Our requirements for Castrol products and services to be included as part of the PATH360 family.
This document describes our assessment criteria for products and services to qualify to be included in the PATH360 family. We developed these criteria to help focus on the contributions Castrol can make to a more sustainable future and to help us to assess our sustainability progress. This third edition incorporates the recommendations made as part of an independent review conducted by Ricardo Energy & Environment in 2022.
The product assessment criteria in this document will be kept under review and revised when Castrol considers it necessary due to changing circumstances and at least every two years.
Published April 2024
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Our goal is to become the lubricant, service, and maintenance sustainability partner of choice for our customers. Understanding ways we can potentially improve the environmental profile of our product range and improving its contribution in use, through performance, is key to achieving that.
In order to work towards this, we have developed this “Castrol PATH360 product assessment” to help us identify which of our products we can consider to be “more sustainable” or “have a better environmental profile” relative to the others in our portfolio (and thereby qualify to be part of the PATH360 family), and where we have opportunities to improve.
There are currently four categories of assessment criteria which mirror our PATH360 guiding principles. A product or service can qualify to be part of the PATH360 family if it meets the qualifying criteria under one (or more of the categories). They are:
Category | Sub-category | Simplified qualifying criteria | Tier 1 |
---|---|---|---|
Customer Solutions | Energy | PATH360 | Improves Fuel Efficiency | 1 |
Waste | PATH360 | Longer Life, Less Waste | 1 | |
PATH360 | Reduces Waste | 1 | ||
PATH360 | Recycled Content | 1 | ||
Water | PATH360 | Water Saver | 1 | |
PATH360 | Water Contamination Saver | 1 | ||
Health & Environment | PATH360 | Health & Environment | 1 | |
Thermal Management Fluids | PATH360 | Thermal Management Fluids | 1 | |
Advancing the Transition | Supporting the generation of renewable power | PATH360 | Advancing Energy Transition | 2 |
Supporting the adoption of e-mobility solutions | PATH360 | E-Mobility | 2 | |
Lower Carbon Design | Lower Carbon Design | PATH360 | Lower Carbon Design | 1 |
Carbon Neutral | Carbon Neutral | PATH360 | Carbon Neutral | 2 |
Castrol has mapped its product portfolio against the assessment criteria under each category to understand which products qualify as part of the PATH360 family and how they perform as a proportion of total sales.
The categories and associated assessment criteria are also used as part of Castrol’s new product development process to guide more sustainable product development and to help us track our investment in this space.
In their review, Ricardo Energy and Environment recommended sharing the decision tree Castrol uses to include products within the PATH360 family and the adoption of new levels of qualification to its assessment in order to identify which of Castrol’s products we consider to be “more sustainable” or “have a better environmental profile” relative to the others in the PATH360 family.
We have introduced a categorisation process and decision tree to identify Castrol products within 4 levels of qualification to maximise our contribution to a more sustainable future.
The criteria in this document will be kept under review and revised when Castrol considers it necessary due to changing circumstances and at least every two years.
Castrol has established a governance process for reviewing the qualifying criteria. This includes technical experts from across the business reviewing the proposed basis for any new criteria and making recommendations for endorsement by Castrol’s leadership team. Since 2022 Ricardo has performed annual independent review of our approach, and we work to incorporate their recommendations into each update.
To achieve the Paris climate goals1, the world will need improvements in end use energy efficiency. In one estimate, these improvements can provide almost 40% of the necessary GHG reductions.
We know that the biggest difference we can make is by working together with our customers and partners and helping towards their sustainability goals. Our products can help our customers save energy, waste or water and we are focused on high performance solutions to maximise this contribution.
Energy efficiency is critical to achieving the Paris climate goals
In total, ~23% (119 EJ) of the world’s total energy consumption originates from tribological contacts. This 23% is split as 20% (103 EJ) is used to overcome friction and 3% (16 EJ) is used to remanufacture worn parts and spare equipment due to wear and wear-related failures2.
1 Energy efficiency includes enhanced technology performance as well as shifts in end-use sectors from more energy-intensive to less energy-intensive products (including through fuel shifts) Energy Technology Perspectives 2020 (windows.net) pg73.
2 Influence of tribology on global energy consumption, costs and emissions Kenneth Holmberg & Ali Erdemir 2017
Castrol products and services that contribute to their users sustainability aims by reducing friction or through cooling and reduce waste by protecting from corrosion and wear. Increasingly we are also developing offers to support commercial customers towards their water saving and protection goals.
