Our sustainability work is based on three dimensions: environmental, social and financial
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Blowtech is a manufacturing industry with operations that lead to environmental impact of various kinds. The main impact is due to the use of energy and materials, but the generation of waste and generated climate emissions also put a strain on the environment. Read more below about how we take our environmental responsibility.
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Our social responsibility is about taking responsibility for our employees and ensuring that each individual has a good working environment, taking into account both physical and psychosocial factors. The social aspects of sustainability are also about taking responsibility for people in and the development of the local community in which we operate.
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To achieve profitability, it is important to dispose of all resources with care and work with efficiency at all levels. By constantly embracing new technology and being at the forefront of product development, we want to ensure that the Group's production has the least possible impact on health and the environment while being run in an efficient and profitable manner.
Environmental responsibility
Blowtech is a manufacturing industry with operations that lead to environmental impact of various kinds. The main impact is due to the use of energy and materials, but the generation of waste and generated climate emissions also put a strain on the environment.
XANO has established three aspirational goals that will form the basis for the Group companies' work on environmental improvements. XANO's environmental goals:
■ Reducing the amount of waste that cannot be reused or recycled
■ Reduced energy use
■ Lower climate emissions from energy use and transport
Based on these, Blowtech has set its own quantitative environmental targets to work actively with.
Through a systematic follow-up routine, Blowtech reports annually on the progress of its environmental work and on what is to be done in the coming year to reduce its environmental impact. Regular reconciliation takes place in connection with the customary follow-up of outcomes in relation to the business plan. Input for key performance indicators is collected on a quarterly basis. Initially, our selected measurement areas are waste, energy use and climate emissions.
WASTE As a manufacturing company, we have an environmental responsibility, not only for ensuring that the production processes live up to the requirements set, but also for what happens to waste materials during manufacturing and end products when they are worn out or taken out of use for other reasons. Hazardous waste must be minimized and materials must be recycled as much as possible.
ENERGY USE Energy is required to run the production processes of the operations. In addition to a reduced environmental footprint, lower energy consumption also provides cost savings while strengthening the companies' sustainability profile. The energy audits have led to the implementation of a number of specific measures that have resulted in energy savings and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. The ongoing work on energy efficiency includes, among other things, energy recovery in the company's own processes as well as environmentally conscious choices when replacing light sources, for example, and investments in new machinery.
CLIMATE EMISSIONS The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions (mainly carbon dioxide) is energy use for heating/cooling of premises, lighting and operation of production equipment. Freight transport, as well as business travel by car and air, are other areas we have identified as significant sources of emissions. Blowtech's manufacturing takes place in Sweden and Norway, countries where energy production largely comes from renewable sources and consumption thus generates relatively low climate emissions. Our goal is to use energy from renewable sources as much as possible.
Reporting according to The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative
As of 2020, the Group reports emissions in accordance with the standard designed by The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Initiative. This means that emissions from business travel with company-controlled cars, transportation with own vehicles, and the combustion of gas and oil for heating are reported in Scope 1. Scope 2 includes emissions from the use of purchased energy for electricity and heating of premises. Emissions related to cargo transport by an external party and business travel by air are included in Scope 3. Continuous improvements are underway in terms of energy efficiency to reduce energy use and lower climate emissions. Automatic and more energy-efficient lighting, improved routines for starting/stopping energy-intensive processes and heat recovery are examples of measures implemented during the year.
The Group's sustainability reporting
Since 2017, XANO has reported on the Group's joint sustainability work in an annual sustainability report. When an overall picture of the sustainability activities in the Group's companies was desired, a sustainability policy was developed centrally that all units implemented. In 2018, the Board adopted a sustainability strategy that describes the overall direction for continued work. Furthermore, aspirational goals for improvements were formulated in selected areas regarding the environment and personnel. Read more in XANO's annual sustainability report.
