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- Use inks and solvents with the lowest volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air emissions (HAPs)
- Train workers to handle chemicals properly
- Optimize equipment to minimize air emissions
Sustainability
More sustainable flexo printing
© Flexographic Technical Association
In this article we compare the key pillars of more sustainable flexographic printing identified by the Flexographic Technical Association with our own sustainability efforts here at tesa.
For us as a company in the chemical industry, pursuing a holistic and scientific approach determines our actions and is a matter of course. However, in many areas progress can only be achieved in close partnerships with suppliers and customers.
We're happy to see that our goals are so closely aligned with the priorities of the printing industry.
Emissions
Reducing air emissions in production is crucial for mitigating environmental impact, improving air quality, and fostering sustainable practices essential for the well-being of both ecosystems and human health.
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Our mission to reduce global emissions includes upstream and downstream processes as well as our own production. Renewable energy is a key pillar of our commitment.
Our major sustainability targets 2030:
- Climate neutral production (Scope 1 and 2) versus base year 2018
- Our indirect supply chain emissions will be reduced by at least 20% (Scope 3) versus base year 2018
Water and energy use
Minimizing water and energy use in production is essential for resource efficiency and to lower environmental strain for a resilient and responsible industrial ecosystem.
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- Reduce water use through low-flow fixtures and recycling
- When replacing equipment, choose more energy-efficient options
- Conduct self-audits and ask local utilities for complimentary evaluations
- Consider other sources of power such as solar
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At tesa, we are dedicated to minimizing water and energy consumption within our production processes. Since 2020, we have sourced 100 percent of our purchased electricity from renewable energy sources. In addition to reducing fossil-based energy consumption, increasing energy efficiency also plays an important role. To achieve this goal, we are implementing technologies that are particularly efficient in conserving resources and energy.
Waste
Waste reduction in production is paramount for environmental conservation, cost-effectiveness, and fostering a circular economy that maximizes resource efficiency and minimizes the ecological footprint.
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- Determine where waste can be minimized in all phases of operations, from planning through prepress, press, and postpress
- Establish practices to ensure non-hazardous and hazardous substances are properly managed, recycled, reused, and/or disposed
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tesa will contribute to the circular economy and use resources as carefully as possible. Where waste is unavoidable, we seek to reuse or recycle it by various means. By 2025, we want to eliminate all landfill disposal of production-related waste.
Our major sustainability targets 2030:
- We strive for reduction of waste from our production and products
- By 2030, we will provide more products with sustainable end-of-life solutions
- We will invest into solvent-free processes and full recovery of solvents
For flexo printers, we offer our tesa® Twinlock technology, which significantly reduces waste in plate mounting.
Transportation
Short transport routes and fewer transports are vital to reduce carbon emissions, minimize environmental impact, and contribute to efficient and eco-friendly supply chain management.
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- Investigate ways to optimize movement of goods
- Source locally to reduce transportation costs
- Encourage employees to carpool and use mass transportation
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In general, tesa's 'local for local' concept will increasingly result in shorter supply chains, targeting for production sites to be close to local markets. We have set ourselves ambitious targets for our logistic operations, with a roadmap being laid out with initial plans, and the means, routes, and modes of transport being scrutinized.
Logistics emissions contribute to our overall Scope 3 footprint as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Protocol. Our target is to reduce these by 20% in absolute terms by 2030, compared to the 2018 baseline. An example project in the transport category involves optimum capacity utilization of containers in overseas shipping, where smart planning and digitalization play a crucial role.
Specifically for flexo printers, tesa® Twinlock helps to decrease transport emissions. When using tesa® Twinlock, you could be looking at one annual delivery instead of approximately 50 separate tape deliveries per year, which leads to fewer trucks emitting carbon dioxide.
Employees and supply chain
Considering the entire supply chain is essential for sustainability efforts as it ensures a comprehensive approach, addressing environmental, social, and economic impacts across all stages of production and distribution. This includes suppliers and customers but also the engagement of internal employees.
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- Optimize production by communicating with employees, suppliers, and customers to find the most sustainable production process
- Determine the most efficient use of material, layout, and substrate
- Oftentimes, the best suggestions come from the people on the shop floor!
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At tesa, we holistically incorporate sustainability across our supply chain. We engage with suppliers and customers to optimize production and material use and we continuously train our employees and increase the number of jobs with a focus on sustainability internally.
Our major sustainability targets 2030:
- We target full transparency of our supply chains
- At least 80% of our spend will go to suppliers that are aligned with our sustainability standards
Workplace
A safe workplace safeguards both employees' well-being and environmental integrity, fostering a responsible and resilient foundation for more sustainable business practices.
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- A safer, healthier workplace results in a better work environment, less downtime and training
- Provide information in other languages when necessary
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Health and safety in the workplace are a key priority at tesa. For us, effective occupational health and safety measures require a systematic and consistent approach and we have set ourselves the goal of reducing the number of work accidents to zero and avoiding work-related ill health as well as physical and mental strain at work. In dedicated occupational safety commitees and in the annual management review, corporate management evaluates new steps to further improve employee safety and reduce work-related health risks. We focus on prevention and raise our employees' awareness of possible risks through initial and advanced trainings. All operating instructions are made available in local languages.
Continuous journey
Viewing sustainability strategies as a journey is crucial, as each incremental step contributes to long-term positive impact. Goals and achievements should be continuously tracked and revisited to create a resilient future.
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- Monitor progress by tracking metrics such as kWh, gallons of water and tons of emissions
- Set goals and objectives to improve performance
- Continue to plan, do, check, act, and reach new heights in sustainability!
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We are making continuous progress when it comes to protecting the environment and climate. Environmental management systems play a key role for us here. We already use systems that are certified in accordance with an ISO 14001 matrix at all seven production facilities with a related coating unit and/or adhesive production.
We identify, assess, and monitor the progress made by our ISO 14001-certified sites in reducing their CO₂ emissions.
Our headquarters in Norderstedt and the Hamburg and Offenburg production facilities also have ISO 50001-certified energy management systems.
Every day, we keep a close eye on our targets and measure our performance against them.
Validation
External renowed certifications and partnerships help make sustainability efforts visible and credible.
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Printers in the US and Canada that are operating sustainably are certified through the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) stand out from the crowd. Learn more at www.sgppartnership.org.
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tesa is registered with a gold status on EcoVadis, a collaborative platform for monitoring sustainability performance. tesa is among the top 2% of companies in the industry assessed by EcoVadis.
We make all our claims on product sustainability measurable and verifiable.
Get in touch
Let's talk about your journey towards more sustainable printing and how we might be able to help