Products and services included in the PATH360 family under the “Customer solutions” criteria are those that we consider can demonstrate deliver better outcomes than industry benchmarks and thereby contribute towards their user’s sustainability objectives.
Castrol’s automotive lubricants portfolio covers cars, bikes and trucks and within each application the performance range offered is wide to cover the needs of our customers around the world, from older industry specifications to newer higher performing products carrying the latest OEM and industry specifications1.
To qualify as a PATH360 product for fuel efficiency, a product must carry
A second aspect of fuel efficiency is the viscosity of the products. Lower viscosity products, regardless of the specification that they carry, can have an inherent fuel efficiency benefit vs higher viscosity grades. The lower viscosity grades are often specified by the vehicle manufactures to help meet vehicle efficiency and emissions performance requirements. This is typically led through engine design to meet these standards which subsequently requires a thinner (lower viscosity) oil to operate correctly for performance and durability in all required conditions.
We estimate that in 2021 our lower viscosity lubricants saved our passenger car customers 280 million litres of fuel compared to what would have been used by vehicles using a global industry average portfolio of lubricants2.
“Reducing the fuel consumption through lowering the engine oil viscosity by only 1% would yield calculated savings of 1.7 million tonnes of CO2-emissions based on the total 170 million tonnes of CO2-emissions generated by German road traffic annually3.”
1 these are continually updated by the industry and OEM’s and Castrol will assess these in line with the review of this document
2 due to the Castrol passenger car portfolio sold in 2021 being made up of a larger proportion of lower viscosity lubricants based on a set of assumptions. Fuel efficiency determined via the Industry M111FE test. For more information visit www.castrol.com/PATH360/Saving-fuel
3 Tribology in Germany: Interdisciplinary technology for the reduction of CO2-emissions and the conservation of resources 2019
Many Castrol customers have set stretching waste targets such as minimising waste to landfill, responsible use of resources and packaging targets all linked to waste.
To qualify as PATH360 under the WASTE category products and services must demonstrably help their users reduce waste arisings or support their recycled content targets:
For example by:
Extended drain formulations are designed to prolong useful life and help reduce waste. Our automotive engine lubricant portfolio covers cars, bikes and trucks and within each application we formulate for a wide range of performance requirements to cover the needs of our customers around the world, from older industry specifications to newer high performing products carrying the latest OEM and industry specifications.
For example CASTROL VECTON | CASTROL UK & IRELAND Fully synthetic (SAE 10W-40) and part synthetic (SAE 10W-30) diesel engine oils which have been tested for extended drains up to 120,000 km1.
Extending useful life
Corrosion and wear cause machine life to be reduced. Globally 16EJ of energy is used to remanufacture worn parts and spare equipment due to wear and wear related failures2.
By understanding the quality of residual material at end of use and the environment it is working in we can find ways that materials can be re-used thereby reducing total waste arisings and raw material demand.
e.g. our Techniclean XBC product range sold as compatible cleaner to our XBB coolants is to be considered as a system enabling waste reduction.
Through our partnership approach and advanced metalworking fluids offer, Renault saved 1 million litres of water and 1 million litres of waste in their automotive engine plant3.
Many of Castrol’s customers have sustainability aims focused at increasing the use of recycled content in place of virgin raw materials. Castrol is exploring opportunities to replace virgin raw materials in both it’s products and packaging.
Reducing plastic use is a focus area of PATH360 sustainability aims but in and of itself recycled or reduced packaging is not sufficient to qualify a product as part of the PATH360 family. We track separately and report our progress against our aim to, by 2030, halve our plastic footprint from our 2019 baseline, which is estimated as 23 grams per litre.
Castrol’s products are made from blends of “base oils” and additives. A recent LCA (4) study shows that re-refined oils typically result in 86% less resource depletion than using virgin base oils because these materials are being used again so by using them we help to save finite resources. They also typically have 64% lower global warming potential over their lifetime than virgin base oils, so, by blending them into our formulations we can progress towards our net carbon intensity reduction aim. Products made using greater than 25% re-refined base oil may qualify as part of the PATH360 family.
Water is a precious resource and a valuable commodity. According to the UN, water scarcity affects more than 40% of the world’s population and is projected to rise1. According to the IPCC “roughly half the world’s population currently experience severe water scarcity for at least some part of the year due to climatic and non-climatic drivers”.
Many of Castrol’s commercial customers are setting water targets related to consumption and to reducing contamination. Castrol is developing offers and solutions to help towards these goals. To qualify as PATH360 under the water category products and services must either:
By considering the environment in which products are used they can be designed to work together to help customers reduce overall water demand.
