Climate Lobbying Overview: AkzoNobel is positively lobbying on climate change policy, primarily in the EU, however, with limited active engagement in 2021-23. The majority of the company’s policy engagement occurs through signed open letters by AkzoNobel’s former CEO Thierry Vanlancker, taking positions on different EU policies that are part of the Fit for 55 package.

Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: AkzoNobel is broadly supportive of climate action in its top-line messaging. The company seemed to support the Paris Agreement in its 2021 Annual Report, published in March 2022. AkzoNobel supported limiting global warming to 1.5°C on its corporate website, accessed in January 2023. Furthermore, AkzoNobel advocated for broad emissions reductions in the building and construction sector on its corporate website, accessed in September 2021. AkzoNobel’s former CEO Thierry Vanlancker has signed several joint letters supporting high-level ambition on climate change in recent years, including supporting a climate neutral economy in the EU by 2050, and supporting the EU’s Fit for 55 package to achieve those climate objectives in July 2021.

Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: AkzoNobel seems to be lobbying broadly positively on climate regulations in the EU, although with limited direct engagement in 2021-23. In several joint letters in March and July 2021, former CEO Thierry Vanlancker supported creating sector-specific standalone cap-and-trade systems for mobility, transport, and buildings, as well as supporting a stricter cap on GHG emissions and “accompanying measures” in the EU ETS reform. However, in the same March 2021 open letter, the company opposed a carbon tax in the EU, stating that multiple models for CO2 taxation should be avoided. In a December 2022 joint letter, the former CEO supported scaling up energy efficiency measures, demand management and renovation. The company has consistently supported more ambitious energy efficiency legislation for buildings, for example, in a July 2021 joint letter, the former CEO was in favor of an ambitious annual EU renovation target of at least 3%. The former CEO has strongly supported more ambitious EU renewable energy legislation, including supporting an ambitious revision of the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive in July 2021, and frequently signed letters in support of the EU’s increased 2030 GHG target of 55%, such as in a joint letter written by the CEO Alliance in the same month.

Positioning on Energy Transition: AkzoNobel is broadly supportive of the energy transition. The co-CEO signed a joint letter in July 2021 supporting the electrification of transportation, and in another in the same month supported the EU Energy Taxation Directive reform and Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive review to decarbonize industry, transport and buildings. In another letter to EU policymakers in December 2022, AkzoNobel called for an urgent decarbonization of the energy supply, scaling up fossil-free electrification and reducing gas demand, as well as phasing out fossil fuel imports.

Industry Association Governance: AkzoNobel has disclosed a list of memberships in industry associations on its corporate website with some detail regarding their positions on climate policy, and how it is influencing the groups. However, it has omitted several influential memberships including the European Round Table for Industry and the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI). AkzoNobel has not published a formal review of alignment with its industry associations.