The ceramic manufacturer Duravit has embarked on an ambitious and far-reaching climate mission, with a goal to be an exclusively climate-neutral business around the world by 2045, the firm reports.
“I believe that society as a whole shares responsibility when it comes to sustainability, and for me that explicitly also includes companies such as Duravit,” said Duravit CEO Stephan Tahy. The family-run company from the Black Forest, which operates in over 130 countries, aspires to use CO2 offsetting as little as possible.
The company is constantly seeking ways to reduce both its consumption of resources and raw materials and also its emissions as far as possible, it states. As part of the comprehensive package of measures, the manufacturing facility in Hornberg uses electricity generated exclusively from renewable energies. Solutions, some of which were developed in-house, continue to reduce energy and resource requirements in the production process, waste heat is reused consistently, and water is treated. PEFC-certified furniture production that adheres to principles of sustainable forestry as well as “local for locals” production methods that ensure shorter transport routes are further key aspects of the portfolio of measures, the firm adds.
The management board has joined forces with a leading business consultancy in the sustainability arena to develop the capabilities to achieve climate neutrality. And while ceramic is made from natural raw materials, the challenges that the company faces are significant, according to Tahy.
“The heart of our operations – ceramic production – is a very energy-intensive business. And even though we have a long road ahead of us, we definitely want to achieve our climate mission – not only for ourselves, but above all for future generations.”
A key milestone for the company is to reduce CO2 by 20 percent by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, the company reports, and Duravit is determined to accomplish its mission. “We are in the process of questioning old certainties and investing in finding and implementing new ways of achieving a sustainable future,” underlined Tahy.
Potential measures are currently being reviewed and evaluated – including sourcing electricity from renewable energies around the world, combining oxygen and green hydrogen to reduce emissions, as well as powering electric kilns with green electricity.
The climate mission is a component of Duravit’s overarching sustainability strategy, which is aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Alongside the measures relevant to climate change, the core of the strategy is made up of the action areas “water”, “resources” and “people.”