In November 2025, HNC was selected from 20 external nominees as the winner of Bayer’s 2025 Procurement Supplier Decarbonization Excellence Award for our low-carbon vitamin C production at our manufacturing site in Dalry (Scotland).
The award recognizes dsm-firmenich as a supplier setting industry benchmarks by delivering measurable carbon reductions while meeting the highest standards of quality, reliability, and regulatory compliance. The World Business Council for Sustainable Excellence (WBCSD) acted as a key member of the jury, and this recognition led to the publication of a case study in the WBCSD Action Bank. Bayer is one of HNC’s most important global key accounts, and this recognition is a powerful example of how our sustainability leadership serves as a key differentiator, creating clear impact, driving business value, and strengthening our customer partnerships.
A priority for Net Zero 2045
The production of vitamin C, a critical health ingredient, is concentrated in coal-powered facilities in China. It is consequently one of the most carbon-intensive ingredients in the nutrition sector. This dependency contributes significantly to global Scope 3 emissions for downstream consumer health and pharmaceutical producers.
More than 85% of global vitamin C volumes are sold into human nutrition, where leading companies such as Bayer are increasingly prioritizing sustainability while continuing to demand the highest levels of quality and regulatory assurances. Recognizing this need as the only vitamin C producer in the Western world, with all other global capacity based in China, HNC designated vitamin C as a priority under our Net Zero 2045 roadmap.
A holistic approach to sustainability
Our Dalry facility in Scotland has 70 years of vitamin C manufacturing experience, an excellent record of long-term regulatory compliance, and secure, traceable, resilient and end-to-end supply chains. In 2025, we leveraged these unique strategic advantages to pilot a new low-carbon production model at the site.
The initiative involved a holistic approach to sustainability, integrating energy, materials, and waste management into core operations. It achieved the same high-purity, pharmaceutical-grade vitamin C with a substantially lower carbon footprint and improved supply chain resilience, supporting Bayer’s ambitious decarbonization goals.
Pioneering industry transformation
The Dalry vitamin C initiative is a pioneering industry transformation made possible by a combination of targeted investment, the adoption of clean energy, and wide-ranging process innovation. Our approach integrates multiple decarbonization levers:
Highly efficient energy generation through a cogeneration plant utilizing 100% purchased renewable electricity, with an additional energy-greening project planned to further reduce Scope 1 emissions
More than 90% waste reutilization, minimizing landfill
The use of sustainable raw materials, including GMO-free wheat sourced from Germany and pure Scottish water
Confirmation via LCA
A third-party verified Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) confirms that Dalry’s vitamin C achieved a 49% lower carbon footprint compared with mainstream alternatives, without compromising pharmaceutical-grade quality or regulatory compliance. This performance data is transparently communicated through HNC’s Sustainability Imp’Act Card™, designed to support informed purchasing decisions and strengthen long-term customer relationships.
The power of partnership
Our decarbonization efforts at Dalry demonstrate the power of partnership to create a healthier and more sustainable future, especially in partnership with companies like Bayer, which are helping to lead the way.
Bayer benefits from a significant reduction in Scope 3 emissions through the adoption of low-carbon, pharmaceutical-grade vitamin C, while strengthening market differentiation and securing a reliable supply of consistently high-quality vitamin C that meets the most stringent pharmaceutical standards.
Through their innovative low-carbon vitamin C, produced via a process that combines clean energy and process innovation, dsm-firmenich is empowering Bayer to lead industry transformation and tackle the challenges of carbon-intensive production.