News

Gelita publishes sustainability report

8 Jul 2016

Announcing the availability of its latest sustainability report, Gelita notes that "We care about people, society and the environment" is its guiding principle, which is expressed in the company's corporate value: "Care".

Announcing the availability of its latest sustainability report, Gelita notes that "We care about people, society and the environment" is its guiding principle, which is expressed in the company's corporate value: "Care". In recent years, the company says it has consistently invested in efficient processes and modern technologies at every location and supported nume

The company says it is particularly committed to the environment and to society. "Sustainability is not just a part of our strategy; a healthy environment and society are the prerequisite for GELITA's success in the market. I consider managing and developing the company from an environmental, social and economic point of view as important tasks for the future", said Dr. Franz Josef Konert, CEO of Gelita. "As we process natural raw materials, the sustainable use of natural resources is of vital importance for us. We are aware of this responsibility and act accordingly."

Gelita says it continually strives to improve the existing processes at all 21 production plants and to reduce the consequences of its activities on the environment. The 2015 Sustainability Report presents some selected projects. The measures range from converting to LED lighting and optimising production processes and transport routes to recycling production waste. The report shows the development of important environmental issues from 2013 to 2015: energy consumption per kilogram of product dropped by 15.6%; the amount of fresh water required decreased by 17.3%; waste water volume declined by 12.7%; and waste material dropped by 32.2%. The production volume increased in the same period from around 251,000 tonnes to approximately 259,000 tonnes.

With a view to sustainable corporate management, Gelita reports that it invested in modern work environments and measures for the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases as well as work-related illnesses. The number of workplace accidents decreased from 103 in 2014 to 58 in 2015. As part of its social commitment, Gelita says it supported 66 projects worldwide in 2015.