Our second annual sustainability report provides an overview of our progress towards achieving our sustainability goals over the past year. As a company committed to climate, resources and better life, we recognize the importance of transparency and accountability in our sustainability efforts. This report outlines our key achievements, challenges, and opportunities in areas such as carbon emissions, waste reduction, employee engagement and ethical governance. By sharing our data and insights, we aim to foster greater trust, dialogue, and collaboration. We hope this report will inspire others to join us on the journey towards a more sustainable future.
Dear partner (I explicitly use the word partner as we can only reach the sustainability goals in a partnership)
Another year on our journey toward “STAXS® Pink Planet”. A year in which we have joined the Haniel group. It is great to see how the visions are aligned. We have been working on “STAXS® Pink Planet” where Haniel is on the path towards “Mount Enkelfähig”.
No matter the words we use to describe our efforts, the goal is the same, securing a future worth living.
This report reads as a travel diary of the previous 12 months of our journey.
I am happy that we see more and more customers are partnering with us on our journey to secure the valuable raw materials we use by recycling them. At the same time, I am disappointed to see that not all have yet partnered with us on this. We have made it so easy, there is no reason not to become a partner. Return to us and we will take care, that is a doable effort in making this planet a place worth living for our grandchildren.
I have drilled on the topic of securing scarce raw materials above. Sometimes I am questioned if it is that simple to save the world, it sounds too easy. Yes, that is correct, it is just a small step, but let’s be realistic; if you are not ready to walk, why should you try to run? So, make this first step and join us on all our next steps as well and make sure we both will run! (I do guarantee it will be a marathon).
What are the other steps we have taken over the last 12 months? Read this diary of our journey and I hope it does inspire you!
For any question you might have around the topic of sustainability, ask me or my colleagues and become a partner on our journey of securing a future worth living!
Businesspark Friesland-West 1 8447 SL Heerenveen
The Netherlands
STAXS® is the leading supplier of consumables and services for cleanroom environments in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors in Europe. Being an authority in contamination control, we have established a great reputation for the excellence and consistency of our products and services.
Since the very beginning, our company philosophy has revolved around one question: “how can our work make a difference?” For over 30 years, this simple question, along with scientific rigor, has pushed us to innovate, listen and develop the curiosity to learn, adapt and grow. Our customers take center stage and we help them make a difference, with the highest quality products and services in contamination control. But this very same question also applies to our planet, our people and our future.
In 2022, STAXS® was acquired by Haniel, with a shared vision and goal to grow across Europe as part of the CWS Cleanroom group. But our shared vision goes beyond growth. Just like Haniel, we are guided by the principle of Enkelfähig, a term introduced by economic philosopher Anders Indset. Enkelfähig is not about winning in the short term, but about being successful in the long term. Enkelfähig companies take global and local factors into account.
Every journey has a destination. And to get there, you’ll need a detailed roadmap. To know where you are now, where you need to go and how to get there as fast as possible. Our roadmap is called STAXS® Pink Planet.
Sustainability is central to our company. To ensure this, we’ve committed ourselves to 6 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. STAXS® Pink Planet is more than a promise. It’s a detailed roadmap with quantifiable steps toward a responsible and bright future. Just like Haniel, we are guided by the principle of Enkelfähig. In parallel, the ETI framework is being used to define actions on some of the selected UNSD Goals. It helps to direct the efforts into a clearly defined direction in relation to the supply chain.
Enkelfähig is entrepreneurship in the 21st century. Sustainability is becoming a premise for economic success.
Being enkelfähig means living in a value-oriented way and reconciling this with entrepreneurial thinking. Enkelfähig is economic sustainability over time – not in time – where ecology and economy are not contradictory.
Anders Indset
It is not about winning in the short term, but about being successful in the long term. Enkelfähig companies take global and local factors into account. They operate in a performance-oriented, technology-focused and value-based manner. A stable economy is the operating system of a functioning society. Companies therefore play an important role in shaping the future of our planet. Only together can we rethink business and hand over our companies as well as our planet to our grandchildren one day. - www.enkelfaehig.de
Since 2020, STAXS® got engaged on a sustainability journey translated in our STAXS® Pink Planet roadmap, which is a integral element of our strategy and company purpose. Structured arround the 3 major categories of Climate, Resources and Better Life. STAXS® made significant progress on this journey in 2022 (see further)
Our aim is to become CO2 neutral, but we’re ultimately going for net zero for all our products. This means ensuring the longest possible lifecycle and integrating the environmental impacts associated with all stages of that lifecycle: from extraction to manufacture and transportation, to usage and disposal. We also want to significantly reduce our carbon impact by recycling our products.
