Henkel

🚨 Reasons for Boycotting Henkel

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is a German multinational chemical and consumer goods company, owning iconic brands such as Persil, Pril, Bref, Fa, Loctite, Schwarzkopf, and Dial. While the company does not sell weapons directly, it is deeply embedded in the genocidal israil state's innovation infrastructure and occupation economy through its official partnership with the israel Innovation Authority (IIA), its investments in israeli technology startups, and its direct commercial presence in israil through Henkel Soad Ltd. Additionally, its top management has made public statements aligning with the israeli government's position. Its largest institutional shareholders - Vanguard and BlackRock - are among the largest investors in the weapons companies supplying the israeli occupation military.

1. Official R&D Partnership with the israel Innovation Authority (IIA): Henkel has entered a formal collaboration agreement with the israel Innovation Authority (IIA), an israeli government agency. Under this agreement, Henkel and the IIA invited israeli companies and innovators to submit applications to develop and/or pilot "enabling sustainability technologies and electronic components." The stated goal is to "establish a commercial relationship between Henkel and israeli innovation providers." Successful israeli applicants receive a grant covering 50% of approved R&D or Pilot Expenses from the israel Innovation Authority, along with technical support and expert advice from Henkel. The sought-after areas include functional coatings for aviation and metals, printed electronics materials, and recycling-enabling technologies. This official collaboration directly ties Henkel to israil's government-backed innovation infrastructure.israel Innovation Authority: Henkel – R&D and Pilots Call for Proposals (2023)Al-Adab: Henkel Boycott Campaign (Updated 2022)
2. Direct Commercial Presence in israil (Henkel Soad Ltd.): Henkel owns a wholly-owned israeli subsidiary known as Henkel Soad Ltd., headquartered in Netanya, israil. The company was established in 1996 following Henkel's acquisition of Soad Company from Shemen Industries, which had been operating since 1924. Henkel holds a 100% stake in this entity, which employs dozens of staff and operates in both adhesive technologies and consumer goods sectors. Consequently, Henkel's profits in israil flow directly into the israeli economy.MarketScreener: Henkel Group Shareholding Information — Henkel Soad Ltd. (100% ownership)Henkel Official Careers: Henkel israel – Adhesive Technologies, Netanya (israel)Al-Adab: Henkel acquired Soad Company from Shemen Industries in 1996
3. Investments in israeli Technology Startups (Feelit, Copprint, ioTech): Through its venture arm Henkel Ventures, Henkel has invested in several israeli startups. In January 2021, Henkel invested in israeli company Feelit Technologies, headquartered in Haifa, which developed a unique sensor technology for predictive maintenance. Henkel also invested in israeli company Copprint, specializing in materials science, and ioTech, a UK-based company with R&D capabilities in israil. In September 2025, Feelit announced it had raised $8.3 million in a Series A funding round with continued support from Henkel Ventures. Paolo Bavaj, Head of Corporate Venturing at Henkel Adhesive Technologies, stated: "The investment in Feelit perfectly fits to our business strategy and underlines the value of our long-standing engagement in israil as a major global hub for materials and technology start-ups." These investments directly inject capital into the israeli technology ecosystem.Henkel Official Press Release: Henkel invests in technology start-up Feelit (January 2021)Feelit Technologies: $8.3M Series A funding with Henkel Ventures (September 2025)Handelsblatt: Henkel investiert in israelisches Technologie-Start-up CopprintHenkel Official Press Release: Henkel invests in technology start-up ioTech (June 2021)
4. Pro-israel CEO Statements (October 2023): On October 13, 2023 - days after the genocidal war on Gaza began - Carsten Knobel, Henkel's CEO since 2020, made a public statement saying: "The attacks on israel are carried out by terrorist groups. No attack on israel can be accepted. We will stand by israel throughout the entire process." He also noted that Henkel has "about 100 employees in israil" and operates both business sectors there, although it has no production facilities of its own. These statements align completely with the official position of the israeli government and completely ignore the humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people.Yeni Şafak: Persil Boykot mu? Henkel CEO Carsten Knobel's israel statement (October 2023)Genç Gazete: Henkel CEO's israel statements draw backlash (October 2023)Boykot israil: Henkel CEO's statement (November 2023)
5. Primary Institutional Shareholders: Vanguard and BlackRock - Largest Investors in israeli Weaponry: According to shareholder data, among Henkel's largest institutional shareholders are BlackRock, Inc. (4.09%) and Vanguard Capital Management, LLC (2.41%). Both firms are explicitly named in an official United Nations report (OHCHR) by Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, identified as being "among the largest investors in arms companies pivotal to the genocidal arsenal of israel." Specifically: BlackRock is the second largest institutional investor in Palantir and third largest in Lockheed Martin and Caterpillar; Vanguard is the largest institutional investor in Caterpillar and second largest in Lockheed Martin and Elbit Systems. Consequently, the profits Henkel generates flow partly to these two funds, which channel billions of dollars into the weapons industry used by israil in its genocidal war on Gaza.ADVFN: Henkel AG & Company KGAA (HENKY) Ownership Distribution — BlackRock 4.09%, Vanguard 2.41%UN OHCHR: Report of the Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese (2025)FS Sustainability: BlackRock, Vanguard bankroll 'genocide', illegal occupation: UN
6. Stark Double Standards in Crisis Response: Although Henkel has taken clear public stances on issues such as the Ukraine war, exiting the Russian market and suspending new investments, it has issued no statement condemning the genocide in Gaza. Instead, the company's top management chose to publicly side with the israeli government. This stark contradiction exposes the company's claims of social responsibility and demonstrates that its ethical standards are selective.Boykot israil: Henkel Boykot Gerekçeleri (November 2023)

🌐 Sources

Official and verifiable sources detailing Henkel's and its shareholders' involvement with israil:

• israel Innovation Authority: Henkel – R&D and Pilots Call for Proposals (2023)
• MarketScreener: Henkel Group Shareholding Information — Henkel Soad Ltd. (100% ownership)
• Henkel Official Press Release: Henkel invests in technology start-up Feelit (January 2021)
• Feelit Technologies: $8.3M Series A funding with Henkel Ventures (September 2025)
• ADVFN: Henkel AG & Company KGAA (HENKY) Ownership Distribution — BlackRock 4.09%, Vanguard 2.41%
• Yeni Şafak: Persil Boykot mu? Henkel CEO Carsten Knobel's israel statement (October 2023)
• UN OHCHR: Report of the Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese (2025)
• Boykot israil: Henkel Boykot Gerekçeleri (November 2023)

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