Sustainability

At HITSA, we want to run the company in a way in which we take responsibility for social and environmental sustainability, as well as financial sustainability.

That is why, in 2020, HITSA developed a strategy for corporate sustainability. We updated this strategy in 2022, when we also attained ISO 14001 certification in environmental management.

From the beginning, it has been a fundamental principle that we want transparency and documentation on how our activities and production affect the environment. The word “sustainability” frequently appears in advertisements and on websites without any real information about what this actually means. At HITSA, we want to provide as much information as we can.

That is why we have been working hard to create a valid data set for waste, CO2e emissions, social indicators and much more. From 2021 onwards, our goals and results are being included in an annual CSR report, which is available at hitsa.com.

We are still careful not to claim that we are sustainable. We think it is more honest to put it this way: we are working on sustainability.

Read more about HITSA’s work on sustainability here.

HITSA’s six focus areas regarding sustainability

We have adopted 6 focus areas for our sustainability efforts:

• CO2 reduction
• Sustainability certification
• A circular economy
• Materials and suppliers
• Social sustainability
• Sustainability at sites registered to HITSA

You can read more about the individual focus areas below.

1. CO2 reduction

We have opted to focus on CO2 reduction, as we want to do our share in helping to tackle the global climate challenges. We support the CO2 reduction targets set in the Paris Agreement and being implemented in countries throughout the world.

Goals

• We will reduce our CO2 emissions in Scope 1 and 2 by 30% in 2025 compared to 2019.

Actions

• We calculate our CO2e impact every year – from 2024, Scope 3 will be phased into the CO2 accounts
• We continue to work on replacing our own and leased passenger cars with electric cars by 2025
• Our own lorries will be EURO6 approved by 2023 and will run on biofuel by 2025
• External transport by lorries will be powered by electricity or biofuels by 2025

Results

• All indoor lighting in Kolding was replaced with LEDs in 2020
• The Kolding site switched to wind power in 2021
• Changed planning in the powder-coating plant led to a reduction in the consumption of gas in 2022

2. Sustainability certification

There are a number of sustainability labels and certifications. They communicate complex factors quickly and easily to our customers. What’s more, labels and certifications provide proof that when we talk about sustainability, we take it seriously. That is why we have chosen to focus on sustainability certification.

Goals

• We carry out certifications depending on the company’s needs and customers’ wishes

Actions

• We continuously register products with the Byggvarubedömningen and Sundahus schemes
  HITSA in Sweden will be included in ISO 14001 environmental management certification in 2023
• We will start ISO 9001 certification in quality management by 2024
• We will offer Nordic products under the Nordic Swan Ecolabel from 2024
• We are exploring the possibility of offering products with an EPD (Environmental Product Declaration)

Results

• We are FSC® certified as a company and use FSC® certified wood, including 100% of our two most used tree species, pine and sapele mahogany
• We are a member of the Green Network and the UN Global Compact
• HITSA in Denmark and Latvia achieved ISO 14001 certification in environmental management in 2022

3. A circular economy

A circular economy is all about keeping resources in the value chain as long as possible – or to put it simply, throwing away as little as possible. That includes recycling, reuse and extending the lifetime of products by, for example, servicing or repairing them. At HITSA we have chosen to work with a circular economy because it makes sense to avoid waste, not only in economic terms but also in terms of the environment. It also contributes to a more circular way of thinking regarding CO2 emissions and sustainable use of the planet’s resources.

Goals

• We will continue to reduce our total waste – in 2025 the reduction will be 30% compared to 2019
• We will reduce our general waste by 15% from 2019 to 2023

Actions

• We sort our waste at HITSA and ensure that as much of it as possible is reused
• We develop our offer for service or repair of installed products
• A waste sorting guide for our products will be available to customers from 2022

Results

• We reviewed and optimised our sorting of waste from production in Kolding in 2020 – we now sort into 12 fractions: metal, plastic, wood, wood chips, electronic waste, paper, cardboard, plaster, concrete, glass, hazardous waste (e.g. used oil) and general waste. Metal and wood chips are sold for recycling and other purposes.
• A new design process focusing on material utilisation, lifetime and ease of separation was developed as a framework in 2022

4. Materials and suppliers

HITSA is not only responsible for our own direct environmental, climate and social impacts. We are also responsible for an indirect impact through the suppliers we use. Therefore, we seek knowledge about our suppliers and carefully select which suppliers to work with.

Goals

• Evaluation of suppliers will be completed by 2025

Actions

• Suppliers will be contacted to commit to HITSA’s Code of Conduct from 2023

Results

• A Code of Conduct was drawn up in 2021

5. Social sustainability

As a company, HITSA not only creates financial value, but also social value. For many years we have practised social responsibility by employing people from the margins of the labour market for shorter or longer periods. The company’s social performance was measured in 2022 using 4 KPIs. Regardless of whether an employee is employed on special or regular terms, HITSA strives to ensure that the employee experiences social sustainability in all aspects of the workplace. Read more about social inclusion at HITSA here.

We want to contribute to the education of young people, which is why from 2023 we will increase the number of fields in which apprentices can be trained.

Goals

• In 2025 14.6% of our workforce in Denmark will be from the fringes of the labour market
• In 2025 we will have 3 apprentices

Actions

• We continuously work on internal policies and guidelines in the HR field
• We continuously work with the Code of Conduct in relation to labour rights, internally and in relation to suppliers

Results

• Two employees trained to serve as mentors in 2021
• We entered into a CSR cooperation agreement with Kolding Municipality job centre in 2021
  A personnel handbook was produced in 2021, which includes a policy on stress and a policy on abusive behaviour
• ESG key figures have been included in CSR reporting since 2021, including, among others, key figures on the gender pay gap and gender diversity for all employee groups and the management team.
• A Code of Conduct for HITSA was drawn up in 2021

6. Sustainability at sites registered to HITSA

We need to practise what we preach. That is why we continue to work to strengthen social and environmental sustainability at our own three sites in Kolding, Arlöv and Jelgava. We do this from a number of different perspectives. We have planted flower meadows and set up bike racks, held fire drills, and invited a green consultant to look at energy sources.

Goals

• Suggestions from a green consultant will be incorporated as objectives in 2023

Actions

• We annually review the chemicals we use and assess whether there are better alternatives
• We will hold annual fire drills at all three sites from 2023
• All lighting at all three sites will use LEDs by 2023
• We maintain our landscaped areas without pesticides

Results

• Administration and production in Kolding was reviewed by a green consultant in 2022 and a report will be received in 2023

Follow our work on sustainability on social media

We continuously strive to achieve the goals and implement the changes described above.

If you are interested in learning more about our work with social and environmental sustainability, then follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. We post regular updates on our work with sustainability.