LUXSTAINABILITY® - An ESG best practice standard

ESG is currently a buzzword that people are either very familiar with or have simply heard about.

The fact is, that ESG is going to become an integral part of how we all do business, particularly on how we report on the sustainable practices of our company in a transparent way.

(For more on ESG - check out our October 2022 blog)

KALDEWEI is a company that we came across early last year and we were delighted to be able to interview one of their international project managers Paul MacSherry on the business itself and LUXSTAINABILTY®.

They also shared their recently published ESG sustainability report which we view as best practice standard and a shining example of how businesses should be reporting on all aspects of their business’ operations including Scopes 1, 2 and 3.

It touches on all 17 UN SD Goals and is presented in a clear and transparent way.

But who are KALDEWEI and who are their clients?

KALDEWEI is a 104 year old German family owned business, manufacturing bath tubs, wash basins and shower surfaces using its unique and highly sustainable steel enamel. Sold in over 80 countries with 12 international offices.  

All their products are made with 35% recycled steel and are 100% circular without degradation. They all come with a 30 year warranty enabling less replacement, more reuse, durability and no special cleaning chemicals required.  

KALDEWEI’s ethos is shaped by being a family company…  “we don’t think in quarters, we think in generations. Part of this is also looking after our planet, not just the factory. So we have just renewed for another 5 year commitment with WWF Germany. 

 Our clients are mainly in the residential and hospitality sectors, from luxury to lifestyle and also include super yachts, offices, retailers and public service companies. For my role, clients include Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Mandarin Oriental and Waldorf Astoria to 25hours, Moxy, Premier Inn and Motel One.” (Paul MacSherry 10.12.22) 

Sustainability - at the heart of the KALDEWEI ethos

According to Paul, KALDEWEI started talking about sustainability by being non-toxic in the 1930s. 

Since then, they have continuously driven to invest in sustainability with many sanitary ware sector firsts such as Environmental Product Declarations, signing up to SBTis and founding members of the real estate materials database Madaster.  

Before sustainability became mainstream, this company had many initiatives such as reusing their water waste and also ensuring a cleaner level of water into the public waterways.  

How often does KALDEWEI report on their ESG strategies?

As highlighted at the start of this blog, at Fifty Shades Greener transparency is key in terms of how we assess and engage with a company or supplier that we recommend to our clients or in general.

Many are jumping on the ‘Sustainability’ bandwagon for appearance sake but not engaging with the work that’s required to report efficiently and in an unambiguous way.

As per Paul, KALDEWEI is assessed annually and independently by MindClick, a sustainability supply chain evaluation and ratings platform of product performance over the entire product life cycle. 

Their process is very detailed and pragmatic e.g. they don’t recognise off-setting. Something we were delighted to learn! 

Since being rated in 2019, KALDEWEI has been consistently certified in their top ‘Leader’ rating. 

KALDEWEI also launched their Luxstainability® Report which we highlighted at the beginning of this piece and which provides fantastic insight into their ESG position, commitments and activities.

Sustainability - beyond business

We all know what sustainability means for business, but it’s important that those core values are something we share personally as well.

As Paul puts it - 

“I have kids and loved ones. This legacy is about preserving the beauty that is our planet for others to enjoy and live well, just as I have and continue to do so.  

There is no Planet B.”

How best to embed ESG sustainability strategies into your own business operation

• “Firstly, it makes good business sense as sustainability measurement and rating will only increase in its visibility and as a standard ‘kite mark’ for your customers.  If you include adaptive reuse, your savings on capital expenditure will increase significantly. One hotel room refurbishment case study stated savings by up to 60% versus a standard room refurbishment."
• "Secondly, know a lot about a little i.e. there is a lot of data, confusion and green washing so know how sustainability works in your sector so as to accelerate your positioning, economic savings and help future proof your business."

"Ethos - sustainability is the starting place with circularity the end game.” (Paul MacSherry 10.12.22)

Do you want to learn more about ESG and drive sustainable strategies in your place of work or business? On February 28th 2023, we are launching our new ESG leadership training programme with limited spaces!

To learn more and register your place today visit - https://www.fiftyshadesgreener.ie/esg 

And don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter. 

Thank you for reading today.

The FSG Team 💚