Henkel Recognized Among Fast Company's 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators for 2025
Henkel's inclusion on Fast Company's prestigious list highlights its strategic initiatives in accessibility, cultural transformation, and global innovation centers that foster breakthrough ideas across the organization.
Henkel has been named to Fast Company's seventh annual Best Workplaces for Innovators list, recognizing the company's culture of innovation across all organizational levels. The 2025 ranking identifies 100 winners across diverse industries including consumer packaged goods, biotech, and healthcare, with Henkel earning recognition for its infrastructure and workplace culture that cultivates breakthrough ideas from any part of the organization.
The company's innovative approach includes significant advancements in product accessibility, particularly through its partnership with NaviLens for smart packaging solutions. In January 2025, Henkel's all® free clear brand became the first laundry detergent in the U.S. to feature smart codes that audibly notify users with low vision or blindness about product details, dosing instructions, and precise in-store location through the navigation and scanning tool available at https://www.navilens.com.
Henkel's cultural transformation initiatives, specifically the Accelerate Cultural Transformations (ACT) program, demonstrate the company's commitment to innovative collaboration. The program invites employees to openly engage in evaluating and building culture through small group meetings with dedicated topics, helping working teams elevate everyday innovations by building connections and providing meaningful insights to peers.
The company's global innovation infrastructure includes 61 state-of-the-art facilities across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, equipped with advanced laboratory equipment and technologies to advance research and development efforts. These centers enable employees to develop customized solutions that accelerate development while honoring Henkel's commitment to sustainability and enhancing the company's product portfolio.
Phil Schaffer, Corporate Senior Vice President of Henkel Consumer Brands in North America, emphasized that the recognition reflects the company's purpose as pioneers at heart, fostering a culture that nurtures creativity, values experimentation, and delivers solutions that can shape tomorrow. The selection process, detailed at https://www.fastcompany.com, evaluates companies that make intentional choices to empower people at every level, proving that innovation results from building cultures where creativity and risk-taking are valued.