Little drop, big effect: At BASF Aroma Ingredients, we are passionate to support you with innovative flavor and fragrance ingredients. In everything we do, we ensure that each drop of our products is full of sustainability. Picture: Raindrops on plant.
Aroma Ingredients
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Aroma Ingredients

Choose Sustainability: Reach Your Scope 3 Carbon Footprint Targets with BASF’s Citral-Based Products
 

Best in class
Our citral-based aroma ingredients, which are produced from petroleum and natural gas, show significantly lower product carbon footprints than respective products produced using coal as raw material and to produce energy. This distinction in raw material use not only reduces our environmental footprint but also enables responsible sourcing practices throughout the supply chain.

Smart Choice for Carbon Reduction
By using BASF’s citral-based products, you can be confident that their carbon emissions remain at lower levels compared with coal-based Citral option. Our production process delivers citral-based ingredients with a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) that is at least 45% lower than coal-based alternatives- this comparative PCF calculation has been verified by TÜV Rheinland1. Continuous process-improvement measures to further optimize our production processes and the commitment to including PCFs in sourcing decisions enable us to keep the PCFs at a competitive level also in the future.

Year-on-Year Comparison of BASF Product Carbon Footprint
BASF has provided Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) values since 2020, enabling companies to track and report their carbon reduction progress accurately. For instance, if a product had a PCF of 18 in 2020 with a volume of 100 metric tons, and today the PCF is reduced to 12 with an increased volume of 120 metric tons, this reflects a 20% increase in purchased volume and an absolute reduction of 360 metric tons of CO₂ emissions (a 20% decrease). By sharing with our customers historic and current, annually updated PCF values, BASF supports customers in demonstrating measurable improvements in their sustainability reporting year after year. 

Taking the right sourcing decision to reduce Scope 3.1 carbon emissions
If purchasing a certain amount of product from an average coal-based supplier results in emissions of 100 metric ton of CO₂e in the Scope 3.1. accounting, switching to the equivalent amount of BASF’s citral-based product  reduces emissions to just 55 metric tons of CO₂e . This 45% reduction represents a significant and measurable reduction of CO2 emissions from raw material sourcing bringing F&F houses closer to reaching their Scope 3.1 targets. 


Footnote1:  TÜV Rheinland certification

Aroma’s Eco-Footprint: The Fragrance Industry's Path to Net-Zero Emissions explores how the fragrance sector is embracing sustainability and working towards net-zero CO2 emissions.

Discover how our collaborative journey with Givaudan, a leading fragrance and flavor company, is advancing sustainability in fragrance creation. By integrating BASF rPCF aroma ingredients, Givaudan is not only delivering creativity and quality to their clients, but also making significant strides toward net-zero emissions and responsible sourcing.
Aroma’s Eco-Footprint: The Fragrance Industry's Path to Net-Zero Emissions | Perfumer & Flavorist

BASF’s L-Menthol FCC and Mint Portfolio: A Fresh Approach to Flavors and Sustainability | Perfumer & Flavorist

Explore how BASF’s mint portfolio, including L-Menthol FCC, stands out for its commitment to both refreshing flavor profiles and significant sustainability strides. A key highlight is the Product Carbon Footprint (rPCF) of BASF’s L-Menthol FCC, which is 45% lower than that of coal-based menthol. This reduction is achieved through responsible sourcing, rigorous supplier and site assessments, and adherence to robust environmental, social, and governance standards.

Learn more about our rPCF approach

BASF’s L-Menthol FCC and Mint Portfolio: A Fresh Approach to Flavors and Sustainability | Perfumer & Flavorist

The F&F industry has the opportunity to enhance transparency and reliability in Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) reporting.

This article identifies key factors that add uncertainty to product-level GHG accounting and presents four crucial steps every company should take when requesting PCF data from suppliers. These insights are particularly valuable for organizations integrating PCFs into their sourcing strategies, communicating with customers, and pursuing decarbonization efforts.

If you want to strengthen the credibility of your PCF information and make better sustainability decisions, this article provides practical, science-based advice for moving forward.

Speciality Chemicals Magazine JAN / FEB 2026 | Page 48

Colgate-Palmolive’s Sustainability Leadership in Flavor Innovation

Find out how sustainability leaders like Colgate-Palmolive are transforming flavor experiences and reducing environmental impact by embracing aroma ingredients with reduced Product Carbon Footprints. As one of the very first to adopt BASF’s innovative rPCF offerings, Colgate-Palmolive is setting new standards for responsible sourcing and decarbonization in the industry. Explore our article to learn how these practical, science-based solutions empower companies to meet their sustainability goals while delivering refreshing flavors and greener scents.

BASF launches aroma ingredients with reduced Product Carbon Footprints to enable customers reach their sustainability targets

Reducing carbon footprints of aroma ingredients - A case study

Our approach to supporting customers’ Scope 3 emissions reduction was featured in the World Business Council for Sustainable Development's (WBCSD) The Climate Drive – a platform showcasing practical, high-impact solutions to reduce emissions across value chains.

By offering aroma ingredients with a reduced Product Carbon Footprint (PCF), BASF enables customers to:

  • Reduce Scope 3.1 emissions by ~10–15%
  • Access reliable PCF data, calculated according to the TfS PCF standard (calculation methodology third‑party‑verified)
  • Make progress toward 2030 climate targets without changing formulations or processes

Read the publication in the WBCSD library platform and learn how collaboration across the value chain can turn sustainability goals into practical action.

Watch our video about BASF Aroma Ingredients with reduced Product Carbon Footprint (rPCF)