Together for Sustainability

What Together for Sustainability does

Together for Sustainability (TfS) is a member-driven, non-profit international association (AISBL) founded in 2011 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, that builds and operates the de facto global standard for sustainability performance in chemical industry supply chains. TfS's core offerings are organized around two pillars: standardized supplier assessments and audits (delivered in partnership with EcoVadis and approved third-party auditors) covering Environment, Health & Safety, Labour & Human Rights, Governance, and Management; and a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) program comprising the TÜV-certified PCF Guideline (versions through 3.0), a versioned PCF Data Model (v3.1), and the PCF Exchange solution (rebranded in 2026 from SiGREEN to Mattermaps under Makersite). Supporting programs include TfS Academy (multilingual training modules), Corrective Action Plans (CAP) driving measurable supplier improvement, and Chem-X Digital Material Passports (DMP) co-developed with a 15-organization consortium for emerging EU Digital Product Passport regulations.

TfS is governed by a member-elected Steering Committee and a General Assembly, with day-to-day operations led by General Manager Dr Gabriele Unger and President Jennifer Jewson (who leads the TfS 2030 strategy "Accelerate4Impact"). Revenue is generated through annual membership contributions from 60+ large and mid-cap chemical companies (including founding member Bayer and members BASF, PPG, Sika, Greif, Arxada, Takasago) whose combined annual turnover exceeds €800 billion. TfS extends its footprint through regional teams in Singapore and China, strategic partnerships with Catena-X, WBCSD's PACT, Siemens/Makersite, and the China Automotive Carbon Digital Technology Center (CAC), and operationalized industry standards aligned with ISO 14067, UN Global Compact, and Responsible Care. In 2024, TfS members executed 13,678 assessments and 596 audits globally, with over 6,000 suppliers demonstrating measurable improvement through CAPs.

Name

Together for Sustainability

Legal name

Together for Sustainability AISBL

Website

https://tfs-initiative.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Together for Sustainability (TfS) is a Brussels-based non-profit initiative of 60+ chemical companies that standardizes sustainability assessments, audits, and Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) data exchange across global chemical supply chains.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: TfS operates as a membership-based organization. Chemical companies join as members and gain access to TfS assessments, audits, training programs, guidelines, and data exchange platforms. Revenue is generated through annual membership contributions from member companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Together for Sustainability (TfS) is a member-driven, non-profit initiative for the chemical industry that delivers standardized supplier sustainability assessments, on-site and virtual audits, Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) calculation guidelines, and a digital PCF data exchange. It also operates the TfS Academy for training and capability building, enabling chemical companies and their suppliers to measure, report, and improve sustainability performance across global supply chains.

Product overview

Together for Sustainability (TfS) operates a multi-component platform for sustainable chemical supply chains, consisting of core assessment and audit programs combined with digital tools and training. The core offerings include TfS Assessments (standardized online questionnaires) and TfS Audits (independent on-site verification) that evaluate supplier sustainability across Environment, Health & Safety, Labour & Human Rights, and Governance. The TfS PCF Guideline provides the methodology for calculating Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs), while the PCF Exchange solution and TfS PCF Data Exchange platform (SiGREEN/Mattermaps) enable secure sharing of emissions data across the value chain. TfS also participates in Chem-X, developing Digital Material Passports (DMPs) for chemical sustainability and circularity data. TfS Academy delivers multilingual training modules across all these areas, supported by a PCF Supplier Toolkit and Corrective Action Plans for continuous improvement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TfS Assessments: Standardized online questionnaires evaluating supplier sustainability performance across Environment, Health and Safety, Labour and Human Rights, Governance, and Management areas.
• TfS Audits
• TfS PCF Guideline
• TfS Academy
• TfS PCF Exchange Solution
• Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
• Chem-X

