Bona's Climate Win: Slashing Emissions by 46% Ahead of Schedule

MALMÖ, Sweden – April 02, 2026 – Bona, a global leader in floor care solutions, has unveiled a significant milestone in corporate sustainability, announcing in its 2025 Sustainability Report that it has slashed its direct operational greenhouse gas emissions by 46% from a 2022 baseline. The achievement not only surpasses the company's 2025 target ahead of schedule but also casts a spotlight on a business model where environmental stewardship is not just a policy, but the very product it sells: longevity.

“Our business is built on extending the life of existing flooring materials and reducing the need for replacement,” stated Lidija Broström, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Bona, in the company's official release. This philosophy of restoration over replacement is proving to be a powerful tool in the fight against climate change, a claim now backed by compelling data and third-party validation.

Beyond the Target: A Deep Dive into Emissions Reduction

The headline figure of a 46% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions is the result of a multi-faceted strategy focused on operational efficiency and renewable energy. The company's total emissions from its direct operations and purchased energy dropped to 1,338 tonnes of CO₂, a substantial decrease achieved despite growing sales volumes. This demonstrates a successful decoupling of business growth from carbon output.

This progress was driven by a significant increase in renewable energy, which now accounts for 67.65% of Bona's total consumption. The company has invested in a range of initiatives, including installing solar panels and geothermal heating at its facilities, transitioning its vehicle fleet to electric, and purchasing renewable electricity certificates. These actions have not only reduced emissions but also improved overall energy efficiency, with total consumption lowered to 11,777 MWh.

Bona's efforts have not gone unnoticed. The company's performance was recently recognized with the 2025 'Sustainability – Best Practice (Manufacturer)' award from the European Cleaning Journal, a prestigious honor celebrating excellence in the professional cleaning sector. This external validation underscores the credibility of Bona's initiatives in a market increasingly wary of greenwashing.

While impressive, Bona's achievements are part of a broader industry trend. Competitors like Tarkett and Shaw Industries are also making significant strides, with comprehensive programs targeting recycled content and net-zero operations. However, Bona's unique selling proposition lies in its foundational business principle.

The Circular Floor: How Restoration Slashes Carbon Footprints

The most compelling aspect of Bona's sustainability narrative is how its core business model aligns with circular economy principles. The company has long championed the idea of refinishing and maintaining floors rather than tearing them out and replacing them. A landmark Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute provides powerful evidence to support this approach.

The 2025 study, which focused on the German market, analyzed the environmental impact of refinishing wood, vinyl, and linoleum floors compared to a full replacement. The results were dramatic: refinishing a floor can reduce its carbon footprint by an average of 83–89% over its life cycle. For wood and vinyl flooring, the CO₂ reduction was a staggering 89%, while linoleum saw an 83% decrease.

These savings extend beyond just carbon. The IVL study revealed that refinishing leads to a minimum 90% savings in resources, including transport, electricity, and materials. For a wood floor, the energy savings alone can reach 97%. By extending the life of materials already in place, the practice drastically reduces landfill waste and the emissions associated with manufacturing and transporting new products. This positions floor restoration not as a mere maintenance task, but as a significant climate action available to homeowners, facility managers, and businesses.

A Ripple Effect: Driving Sustainability Through the Value Chain

Recognizing that its own operational footprint is only part of the picture, Bona is increasingly turning its attention to its wider value chain. In 2025, the company completed a comprehensive screening of its Scope 3 emissions—the indirect emissions that occur in a company's supply chain, from raw material sourcing to product transport.

This initial screening is a critical first step toward a more holistic climate strategy. In tandem, Bona has strengthened its engagement with key suppliers. A new supplier evaluation process, which covered 70% of its purchasing volume in 2025, has been implemented to promote responsible sourcing and greater transparency. This process helps ensure that Bona's partners adhere to similar standards of environmental and social governance.

These efforts are paving the way for a formal climate transition plan, which the company expects to adopt in 2026. This plan will outline a clear roadmap toward Bona's long-term vision of becoming carbon neutral by 2040, addressing impacts from raw materials all the way to the end-of-life of its products.

Innovation in a Bottle: The Shift to Bio-Based Solutions

Bona's commitment to sustainability is also evident in its product development pipeline. The company, which pioneered waterborne floor finishes decades ago, continues to innovate. In 2025, it launched a new line of bio-based wood and hard surface floor cleaners in its EMEA and APAC markets.

These new formulations are composed of more than 90% bio-based content, significantly reducing the reliance on fossil-based inputs common in the cleaning industry. This shift aligns with a growing consumer and commercial demand for products that are not only effective but also healthier for indoor environments and less damaging to the planet. The products have also earned GREENGUARD Gold certification, ensuring they meet strict standards for low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, contributing to better indoor air quality.

By integrating sustainability into its core business model, operational practices, supply chain management, and product innovation, Bona is presenting a comprehensive case study for how a company can thrive by placing environmental responsibility at its center. Its latest report shows that the path to a lower-carbon future may well be found by taking better care of what we already have.