NOT CURRENT YEAR

Grade C+
ChemScore report card 2022

Air Liquide

About the company

Air Liquide S.A. is the second-largest supplier of industrial gases by revenue and has operations in over 80 countries. Through its subsidiaries, the French multinational company produces, markets, and sells industrial and healthcare gases. The Paris-based company also produces welding, diving, and technical-medical equipment. Air Liquide sells its products throughout Europe, the United States, Canada, Africa and Asia.
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Total score
24 / 48

Grade summary

Air Liquide has increased its total score by six points since last year and climbed three places in the ranking, moving from seventh to fourth. This climb is mainly due to increased knowledge about the company’s chemical production; approximately 72 percent of Air Liquide’s revenue comes from EU and US markets, where information is available in public records. The company still only has one hazardous substance in its product portfolio – carbon monoxide – but also still lacks a clear strategy for designing it out. Air Liquide assesses the environmental sustainability of its products, including hazardous properties, and contributes to the circular economy through their green hydrogen and by converting recycled organic material into biomethane. However, the company still doesn’t advertise any of their safer and more sustainable alternatives on Marketplace, and has been involved in several controversies over the past decade.

How did we come to this score?

Opportunities for improvement

  1. Market safer alternatives
    Air Liquide offers various products and processes with lower environmental effects, but doesn’t advertise a single product on third-party platforms such as Marketplace, where buyers and suppliers can find and market safer alternatives. The company’s peer Air Products is active on Marketplace and we strongly recommend that Air Liquide should be too.
  2. Prevent further controversies
    Air Liquide has been involved in incidents leading to fatalities and liabilities of over eight million USD. The company should re-design or dramatically improve its Environment, Health and Safety strategy. This would help Air Liquide to better avoid incidents and make sure that controls – functioning even when human errors occur – are in place. If an accident or spill should happen, it is important that the company identifies the causes and publishes a document on strategies that will be implemented to avoid similar occurrences in the future. It is possible to prevent human suffering and environmental pollution when producing chemicals, but it requires a thorough Environment, Health and Safety system.
  3. Increase circularity
    Air Liquide scores five out of eight possible circular points. The company could further improve its circularity score by developing a clear circular matrix with key performance indicators, where progress can be seen over time.

Category breakdown

Categories diagram

How did we come to this score?

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Read more about our methodology
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Overall rank
4 / 54
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Total score
24 / 48
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Product Portfolio
12 / 18
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Development of Safer Chemicals
8 / 12
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Management & Transparency
4 / 12
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Lack of Controversies
0 / 6
Other years
Year Rank Total score
2022 4 / 54 24 / 48
2021 7 / 50 18 / 48
2020 6 / 35 19 / 48