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 update this strategy continously.

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

HITSA is ISO 14001 certified in environmental management and is a member of the UN Global Compact. In addition, we have been associated with the local sustainability network Green Network for several years.

Our CSR report, including ESG key figures, is published once a year. See previous years’ reports here:

• 2022 CSR report
• 2021 CSR report

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 Denmark in Scope 1 and 2 by 50% in 2026 compared to 2021.

Actions

• We calculate our CO2e impact every year – from 2024, Scope 3 will be phased into the CO2 accounts
• We are replacing our own and leased passenger cars in Sweden with electric cars starting 2025
• Our own lorries will run on biofuel, implemented starting from 2025
• We are in dialogue with exterbal suppliers of transport by lorries about phasing out fossil fuels

Results

• All indoor lighting in Kolding was replaced with LEDs in 2020
• All locations in all three countries are supplied mainly with electricity from sustainable sources
• Continous optimization of planning in the powder-coating plant has led to a reduction in the consumption of gas in both 2022 and 2023
• Company cars have been exchanged from fossil to electricity in Denmark
• Company lorries were EURO6 approved in 2024
• CO2 emissions in Denmark in Scope 1 and 2 have been reduced by 40% compared to 2021.

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 offer selected products with LCA and EPD starting from 2025
• We continuously register products with the Byggvarubedömningen and Sundahus schemes
• We will start ISO 9001 certification in quality management by 2025
• We will decide whether to offer Nordic products under the Nordic Swan Ecolabel in 2024

Results

• We are FSC® certified as a company and use FSC® certified wood, including the main part 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
• HITSA AB in Sweden achieved ISO 14001 certification in environmental management in 2024

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 – goals are currently being revised.

We will reduce wood waste by 40% from 2024 to 2026

We will reduce metal waste by 15% from 2024 to 2026

Actions

• We sort our waste at HITSA
• Projects to reduce waste of wood and metal will be initiated in 2024 and 2025 respectively

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
• A waste sorting guide for our products has been made available to customers via our website
• The total amount of waste in HITSA DK and Lampas has been reduced by 24% from 2022 to 2023

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

• We initiate a dialogue with suppliers, who have not wanted to sign HITSA’s Supplier Code of Conduct
• We decide on criteria for the evaluation of suppliers by 2025

Results

• A Code of Conduct was drawn up in 2021
• 46% of our suppliers have committed to HITSA’s Supplier Code of Conduct

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. 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 have increased the number of fields in which apprentices can be trained.

We consider diversity to be a strength.

Goals

• In 2025 we will have 3 apprentices
• In 2025 we will have 7 interns from the fringes of the labour market
• In 2025 we have 12 employees from the fringes of the labour market

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
• We increase our focus on ESG key figures, within equality and diversity among other things

Results

• Four employees trained to serve as mentors in 2021 and 2024
• 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
• In 2023 we hired 1 apprentice and had 8 interns and 11 employees from the fringes of the labour market

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.

Goals

• We take sustainability action locally at our own sites

Actions

• We continously review the chemicals we use and assess whether there are better alternatives
• All lighting at all three sites will use LEDs by 2023
• We maintain our landscaped areas without pesticides
• We assess the options for sustainable efforts at the new Lampas location in Denmark
• In cooperation with our landlord, we draw up a strategy for relevant renovations at the HITSA locations in Denmark

Results

• Administration and production in Kolding was reviewed by a green consultant in 2022 and a report will be received in 2023
• Since 2023, we have held annual fire drills at all three sites

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.