Strategy, Business Model, and Value Chain
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General Disclosures
With a portfolio of global brands, Beiersdorf has developed into one of the world’s leading companies in the consumer goods industry over the past 144 years – with over 190 international affiliates and more than 22,000 employees worldwide. Our business is divided into two separate, independently operating business segments: Consumer and tesa. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Beiersdorf AG, tesa SE has been operated as an independent subgroup with its own management and corporate strategy since 2001.
In the Consumer Business Segment, our focus is on skin and body care for end consumers. We are represented in three market segments with our worldwide brands NIVEA, Eucerin, and La Prairie: the mass market, dermocosmetics, and the premium segment. Our products are sold in 180 countries, with Europe representing our main sales market. Information on changes during the reporting period regarding sales market developments and the product segments offered can be found in the chapters “Results of Operations – Business Segments” in the management report and “Regional Reporting” in the consolidated financial statements.
In the tesa Business Segment, we concentrate on developing innovative adhesive tapes and self-adhesive solutions for industry, craft businesses, and end consumers. In the Industry division, tesa supplies specialized product and system solutions directly to industrial customers, especially in the automotive, electronics, printing and paper, and building and construction industries worldwide. The tesa Consumer division encompasses those markets in which retail partners or retail-like channels supply end consumers with market-driven products. These include product ranges aimed at private consumers and craftspeople. tesa also uses e-commerce business to offer products for sale directly to end customers. The Consumer business is focused on Europe and Latin America.
In total, 22,399 employees had an active employment contract with Beiersdorf as of December 31, 2025.
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Consumer |
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tesa |
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Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Europe |
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9,056 |
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3,311 |
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12,367 |
Americas |
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3,363 |
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637 |
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4,000 |
Africa/Asia/Australia |
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4,664 |
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1,368 |
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6,032 |
Total |
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17,083 |
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5,316 |
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22,399 |
Consumer
Consumer
In 2025, the “Win with Care” corporate strategy for the Consumer Business Segment, developed in the previous year, was further implemented. Sustainability is firmly established within the strategic “Performance with Purpose” pillar. In addition to driving profitable growth for our company, we also take responsibility. Our goal: sustainable growth. Climate action is at the core of our efforts, along with the decarbonization of our company and the supply chain. We are also committed to an inclusive society.
Beiersdorf is striving to achieve the target of net zero emissions by 2045. The climate strategy focuses on continual reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along the entire value chain. Emissions were reduced by 33% by the end of 2025, against base year 2018, meaning that the interim target was fully achieved.
In light of the significant shifts in the (geo)political landscape and market conditions in 2025, we have integrated this new reality into our future actions and have updated our “Climate Transition Plan” accordingly. This involved adjusting the previous interim targets and setting a new target for the next phase of the transformation: reducing GHG emissions (Scope 1 to 3) by 35% by 2030 versus the 2018 base year. This adjustment also supports the ongoing alignment with science-based climate targets pursuant to the “Science Based Targets initiative” (SBTi) and the requirements of the CSRD. The SBTi confirmed our net zero target at Group level, including the adjusted interim targets, in December 2025.
At present, the most important product groups in terms of our sustainability targets in all global markets are deodorants, soaps, body care, creams, and shower products. We see the greatest leverage for emissions reduction in these categories. The adjusted targets for 2030 at product level are as follows:
Packaging
50% of our plastic packaging made of recycled or renewable materials
>90% of packaging designed for recycling (“Design for Recycling”)
Product Formulations
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100% of soaps free from tallow
For more details on our specific targets and actions for the sustainable transformation of our products, please refer to chapters “ESRS E1 – Climate Change” and “ESRS E5 – Resource Use and Circular Economy.”
Our CARE BEYOND SKIN sustainability agenda is a key component of our “Win with Care” strategy. It comprises seven focus fields that concentrate on the impact of our activities throughout the value chain: from the climate impact of our products and processes, the circularity of the resources we use and their influence on land and water use, through to the health and safety of our employees and consumers, and our commitment to an inclusive society. The focus fields and their targets are currently under review and are expected to be adjusted in 2026 in the context of the sustainability agenda update.
tesa
tesa
At tesa, sustainability is enshrined in the business strategy. Our ambition is to use our technological know-how and passion to develop more sustainable adhesive solutions and products. The framework for this is formed by five strategic action areas for which tesa has defined the following long-term targets for the period through 2030:
Reduction of Emissions
Climate-neutral production (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) and a 20% reduction in Scope 3 emissions vs. 2018.
