The topic of sustainability evokes associations such as adherence to principles, thinking about future generations or the economical use of natural resources. Areas in which we have a lot to show for ourselves in our long company history. LESER now has a broad repertoire of engagements relating to our environment and sustainable products.
Discover our sustainability efforts below!
FSC® - Certification and Products
Sustainability - for LESER far more than just a slogan. Therefore, in October 2018 - in addition to a series of further commitments - the FSC® certification of our company followed. Following the DIN EN ISO 9001 (quality management system) and DIN EN ISO 14001 (environmental management system) certifications, it completes the profile of the LESER Group and thus manifests our values. Since then, our portfolio has included products with the FSC® label whose wood fibre materials originate from sustainable forestry.
But what exactly does the FSC® represent?
The Forest Stewardship Council® was established in 1993 following the Rio de Janeiro Environmental Summit. As a non-profit organization, it is committed to the environmentally sound, socially responsible and economically viable use of the world's forests. The FSC® also sees itself as a platform for communication between the various stakeholders. In this form, social and ecological standards are developed that must be adhered to, for example in the cultivation of forests. On its mission in the fight against the progressive overexploitation and destruction of forests the FSC® finds more and more supporters. The fields of activity of the FSC® are meanwhile manifold and range from the integration of indigenous peoples, occupational health and safety and species protection to a democratic principle for all actors.
Watch the video to find out more!
What does this mean for LESER?
Since our industry in particular uses wood fibres on a large scale, we are committed to sustainable forest management with a comprehensive chain of custody. As an internationally operating company, we are also aware of our responsibility to protect the environment. In concrete terms, this means for us the proof of certified product and supply chains - from the forest to the consumer. Because the complete control of the wood chain guarantees end products that meet our demands towards ourselves. The FSC® label thus guarantees consumers the certainty of positive end products from sustainable forestry. For LESER this is a further step towards responsible future planning.
Since then, our range has included several series and products with the FSC® label. All FSC®-certified packaging series can be found in our sustainable packaging overview, which we carry under the GreenPack by LESER brand.
Environmental Management System DIN EN ISO 14001
In 1998, LESER GmbH was the first company in the industry worldwide to be certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001 (quality management system) and DIN EN ISO 14001 (environmental management system). LESER thus committed itself very early on to sustainable management and the associated efforts. Because with the implementation of the holistic environmental management system we are endeavouring to ensure environmentally compatible behaviour of the company at all times.
The background - environmental impact
Many industries are already experiencing the effects of climate change. Climate-related complications of supply networks in industry or confrontations with extreme heat or cold periods in tourism are already a reality today. Signals from the environment, the origins of which we decisively counter by means of the environmental management system. After all, companies are significantly responsible for the consequences of climate change. However, the motives behind certification are complex and range from environmental protection to responsible future planning. On the one hand, environmental management helps to reduce our CO2 emissions, for example - but at the same time we can save energy costs and thus operate sustainably.
International standard for environmental management
Companies go one step further than legal requirements with their operational environmental management and bundle all of the company's environmental protection activities in it. The most widespread environmental management system is DIN EN ISO 14001 - an international standard for environmental management. It defines how an environmental management system is to be structured. In Germany, around 12,200 companies and organizations are currently certified according to ISO 14001. The environmental management system serves to define the responsibilities and procedures for operational environmental protection. The focus is often on several temporary measures to improve environmental performance.
What does the environmental management system mean to LESER?
LESER has therefore undertaken to regularly evaluate the condition and effectiveness of the management system. Accordingly, the quality and environmental officer prepares an annual management report which presents the environmental and quality-related events of the past year. To implement the goals and activities, all relevant activities are described in process, work and workplace instructions - and the corresponding responsibilities are defined. Our environmental guidelines include the use of advanced processes and the environmentally compatible design of products. We continually reduce environmental pollution, for example by selecting the materials we use. We consider communication with our stakeholders to be essential. We set our own standards, which are higher than statutory regulations or official requirements.
Further sustainability measures
Specifically, our focus for our sustainability efforts is on the environmental issues of manufacturing materials, energy, water, emissions, noise, soil and waste. Many of these aspects were already considered when the new factory was built in 1986. For example, our production processes only materials that are all classified as non-hazardous in the Ordinance on Hazardous Substances. The polystyrene, for example, is 100 % recyclable. For this purpose, two recycling mills have been installed in the company, by means of which unusable parts, such as sprues, are ground and can thus flow back into the production process. Our packaging materials are also recycled through a comprehensive collection and disposal system.
The low energy demand of our company results, among other things, from the heat recovery of the injection moulding machines, screw compressors and refrigeration machines. The integration of strip lighting for the use of daylight at the workplaces and the targeted use of night-time electricity also contribute to this. In short, there are currently around 20 processes for energy recovery or energy saving in use, some of which were developed and optimised in-house.
The company needs water mainly for sanitary purposes and for cooling the injection moulding machines. The water demand is partly covered by rainwater, which is collected in a cistern and used for toilet flushing by a pumping system. To minimise dust emissions for the benefit of our employees, appropriate extraction systems have been installed in the various areas of production. In addition, the carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions generated in the heating system are kept very low through the use of natural gas and strong heat recovery. Precautions such as catch basins for water-polluting substances or an automatic fire alarm system with wet water extinguishing system keep the damage to the environment as low as possible in the event of an incident.
The environmental management system provides us with continuous monitoring of our ongoing environmental impact. Safeguarding and further development of internal standards are ensured by internal audits, management documentation, training and further education of our employees. This enables us to produce sustainable packaging - in every aspect!
