Product Stewardship

Product quality and reliability have always been critical for Sika. The Sika triangle - a symbol more than 100 years old - is synonymous with performance, quality, reliability, and service. This is emphasized by the corporate claim: Building Trust. Product governance at Sika involves maintaining product quality and safety, responsibly communicating safe handling procedures for chemicals to customers, accurately labeling chemical products and marketing products responsibly.

Sika’s assessment and improvement of the health and safety impacts of its products is state-of-the-art. The company utilizes global Product Compliance software with one common database, product stewards for all finished goods categories, trainings for all local users, benchmarking, and quality control. Sika’s management strives to avoid any negative impact on customer health and safety through its products. Precautionary measures are taken to mitigate risks related to product safety.

Sika issues documentation about occupational safety, how to wear safety equipment, and the safe transportation and storage of goods. All product information, specifically Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and Product Data Sheets (PDSs), are reviewed regularly. Information on the SDS of individual products can be found on the website of the local Sika companies. 

Sika products must be accompanied by a SDS in compliance with the country’s legal requirements and in the required local language when distributed or sold. Packaging and labeling must meet local compliance standards, as well as the Sika branding and labeling rules. The company creates, maintains, and publishes SDS, using the global Product Compliance System. To safeguard legal compliance and customer safety, the requirement for all local Sika companies is that the SDS shall not be older than two years. This is monitored by Global Regulatory & Product Compliance and reported quarterly to all responsible Area Managers, General Managers, Regional Operations Managers, EHS Managers and Product Stewards.  A central corporate REACH and Chemical Regulatory Department (the Regulatory & Product Compliance Team) coordinates all corporate activities, covering the requirements of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), Classification, Labeling and Packaging (CLP), as well as other relevant chemical legislation to ensure the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can arise from chemicals. 

Sika aims to eliminate substances hazardous to human health or the environment from products and production processes wherever possible. The company has established the Sika Banned Substance Process at Group level for assessing and treating substances with an elevated risk hazard potential based on the GHS classification. This internal process is complementary to local legal requirements, emphasizing Sika’s uncompromising commitment to quality, safety, and environmental sustainability.  Substances falling under the “Sika Banned Substance” definition must be checked for replacement by less hazardous alternatives in all the processes defined in the Sika Product Creation Process (PCP) and processes of Regulatory & Product Compliance. Based on the classification of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), “Substances of Concern” are divided in two main categories:

• Category 1: substances which shall not be used in any sales products (both manufactured and trading products), all materials handled in manufacturing plants and supply chain. Only substances used for R&D purposes are exempt.  
• Category 2: substances which may be used in controlled manufacturing processes as long as the defined concentration limits are not exceeded in the final product.   

In the last two years, as a result of assessments conducted by the Steering Team Banned Substance, 39 substances of concern were phased out. 148 assessments conducted over the same period have identified further 60 substances which are planned to be phased out by the end of 2024.

Sika is currently reviewing the Sika Banned Substance Process, with a view to accelerate progress in this important area and continues to review and assess the use of substances of concern. 

The main goal of the Marketing function at Sika is to support business growth, generate and nurture customer leads, and create a globally recognized brand. Packaging is essential for such purposes as it is used to identify Sika products. It enhances the appearance of the label for product promotion and provides information about the correct and safe use of the product.  

The marketing and labeling activities at Sika provide customers and stakeholders with compliant, accurate, and valuable information regarding classification, labeling, and packaging (CLP) rules and the application of its products. Labels should include legal and regulatory requirements, as well as customers’ requirements, depending on the customer type (either distribution or direct sales).