We help our customers meet their operational HSSE and regulatory requirements where there is potential for their discharge or accidental release to the aquatic environment, by developing products with reduced environmental profile whilst maintaining their technical performance.
This is achieved either through:
Products meeting these criteria can qualify as part of the PATH360 family.
Techniclean XBC range reimagines the process by recycling the cleaner
Our Techniclean family of solvent and water-based cleaners enables precision cleaning of metal-worked parts in a wide range of cleaning systems. While other industrial cleaners can only be discarded, cleaners such as Techniclean XBC range can be cycled back to the coolant system without causing performance issues. This reduces waste volume, as Techniclean is constantly being reused. It also enables lower water consumption, and lower operating costs, thanks to the reduction in waste processing and clean water usage. When the cleanliness of components after process cleaning is paramount, but you also need to reduce water consumption, machining and cleaning process costs, Techniclean helps make it happen.
Watch the Case Study video (NEED LINK)
1For more information visit https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/
Improving lives is one of our six guiding principles. The environmental and health profile of our products and offers is governed by legislation and/or managed through our own product risk assessments.
The toxicological and ecotoxicological properties of relevant Castrol products are assessed to determine its health and environmental impacts. The minimisation and mitigation of these impacts primarily include alternative selection of raw materials and substituting these where applicable. Where alternatives are not available measurescan be taken to eliminate these raw materials or where low risk appropriate measures are put in place to manage the use of products.
Castrol BioTac MP2 is a next generation environmentally acceptable multipurpose extreme pressure grease formulated to simplify onboard operations.
It is specially developed for a wide range of exposed marine deck applications and highly suited to medium or low-speed bearings and wire ropes. It supports compliance with US Vessel General Permit (VGP) / Vessel Incidental Discharges ACT (VIDA) legislation.
The BioTac MP2 formulation is based on an optimized performance additive system. With a broad operating temperature (-35°C to 140°C), it is suited to all conditions from Arctic to tropical climates and enables resistance to mechanical shear and water spray-off. Its formulation allows a simple change-over process - important given the reduced manpower in the maritime industry.
Castrol BioTAC MP greases are certified carbon neutral in accordance with PAS2060 since 2021. *
It is also o EU Ecolabel registered. The EU Ecolabel was established as a voluntary ecolabel award scheme intended to promote products with a reduced environmental impact during their entire life cycle and to provide consumers with accurate, non-deceptive, science-based information on the environmental impact of products. BioTAC MP2 meets the minimum requirements of EU Ecolabel by:
“Demand for digital services is growing rapidly. Since 2010, the number of internet users worldwide has more than doubled, while global internet traffic has expanded 25-fold. Rapid improvements in energy efficiency have, however, helped moderate growth in energy demand from data centres and data transmission networks, which each account for 1-1.5% of global electricity use.
The data centres and data transmission networks1 that underpin digitalisation accounted for around 330 Mt CO2 equivalent in 2020 (including embodied emissions), equivalent to 0.9% of energy-related GHG emissions (or 0.6% of total GHG emissions). Since 2010, emissions have grown modestly despite rapidly growing demand for digital services, thanks to energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy purchases by information and communications technology (ICT) companies and broader decarbonisation of electricity grids in many regions. However, to get on track with the NZE Scenario, emissions must halve by 2030.” Data centres & networks - IEA
Up to 40% of data centre energy is spend on cooling, immersion cooling can help to cut this consumption by up to 80%. Additionally, large data centres can use over 1bn L of water for cooling with immersion cooling this can be reduced to zero.
With immersion cooling we are helping to significantly improve energy and water use of facilities. Additionally, immersion cooling can help to enable the reuse of waste heat of data centre. IT equipment transforms over 99% of the electricity into heat, harnessing this waste heat is a significant contributor to the energy transition.Immersion cooling fluids may qualify as part of the PATH360 family under Advancing the Transition.
To find out more visit: Data centre and IT cooling
We are investing in and developing products and services that support the world’s transition to renewable energy and sustainable technologies - like lubricants for wind turbines.
Castrol Optigear Synthetic X 320 is a premium synthetic oil for wind turbine gears operating in wide temperature ranges and under high loads.
Suited for high-capacity wind turbine gears, it delivers best-in-class surface protection and reduces gear friction.
As part of Castrol’s strategy we are supporting newer, growing sectors including e-mobility. Electric vehicles (EVs) play a fundamental role in the future of the automotive industry.