Responsible Sourcing
We aim for full supply chain transparency, with the goal of at least 80% of our purchasing volume sourced exclusively from suppliers who have an “EcoVadis” assessment of at least 45 points and meet our responsible supply chain standards overall.
Use of Recycled and Bio-Based Materials
70% of product and packaging materials made from recycled or bio-based materials. We also aim to halve the use of non-recycled fossil-based plastics.
Circularity and Reduction of Waste
We plan to offer sustainable end-of-life solutions for selected products. In production, we aim to further work on solvent-free processes and full solvent recovery.
Enable Sustainability at our Customers
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We plan to offer customers innovative adhesive solutions that contribute to the sustainability of their processes and products, and to make the joint work results measurable.
The strategic action areas extend across the business segment’s entire value chain. As a production company in the chemicals sector, we see the greatest leverage for achieving our targets in the increased use of recycled and renewable raw materials for our adhesive solutions, in close cooperation with suppliers, and in the use of renewable energy in our own production and in the supply chain.
An important product group in the context of sustainability targets is our adhesive solutions in the industrial sector in all global markets. By developing more sustainable products, we support our customers in achieving their own sustainability goals and underpin our own emissions reduction ambitions. The sustainability agenda, which is based on the Ten Principles of the “United Nations Global Compact” (UNGC) and the “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) of the United Nations, continues to be an additional cornerstone of the strategy. It now reflects our aspiration to view sustainability holistically and thus also includes topics that go beyond the strategic action areas – such as occupational safety.
Realizing the Sustainability Strategies of the Two Business Segments
We see the main challenges in the future realization of the sustainability strategies of the two business segments in the following areas:
increasingly volatile (geo)political and economic conditions
limited availability of renewable energies in the supply chain for our partners to make significant GHG reductions in Scope 3
lack of a clear and consistent statutory framework applicable across markets that underpins a targeted (product) transformation
increasing digitalization of internal processes and supply chains to improve the transparency of our data
We set out how we face these challenges with our concepts and solutions in the subsequent topic chapters.
Value Chain
Beiersdorf relies on extraction of raw materials for the production of its products. The raw materials used are associated with the following activities: cultivation and harvesting of agricultural raw materials (primarily palm oil, soy, coconut, wood, and natural rubber), animal husbandry (tallow), and mining and extraction of fossil and mineral raw materials. These raw materials are processed and refined to produce emulsifiers, surfactants, oils, adhesives and other substances, as well as packaging materials. We procure these raw materials from our suppliers via multi-tier supply chains and use them at our production sites. The intermediate products that we procure directly are primarily chemical products and packaging materials comprising plastic, aluminum, glass and paper.
Beiersdorf manufactures a wide range of products in its own operations. There are 14 production centers for the Consumer Business Segment, located in Europe, North and South America, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region. These centers focus on mixing and filling activities and produce primarily for their local and regional markets. tesa has seven production centers in Germany, Italy, the USA, China, and Vietnam. The production network is supplemented by selected third-party manufacturers (3PMs).
Our production sites and 3PMs deliver the goods to our customers via a network of warehouses and distribution centers. Most warehousing and transportation services are purchased externally. Two warehouses are owned and operated by Beiersdorf. Individual adjustments to products shortly before dispatch (last minute adjustments and co-packing) are largely integrated into warehouse operations. Products are primarily distributed to customers by truck and sea freight, also by rail, and in exceptional cases by air freight.
Products in the Consumer Business Segment are predominantly delivered to food retail partners, who sell our products to the end consumers. The tesa Business Segment primarily supplies industrial customers, and to a lesser extent retail partners from the food and building materials sectors.
We rely on agile supply chains, and perform ongoing analyses of our production and supply networks and update them as necessary to ensure procurement of our most important materials and address the needs of our customers and consumers.