As a leading manufacturer of flooring products used by floor and parquet layers, interior decorators and painters, Henkel Bautechnik was the main initiator of a work group set up in the 1990s. The objective was to promote extremely low-emission and low-odour products for indoor use by means of uniform tests, controls and labelling. In 1997, Henkel Bautechnik joined with eight other producers to found the GEV "Gemeinschaft Emissionskontrollierte Verlegewerkstoffe e.V." (Association for the Control of Emissions in Products for Flooring Installation), which has since then set the industry benchmark. Today, nearly 40 manufacturers from nine countries work with the quality seal EMICODE EC1. It provides assurance for tendering parties, craftsmen and home owners that products carrying this label are their best safeguard against indoor air pollution caused by volatile organic compounds and odours. Meanwhile, more than 90 percent of Henkel flooring products sold in Germany carry the EMICODE EC 1 quality mark. As of 2011, they will even be awarded the new EMICODE EC1-Plus label.

 

A further milestone in health protection for the construction trade is the so-called "low-dust technology". Originally developed for tile adhesives of the brand Ceresit, the technology - for which Henkel received a special commendation from Germany's Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs - was aligned by Thomsit to the needs of floor layers. The low-dust levelling compounds, which reduce the dust burden by up to 90 percent compared to conventional products, are such an improvement that the GISBAU (Hazardous Substances Information System for the Builders Trade Association) is discussing whether to establish a new GISCODE label.