Castrol has recently launched Castrol ON, a new brand for its range of advanced fluids for EVs. The range includes e-Transmission Fluids, e-thermal fluids and e-Greases. Advanced e-Transmission Fluids help extend the life of the drivetrain system and enable EVs to go further on a single charge. E- thermal fluids help keep batteries cooler, even in extreme conditions, and enable them to tolerate sustained ultra-fast charging (>150kw), while e-Greases enable EVs to perform more efficiently by minimising temperature spikes, and enhancing durability of components whilst lowering weight. Today, 2 out of 3 of the world's major car manufacturers use Castrol ON EV Fluids as part of their factory fill1.
Castrol ON: leading the charge
Castrol’s e-Fluids range has been developed in close collaboration with industry partners including the Jaguar Racing Formula E Team. Castrol ON’s motorsport collaborations mean that e-Fluid technologies can be pushed and tested to the limit on the track before they reach the road.
e-Thermal Fluids
Castrol ON battery e-thermal fluids improve thermal management, keeping batteries cooler and at more stable temperatures, even in extreme conditions. This enables ultra-fast charging and helps to extend the life of the battery.
e-Transmission Fluids
Castrol ON e-Transmission Fluids deliver enhanced protection of the drivetrain and improve efficiency, helping EVs go further on a single charge and working to extend the life of the drivetrain system.
e-Greases
Castrol ON e-Greases play a vital role in maintaining optimum efficiency and extending the life of components.
To find out more about Castrol ON visit: castrol.co.uk/e-Fluids
Since 2014, we have been conducting product life-cycle carbon assessments for an increasing number of products within our portfolio. These assessments now cover almost all of Castrol’s product sales by volume. We use the GHG Protocol’s Product Standard1 to quantify the life-cycle carbon emissions associated with a product from raw material extraction, transport, production emissions, packaging, use and ultimate fate after use.
As part of our aim to reduce the net carbon intensity per litre of our products we are working to reduce the life-cycle carbon emissions of our offers by improving our operational efficiency, encouraging our supply chain to decarbonise, working to source lower carbon raw materials and working to influence in-use losses and fate after use. We want to deliver high performance products with lower life-cycle carbon footprints. We know that, as well as wanting to work with suppliers that share their values, our customers are looking for products with lower lifecycle carbon emissions (aka lower carbon footprints) to help reduce their scope 3 emissions.
To qualify for the PATH360 Family under the lower carbon category,the product’s carbon emissions on either an upstream, (cradle to gate), downstream carbon (gate to grave) emissions (in accordance with the GHG Protocol’s product lifecycle accounting and reporting standard), or both, must be at least 10% lower than previous baseline.
Castrol products contribute to saving energy and driving efficiency in use, but there are carbon emissions associated with their life-cycle. Reducing product life-cycle carbon emissions will take time and requires action all along the value chain. Carbon offsetting is a rapid way for us to contribute to the climate challenge while we work to reduce emissions.
In 2014, Castrol became the first company in the world to offer a carbon neutral lubricant, verified and assured by an independent third party to be carbon neutral in accordance with PAS 2060, an internationally recognized specification for the demonstration of carbon neutrality. Over the next few years, Castrol continued to expand its carbon neutral portfolio to include additional brands in the passenger car and commercial vehicle engine oil spaces, as well as gear oil for wind turbines. In 2021, to mark the launch of Castrol’s PATH360 sustainability strategy, Castrol increased its Carbon Neutral offer further to cover ~30% of volume sold; this now includes a brand in every space served (e.g., automotive, industrial, marine, energy and e-fluids) as well as all products sold by Castrol in Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam.
To make a product carbon neutral, Castrol follows the PAS 2060 standard.
PAS 2060 specifies a four-stage process to demonstrate carbon neutrality which includes:
Castrol’s application of PAS 2060 involves two external independent third parties; one to do the assessment of GHG emissions and a second to do the verification and assurance of carbon neutrality.
All carbon neutral products can be included as part of the PATH360 family.
Offset backed customer offers
Many of Castrol’s customers are aiming to reduce and/or compensate for the carbon emissions associated with their businesses, products and services. To help accelerate this Castrol also plans to develop offers that enable customers to understand their carbon emissions, look for opportunities to improve and potentially access carbon offset credits.For more information visit www.castrol.com/cneutral
An example of this is Castrol's PATH360 Dealer offer where Castrol helps the customer calculate their business’s operational carbon emissions for example using Castrol’s carbonmanagement portal, create and commit to a carbon emissions reduction plan.Castrol is also helping these customers access carbon credits. Offset backed offers like this will qualify as part of the PATH360 family under the 'customer solutions' category see page 20 for more detail.
