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Tips for making your company sustainable

Tips for making your company sustainable

OCTOBER 2021 | 4 minutes

Organisations are increasingly aware of this and as such they are searching for and finding ways to take care of the environment through their products, processes and spaces in order to become truly sustainable companies. From Actiu's experience as a sustainable company, we leave you some tips below.

How can you become a sustainable company?

First of all, sustainability must be part of the company's philosophy and culture from start to finish; a cross-cutting quality that must be present in all decision.

Some tips to transform your company into a sustainable company and that must be taken into account, is the appropriate selection of raw materials, a correct management of waste, the selection of transport methods, the energy efficiency of the facilities and a commitment to local suppliers. All these qualities make up a sustainable company from the inside out.

 

What is a sustainable company?

It is an organisation that minimises the impact of its activities and day-to-day operations on its environment, opting for a more local philosophy. It uses recycled and recyclable materials whenever possible and minimises the waste it generates.

In Actiu's case, its sustainable commitment as a company is evident at its Actiu Technology Park, for which it has received the Leed Platinum seal awarded by the US Green Building for its architecture that respects the environment and incorporates one of the largest photovoltaic plants on an industrial roof in Europe. This plant generates the equivalent of the amount of energy consumed by 3,500 homes per year and is five times more than what its facilities need. This energy prevents 3,060 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) from being emitted each year.

The facilities are self-sufficient in the use of water since they have three underground tanks for rainwater that store the equivalent of 4.5 Olympic swimming pools.

These same premises, which have already inspired the architecture of the park, permeate each of the production processes and the products that leave these facilities on their way to their final destination. A sustainable commitment that is joined by Actiu's collaboration with local and regional partners for more than 50 years.

The rule of the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle

Raw materials are the first link in the production chain. That's why it's essential to ensure that they meet the highest quality and sustainability standards.

Actiu's designs are the result of an effort to minimise its environmental impact as much as possible throughout the product's life cycle: obtaining raw materials, production, use, disposal and possible recycling. Thus, Actiu has been a pioneer in Spain by incorporating formaldehyde-free melamine in its entire range of products as standard, meeting the emission standards established by the US EPA TSCA Title VI and Phase 2 of the CARB. In addition, 85% of the table tops are recycled.

Likewise, with regard to plastic injection processes that shape products like the Wing, all the excess material is reused in new parts. In addition, in the new Agile Collection the interior foam of the decorative acoustic panels is generated entirely from recycled PET plastics.

The steel in Actiu's products is recyclable and uses 100% recycled aluminium from the automotive industry, the most demanding in terms of quality. As for Actiu's range of fabrics, it includes options made from recycled plastic bottles.

Sustainable furniture: Actiu's commitment

Sustainability also has to do with the durability of the products and the reduction of their carbon footprint. If, in addition to being created with healthy materials, these products are useful for a long period of time, this in turn reduces their impact on the environment.

In fact, Actiu's processes are designed with sustainability in mind down to the very last detail. The production of tables such as the Longo generates a carbon footprint - carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions - 56% lower than other similar models from other manufacturers. With the Tabula table, this decrease in emissions is close to 41%. Regarding chairs, producing a piece from the Uma model reduces the carbon footprint by 68.5% compared to other similar chairs.

Finally, improving energy efficiency and, at the same, taking care of the health of the team in the workspaces, is also possible if you have the right smart tools that complement the furniture. Gaia by Actiu® is a platform that allows for the real-time measurement of factors such as temperature, humidity, sound, light and human presence, as well as the quality of air and PM 2.5 and PM 10 suspended particles.

Its algorithms allow this data to be converted into knowledge and optimal ratios in order to achieve the healthiest possible working conditions and greater energy efficiency. This is exactly what a brand needs in order to be a sustainable company.