FoamPartner adopts a comprehensive sustainability strategy focused on PLANET, PEOPLE & PERFORMANCE
Guidelines for responsible thinking and acting show the way towards a sustainable future with innovative and industry leading foam solutions.
Climate change, finite resources and social challenges in people’s global as well as local coexistence are increasingly making us aware of sustainability. FoamPartner has always been striving to live, continuously optimize and adapt sustainable safety, health and environmental principles in line with relevant circumstances. The concept and goals of this ambitious strategy have now been defined in a comprehensive guideline, including many examples of sustainable product solutions.
“We practice sustainable thinking in all pertinent areas – socially, ecologically and economically. For if we want to have a stake in shaping the future, we must think in terms of saving resources and act with social responsibility. High-performance solutions without sustainable credentials and real customer benefits are inconceivable to us,” states Dr. Michael Riedel, CEO of FoamPartner. “This is why we are using a dedicated and diversified set of strategic instruments to implement our sustainability claim at all levels.”
The now adopted guiding principles are targeted at three core aspects:
PLANET – Ecological Sustainability
We only have one planet. Therefore, environmental safety, conservation of resources and climate protection are top priorities in FoamPartner’s sustainability strategy. This is reflected in strict adherence of environmental standards and in a consistent planning and use of resources for yield optimization and material efficiency, including innovative waste avoidance and recycling concepts, as well as in energy efficient and low-emission plants.
“Wherever possible, we use recyclable materials and renewable resources,” emphasizes Philippe Clément, Head of Operations. “In some cases, our environmental activities already exceed future legal requirements, and even on a small scale we are continuously looking for further optimization potential to minimize our carbon footprint, such as by abstaining from global business trips. Because every step counts!”
Cornerstones in FoamPartner’s ecologically sustainable activities include:
Scheduled introduction of ISO 14001 environmental management system at specified locations
Implementation of ISO 50001 energy management at selected sites
Participation in emission trading with CO2 certificates
Innovative product solutions with renewable and CO2 based polyols
Active waste prevention, recycling and upcycling of production residue
Collaboration in the Ebia and Europur circular economy / mattress recycling working group
Gradual transition to paperless processes
PEOPLE – Social Sustainability
At FoamPartner, people are our most valuable asset. Our initiatives for the well-being and satisfaction of our employees as well as our social commitment are proof of this. Safety at work and exemplary health protection are a matter of course for us. Social activities with heart and mind are not an empty phrase but concrete reality in the everyday life of the company.
“Over the past two years, we have intensified our efforts to build a sustainable and cohesive corporate culture. ‘OneFoamPartner’ is the destination of this journey, where we focus particularly on the values of respect and reliability,” explains Manuela Wendland, Head of Global HR. “We consider it very important to create a pleasant working environment for our employees in which they can develop their skills, grow and thus position themselves sustainably well. Moreover, however, we also strive to meet our commitment to the prosperity of people in our local environment and on a global level. Because social sustainability reaches beyond company boundaries.”
Typical examples of this socially sustainable concept include:
Adherence to highest standards of occupational safety and health
Continuous investment in the optimization of safety at work and health protection according to latest technical findings
Regular training and initiatives for promoting the health of our employees
Talent development and career advancement, from team building to manager training programs
Support of non-profit associations and organizations in the area of our sites
Support of several UNICEF sustainability initiatives
PERFORMANCE – Economical Sustainability
The social, regulatory and ecological challenges in our time need high-performance solutions. FoamPartner meets these requirements with an all encompassing approach across the entire value chain, including strict attention to responsible supply chains, and develops innovative products for long-term added value and benefits in a wide range of application areas.
“Whether low-emission or based on sustainable resources, offering high durability or enhanced performance despite reduced weight – we attach the greatest importance to a portfolio that is not just tailored to specific market needs but also shows high regard for sustainability throughout the entire life cycle of each product,” adds Heribert Perler, Head of Global R&D. “This means that each individual product solution takes a wide range of different sustainability aspects into account – from the raw materials and manufacturing through logistics and application to end of life.”
Today, a full range of advanced products noted with our proprietary Ecovative™ label are already illustrating this economically sustainable approach. Ecovative™ stands for FoamPartner’s ‘Best in Foam – Sustainable through Innovation’ promise and characterizes product solutions offering particularly sustainable and economic value, such as:
OBoSky® foams for efficient production of low-odor automotive headliners with significantly reduced VOC and FOG values
OBoNature™ products for resource-saving automotive interiors with a sustainable share of more than 13 percent in the final foam and enhanced material efficiency thanks to optimized flame lamination performance
OBoSonic® water-blown foam systems without fluorocarbons for acoustic application with high absorption properties
RegiSeal® Acoustic SMS spring-mass systems for acoustic and vibration solutions in automotive light weighting applications with lower resource consumption and up to 50 percent lower weight
RegiSeal® e-Thermo as a thermally effective component especially for electric vehicles, where it contributes to reducing the battery consumption through improved insulation and to increasing the mileage range through significant weight savings
RegiSeal® Aqua and RegiSeal® TN 30 FR for durable protection of climate-friendly heat pumps and condensing boilers against the leakage of liquids or gases and/or the ingress of humidity or foreign particles
HyPore Roof foam for VIRIdiVITA®[1] water storage mats on green roofs and for façade greening
Packaging foams based on upcycled ingredients from by-products of the chemical industry, such as B 2240 Eco with a sustainable share of more than 12 percent
EvoPoreHRC® and EvoPoreVHRC premium comfort foams for mattresses with certified safety according to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX, Class 1, and excellent support at 30 percent lower material consumption and lower volume weight than comparable latex products
Kitchen sponges made of PUR foam with a recycled material share of up to 70 percent and Hydro S 60+ durable cleaning sponges as an alternative to cellulose and viscose sponges
“The topic of sustainability is our motor and drives our innovation. We have already achieved a lot, have developed sustainable products, have optimized or re-thought production processes. Yet we know that we are still at the beginning and want to become even more sustainable – by conviction, with passion and understanding,” Dr. Riedel concludes.
www.foampartner.com
