Please briefly introduce your position in the company:
My name is Niklas Flum and I am part of our sustainability department. My focus here is on communicating sustainability, sales support activities and creating our EPIs.
Our company has been around for over 150 years. How has the company philosophy, in terms of sustainability and the circular economy, evolved over time?
I would say that the company philosophy in terms of sustainability has not changed much, as sustainability is part of the Sedus DNA and has therefore been taken into account since the company was founded. We are still guided by the values from back then. The topic of the circular economy has become much more important in recent years, which is why we are constantly striving to improve in this area.
How do you define (sustainable) circular economy in our company?
We try to develop our products in such a way that they can be broken down into their individual components at the end of their life cycle so that the materials can have a further use. Our basic concept for the circular economy is the Sedus Green Codex. Here we take a holistic approach in order to consider the entire product life cycle and make environmentally conscious decisions so that sustainable products are created in the end.
What materials are used to ensure the sustainability of the products and how are they selected?
We are increasingly using recycled materials in our products. The recycled material in the products reduces the proportion of primary materials, which also allows us to significantly reduce the footprint of our product. For products such as the se:lounge or the se:lounge light, we use PET felt, which is made from old PET bottles.
Are there any special technologies or processes that have been implemented in the company to reduce the environmental impact?
We have implemented a number of measures in production. By reducing the temperature in our powder coating process from 180° to 160°, we have since used 30% less gas and electricity. Since 2012, we have been producing with 100% green electricity, which saves us around 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. Another major measure was the switch to LED lighting in our assembly halls, which has enabled us to reduce our electricity consumption here by 50% since then. At the Dogern site, we now also have a new energy concept that includes heat pumps and photovoltaics, which will enable us to save 60% of our gas consumption in future.
How do we ensure that our supply chains are sustainable and environmentally friendly?
Each of our suppliers is given the Sustainability Commitment, in which we give suppliers both environmental and social requirements to which they must adhere. Since the introduction of SA8000, we have also introduced a supplier risk management system in which we monitor each of our suppliers more closely and initiate measures where necessary.
How do we inform and support our customers with regard to the sustainable use and disposal of their products?
When it comes to selecting sustainable products, customers can use our EPIs. These are Environmental Product Datasheets and provide the customer with some interesting ecological information such as the exact material breakdown, the recycled content and a life cycle assessment. Thanks to our customer service, we are able to sustainably extend the life cycle of the products during use by repairing the chairs if necessary and replacing worn out parts. For the disposal of our products, we cooperate with the recycling expert PreZero. If a customer has a large number of swivel or visitor chairs, they can take advantage of this offer. Here we ensure that the individual materials are separated by type and can be reused in some form. The special feature here is that plastic is also separated in such a way that it can be reused.
Do we offer programmes for taking back and reusing old furniture? If so, how do they work?
In the future, we will have two programmes that we can offer customers to take back and reuse their furniture. For small quantities, the products can be taken back via our Sedus Outlet and given a second life there. If the customer has a larger quantity, we work with a partner who takes it back and ensures that the products are used again. We are in the final stages here and will soon be able to provide more detailed information.
Niklas Flum makes it clear that sustainability is not just a buzzword, but an integral part of Sedus' corporate philosophy. By using recycled materials, green electricity and implementing modern technologies such as LED lighting and heat pumps, the environmental impact is significantly reduced.
Sedus attaches great importance to a sustainable supply chain and actively supports its customers in the sustainable use and disposal of their products. Programmes to take back and reuse old furniture underline the company's commitment to a sustainable circular economy. This interview makes it clear once again that Sedus Stoll AG is determined to act in an ecologically, economically and socially responsible manner while always preserving the values and traditions of the past.
Many thanks to Niklas Flum for his time.