Path360 Castrol product sustainability assessment | Example requirements | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Customer solutions | Energy | Fuel economy | OEM specification for fuel economy | DEXOS Gen 3 BMW LL12 FE |
Industry specification | ACEA C2 5W-30's | |||
Proven independent of specification | Castrol MAGNATEC Stop-Start EDGE Extended Castrol assessment based on Engine and chassis dynamometer performancePerformance |
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Lower viscosity vs market average | Products which have a viscosity grade equal to or lower than 0W-20 can qualify as PATH360 regardless of the specification the product holds. | |||
Water | Saves water | Products designed to work as systems thereby reducing customer water demand. When sold together these products can qualify as PATH360 in the water category. When designed and sold as systems to save water they can qualify as part of the PATH360 family. |
Castrol assessment based on field trials and field performance | |
Reduces impact on water / Aquatic environment | Conformance with internationally recognised Ecolabels or scientifically demonstrable improvement in environmental performance in comparison to an equivalent conventional mineral oil product based on biodegradation, bioaccumulation and toxicity. | Internationally recognised Ecolabel e.g. EU Ecolabel for Lubricants, Swedish Standard, Blue Angel, OSPAR Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic.
Comparative testing for biodegradation, bioaccumulation and aquatic toxicity using internationally recognised methods e.g. Biodegradation OECD 301 series, OECD 306. Bioaccumulation OECD 117, 107 or 123 or molecular weight or diameter. Aquatic toxicity: ISO 10253, ISO 14669, PARCOM 1995, OECD 201. OECD 202, OECD 203. |
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Waste | Extend useful life | External drain formulations Extended drain interval specification or proven to extend drain intervals independent of specification |
MAN 3677 - Scania LDF-3, LDF-4, LDF-5 Castrol assessment based on field trials and field performance Proven extended drain Claims on CVO products |
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Reduce | Extending useful life Protection characteristics relative to previous benchmark | BIO CFX 85 cutting fluid vs incumbent fluid Castrol trials |
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Reuse | Products designed to work as systems thereby reducing customer waste arisings. When sold together these products can qualify as PATH360 in the waste category. |
e.g. our Techniclean XBC product range sold as compatible cleaner to our XBB coolants is to be considered as a system enabling waste reduction. |
||
Recycle | Products designed for increasing the use of recycled content in place of virgin raw materials | Products made using greater than 25% re-refined base oil may qualify as part of the PATH360 family | ||
Health & Environment | Reduced toxicological or ecotoxicological impact |
Products formulated to reduce or eliminate the exposure to chemicals that are harmful to human health or the environment | Globally Harmonised System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Health and environmental risk assessment approach from EU REACH |
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Thermal management fluids | Thermal management fluids | Immersion cooling can help commercial customers to reduce energy and water consumption. Data centre are among the largest energy consumers globally. Up to 40% of energy is spent on cooling, immersion cooling can help to cut this consumption by up to 80%. | EV Thermal Management Fluids Product type | |
Advance the transition | E-mobility |
All products and services developed to serve e-mobility qualify as part of the PATH360 family. | ||
Renewable power | All products and services developed for these new growing sectors will qualify as part of the PATH360 family. | |||
LOWER CARBON DESIGNLower carbon design | >10% life-cycle carbon vs baseline |
To qualify for PATH360 lower carbon, the product’s cradle to gate or gate to gate life-cycle carbon emissions must be at least 10% lower than previous baseline. |
Measured in accordance with GHG protocol | |
Carbon neutral | Carbon Neutral | To make a product carbon neutral we follow the PAS 2060 standard specification to calculate the life-cycle carbon profile of the product or service, develop a carbon reduction plan, purchase and retire sufficient carbon offset credits to compensate. This is third party assured. All carbon neutral products can be included as part of the PATH360 family. |
In accordance with PAS 2060 |
Ricardo was commissioned by Castrol to review its PATH360 Product Sustainability Assessment (PSA) methodology 3rd Edition (April 2024). This assessment has reviewed changes made to the methodology since the previous review which took place in 2022. In particular, this review has focused on the addition of two new qualifying criteria and a review of Castrol’s new PSA decision tree and levels of qualification. Ricardo has not reviewed how the PATH360 assessment criteria had been applied to specific products but rather the methodology itself.
The signed assurance statement is provided in English only, because this version was assured by Ricardo. Translated versions are not assured.