Products and services

• TfS Supplier Sustainability Assessment Standardized sustainability assessment program for chemical industry suppliers, covering environmental, social, and governance criteria; results shared among TfS members to avoid duplicate questionnaires.
• TfS Audits (On-site and Virtual) Independent sustainability audits conducted at supplier sites, available as on-site or virtual formats, evaluating compliance with TfS standards across labor, human rights, environment, and management systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2024, over 6,000 suppliers demonstrated measurable progress through the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) process
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• China Automotive Carbon Digital Technology Center (CAC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2025TfS and CAC signed an MoU to advance carbon management standardization in the automotive industry. They jointly hosted a Technical Seminar on Mass Balance Automotive Materials in Shanghai in December 2025, focusing on the Mass Balance Approach for automotive materials in China's automotive sector.
• RMIminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2025TfS collaboration strengthens Scope 3 guidance in RMI's New Corporate Handbook, providing TfS expertise on supply chain emissions measurement and reporting.
• The Climate DriveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2024TfS partners with The Climate Drive to advance supply chain decarbonisation, providing members with additional tools and resources for sustainability improvement.
• WBCSD Partnership for Carbon Transparency (PACT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 September 2023TfS strengthened collaboration with WBCSD's Partnership for Carbon Transparency to drive sustainable supply chains. They are launching a joint guide to help companies navigate PACT-TfS PCF differences, facilitating more practical carbon transparency in the chemical sector.
• SCTi (Sustainable Chemistry Technology initiative)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 June 2023TfS and SCTi collaborate in driving transformational change for the textile and leather industries, extending TfS sustainability practices beyond traditional chemical supply chains.
• Catena-XcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 March 2023TfS and Catena-X signed a Memorandum of Understanding to decarbonise the chemical industry. They jointly developed the PCF Verification Framework and PCF Program Certification Framework (version 2 released September 2025) to enhance trust in PCF data across the automotive and chemical value chains.
• EcoVadiscoreTechnology or IntegrationEcoVadis is TfS's key partner for supplier assessments. TfS leverages EcoVadis methodology and platform for assessments. EcoVadis prepared TfS's 10th Anniversary Impact Report. TfS offers EcoVadis Pre and Post-Assessment webinars in multiple languages.
• Chem-XcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTfS is an Associate Partner in the Chem-X project, a consortium of 15 chemical, digital and data-space organizations developing digital standards for chemical sustainability and circularity. TfS leads development of harmonized Digital Material Passport (DMP) guidelines and incorporates PCF Guideline alignment into Chem-X methodologies.
• Siemens (SiGREEN/Mattermaps)coreTechnology or IntegrationTfS partnered with Siemens to launch the PCF Exchange solution (originally SiGREEN, rebranded to Mattermaps in 2026) - a pioneering carbon data exchange platform for the chemical industry. Siemens provides the IT infrastructure enabling secure PCF data exchange across the value chain.
• CBA (Chemical Business Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBA supports the TfS Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Guideline as the recommended methodology for PCF calculation by its member companies.
• APAGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPAG supports the TfS Product Carbon Footprint Guideline methodology, recommending it to its member companies in the polyurethane and adjacent industries.
• ATC (American Triconex)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerATC recommends the TfS Product Carbon Footprint as the most appropriate PCF calculation methodology for its member companies.
• Harvard Business SchoolminorOthersTfS Case Study was used at Harvard Business School for classroom discussion, demonstrating TfS's impact and relevance in business education.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Catena-X: Catena-X is an automotive data ecosystem with which TfS has a strategic MoU and joint PCF Verification Framework; it represents the same 'networked PCF data exchange' value proposition TfS pursues, applied to the automotive value chain.
• Makersite (Mattermaps, ex-Siemens SiGREEN): Makersite now owns the SiGREEN/Mattermaps PCF data-exchange platform that TfS member companies use; it is simultaneously a core technology partner and a potential competitor as product-level carbon data tooling commercializes.
• Chem-X consortium: Chem-X is a 15-partner consortium developing Digital Material Passport and circularity standards for chemicals, in which TfS is an associate partner; they co-develop guidelines that sit alongside TfS's PCF methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Sphera: Sphera sells enterprise ESG and product-stewardship software, including Scope 3 and chemical compliance tools, competing for the same corporate sustainability budget that funds TfS memberships and adjacent platforms.
• CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): CDP runs disclosure systems for climate, water, and forests used by thousands of enterprises and their suppliers; it overlaps with TfS's Scope 3/PCF objectives and is referenced alongside WBCSD PACT in TfS's verification guidance.
• WBCSD (PACT): WBCSD's Partnership for Carbon Transparency (PACT) sets cross-sector PCF methodology that TfS actively aligns with; both serve as industry-led convening bodies pooling enterprise efforts around Scope 3 emissions.

Direct peers

• Sedex: Sedex is a member-driven platform (SMETA audits, Sedex Exchange) that runs supplier sustainability assessments and shares results across customers - the same value proposition TfS delivers, though broader across consumer-facing industries versus TfS's chemical-sector specialization.
• EcoVadis: EcoVadis is the global sustainability ratings platform that powers TfS Assessments under a core partnership; both evaluate supplier ESG performance across overlapping dimensions (Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, Sustainable Procurement) for enterprise buyers and their supply chains.
• Responsible Care (ICC): Responsible Care is the global chemical industry's voluntary sustainability initiative operated through national associations; it overlaps directly with TfS's chemical-industry focus on EHS performance, member accountability, and supplier expectations.

Others

• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi): SBTi independently validates corporate emissions targets (including Scope 3 reductions), and TfS members like Bayer reference SBTi targets that drive demand for TfS's Scope 3 measurement offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzdupADJJ3vutj6ICZ0a1-g
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/together-for-sustainability

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Together for Sustainability