Kraton Solidifies Green Leadership with New Certification

HOUSTON, TX – January 29, 2026 – Kraton Corporation, a global leader in specialty polymers and bio-based chemicals, has announced a significant milestone in its sustainability journey. The company's manufacturing facility in Panama City, Florida, has successfully earned the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS, reinforcing its commitment to advancing the circular economy.

This achievement marks the fourth pine chemical plant within Kraton's global network to receive the prestigious certification, positioning the company as a frontrunner in providing traceable, sustainable materials derived from pine wood pulping co-products. The certification allows Kraton to offer its customers verifiable proof of sustainability for its biobased polyterpene resins, creating a powerful ripple effect through numerous industrial supply chains.

The Gold Standard of Sustainability Reporting

The ISCC PLUS certification is more than just a plaque on the wall; it represents a rigorous, independent validation of a company's commitment to sustainable practices. As a leading global certification system, ISCC ensures that materials are sourced responsibly and that sustainability claims are transparent and traceable from origin to final product. The system is built on six core principles, including the preservation of biodiversity, adherence to good agricultural practices, safe working conditions, and respect for human rights.

A cornerstone of the ISCC PLUS system is the "mass balance attribution method." In complex chemical manufacturing where certified sustainable feedstocks are often mixed with conventional fossil-based ones, physically segregating the materials is frequently impractical. The mass balance approach solves this by acting as a certified bookkeeping system. It meticulously tracks the exact quantity of sustainable material entering the process and allows an equivalent amount of the final product to be sold with the sustainability attribute.

This method provides Kraton's customers with a credible and flexible pathway to incorporate more sustainable content into their products without overhauling their own manufacturing lines. By receiving an ISCC PLUS Sustainability Declaration with their order, downstream manufacturers can make verifiable claims about the bio-circular content in their own goods, meeting the rising demand for transparency from both consumers and regulators.

A Strategic Pillar of Corporate Identity

For Kraton, the Panama City certification is a deliberate step in a long-term strategy that embeds sustainability into its core business model. The company's efforts have already earned it an EcoVadis Platinum rating for four consecutive years, placing it in the top 1% of companies assessed for sustainability performance globally. This latest certification further solidifies its reputation as a reliable partner in the transition to a bio-based economy.

The certification directly impacts Kraton's high-performance polyterpene resin brands, SYLVARES™ and SYLVATRAXX™. While these products are well-known for their use in demanding applications like adhesives and tires, their versatility is expanding into new markets.

"Our SYLVARES™ and SYLVATRAXX™ brands feature a portfolio of high-performance polyterpene resins," said Lana Culbert, Kraton Pine Chemicals VP of Marketing. "They are widely recognized for their use in adhesives and tire applications, yet their versatility extends to other industries, like agriculture, with more opportunities ahead. While we can measure bio-based content of our pine chemicals using Carbon-14 analysis, certifying our Panama City facility under ISCC PLUS strengthens supply chain transparency, supporting the growth of the circular economy."

This move aligns with Kraton's broader goals, which include a 41% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions since 2014 and a comprehensive plan to improve ESG data quality and set new decarbonization targets.

Empowering a Sustainable Supply Chain

The true significance of Kraton's certification lies in its enabling power. By providing ISCC PLUS certified materials, the company acts as a catalyst for sustainability throughout its value chain. Customers in sectors from packaging adhesives to automotive tires and agricultural products can now more easily meet their own ESG goals and respond to market pressures for greener products.

This "domino effect" is crucial for scaling the circular economy. As major brands and manufacturers increasingly adopt green procurement policies, the demand for certified materials skyrockets. Kraton's proactive certification of its facilities ensures a reliable supply of these materials, giving its customers a distinct competitive advantage. The ability to trace sustainable content through a complex supply chain builds trust and provides the data necessary for credible environmental marketing claims, moving companies beyond vague "eco-friendly" labels to quantifiable, verifiable sustainability.

Navigating the Future of Chemical Manufacturing

Kraton's investment in ISCC PLUS certification is not just about meeting current standards; it's a strategic preparation for the future regulatory landscape. Globally, governments are enacting more stringent environmental policies. The European Union's Green Deal, for example, includes a mandate for at least 20% of carbon in plastic and chemical products to come from sustainable, non-fossil sources by 2050. Similarly, the USDA's BioPreferred Program in the United States encourages the use of bio-based products.

By securing these certifications now, Kraton positions itself ahead of the curve, ready to meet the demands of a market where sustainability is no longer optional but a prerequisite for market access and long-term success. While competitors in the broader chemical space, such as Arkema and Perstorp, are also embracing ISCC PLUS, Kraton's focus on certifying its pine chemical facilities gives it a leadership position in its specific niche.

This proactive stance demonstrates an understanding that the future of the chemical industry relies on decoupling from fossil fuels and embracing innovative, circular, and bio-based solutions. As more industries seek to reduce their carbon footprint, the availability of certified, high-performance materials like those from Kraton's Panama City plant will be essential to building a more sustainable industrial ecosystem.