic containers since August 2023
- First zero-waste wall paint (with Zentek, 2023)
06 — Governance
| Instrument | Description |
|---|---|
| Articles of Association § 2.5 | Positive impact on the common good and the environment as the corporate purpose |
| ISO 14001 | Certified environmental management system, externally audited annually |
| B Corp Certification | Next recertification 2027 (Standards V7) |
| SBTi membership | Science-based target setting, external validation |
| UN Global Compact | Annual Communication on Progress |
| Deutsche Umweltstiftung | Highest rating +++ as a climate-conscious company |
07 — Stakeholder Engagement
| Stakeholder group | Measures |
|---|---|
| Employees | All involved in sustainability work; JEDI Policy; internal working groups |
| Supply chain | Code of Ethics since 2013; Scope 3 action programme; regional procurement preference |
| Customers & Trade | Transparent climate data; B2B customers can report PNZ products as net-zero |
| Science | Max Planck Institute, Charité, Fraunhofer IPA; MCCU as an open-source initiative |
| B Corp & Initiatives | UN Global Compact, Business Ambition 1.5 °C, B Corp Open Letter |
| Society | Pure Water for Generations, Nepal schools, No-vember campaign, United4Rescue |
08 — Progress & Reporting
| Frequency | Format |
|---|---|
| Annually | Sustainability Report (UN Global Compact COP standard, ISO 26000) |
| Ongoing | Climate Action Plan on pnz.de/sustainability, updated annually |
| Every 3 years | B Corp recertification (next: 2027) |
| From 2026 | MCCU progress reports – public updates on the CO₂-negative research project |
| Ongoing | timberlove.blog – accessible sustainability communication |
09 — Risks & Opportunities
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Physical risk | Availability of regional raw materials due to climate-related harvest risks |
| Physical risk | Extreme weather events at the Kipfenberg site (flood risk Altmühltal) |
| Transition risk | Tightening of chemical regulation (REACH, VOC) – PNZ well positioned through early product adaptation |
| Transition risk | Rising CO₂ prices on fossil raw materials – PNZ benefits through renewable raw material base |
| Strategic opportunity | Growing demand for sustainably certified products (B2B and B2C) |
| Strategic opportunity | MCCU as a unique selling point: CO₂-negative products, the first of their kind worldwide |
| Strategic opportunity | Net-zero partnership: PNZ enables B2B customers to achieve Scope 3 neutrality |
10 — Outlook
- 2026: Launch of MCCU project – first research phase on CO₂-negative wood protection products
- 2026: Expansion of central energy sensors
- 2026–2028: Modernisation of heating and buildings at the site
- 2027: B Corp recertification under Standards Version 7
- 2029: First MCCU products with proven CO₂ binding on the market
- 2030: Gross neutrality Scope 3; ambition: climate-negative
"We do not see climate protection as a business target, but as the heart of our activity. This plan is not an endpoint – it is a status report on a journey we have been on since 1970."