Our aim is CO2 neutral but we’re ultimately going for NET ZERO for all our products.
Our employees are the beating heart of our company. Their well-being and happiness are our priority, which means it’s our responsibility to provide the best work environment we can. We value their potential and foster personal and professional growth regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, age, or disabilities. No one should feel excluded, everyone should feel valued.
We believe that everyone merit respect and dignity. That the work environment needs to be safe, respectful, collaborative, equitable and inclusive. It’s our responsibility to care about the well-being of our people. This includes things like a healthy workload and good work/life balance. In 2022, we continued to frame our hybrid working model to offer our collaborators flexibility while remaining connected, with training sessions or group meetings.
At STAXS®, we regard absenteeism as a metric to be a better employer. In 2022, our employee absenteeism was below both the Belgian and Dutch national averages. We intend to lower that number even further, by creating the best possible working conditions, allowing our employees to thrive.
STAXS® has set an ambitious target of achieving an absenteeism rate of 4.2% for 2023, which is below the national averages in Belgium and the Netherlands. By proactively addressing the root causes of absenteeism and promoting a culture of health and wellbeing, we are confident in our ability to achieve this goal.
Our people are encouraged and supported to grow, learn, and achieve their highest potential.
We do everything we can to make sure our organization is diverse, inclusive and provides equal and ample opportunities for our employees to grow and develop themselves within our company. But this also includes the people we work with, through an anti-corruption & bribery policy and training, a supplier code of conduct, whistleblower policy and data protection.
At STAXS® we have been convinced for more than ten years that equitable pay and remuneration for work of equal value is an essential element in the search for equity.
We apply this principle from our entry roles to our senior positions, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other distinction.
The remuneration of an employee is determend based on experience, scarcity in the labor market, salary indication, performance during interviews and the relationship to immediate colleagues in the same scale/position. Gender does not play a role. Within HR, the four-eyes principle is used when making a fair salary offer and ensures quantifiably equity in remuneration.
At STAXS®, our data indicates that there is a robust gender balance among our workforce, with almost equitable representation of both men and women.
57% 43%
Over the past years, we’ve taken drastic steps to lower our carbon footprint and minimize our environmental impact. This year, we can announce a new milestone in our journey toward net zero.
Our facility in Heerenveen no longer uses gas for heating. By using heat pumps, we’ve managed to reduce our overall carbon footprint drastically. And as soon as the grid allows (2025 or beyond), we will install solar panels to generate our own electricity. Investments have already been made to make this possible.
Facility expansion: 65.147 Tons CO2 reduction
In partnership with our transporters our inbound and outbound transport is already for 77% CO2 neutral. This is an essential step towards creating a more sustainable and environmentally conscious industry. It’s also critical in mitigating the negative impacts on the environment.
77% CO2 neutral
CO2
90% CO2 neutral
Over the past years, we’ve managed to take giant steps in sustainable transportation of our products and resources. But we’re raising the bar even higher for the coming year. We’re working towards 90% CO2 neutrality in 2023.
90% CO2 neutral
Target 2023
We’ve also switched to LED lighting wherever possible. They can save up to 90% of energy compared to other light sources with a 20-times longer lifespan.
Change to 80%
Today, electric cars make up to 23% of our fleet. At this point in our sustainability journey, we want to make a seamless transition from regular diesel and petrol cars to electric cars. We invest in the electrification of our fleet and we provide our employees with charging facilities at their homes. Furthermore we equiped our facilities with charging stations.
Our electric fleet will be part of our strategy for reaching our STAXS® sustainability goals by decreasing CO2 and other harmful greenhouse gases.
This year we’ve reduced the number of diesel cars in our fleet by 50%. Our goal for 2023 is to reduce that number to 75%.
Through STAXS® Pink Planet, we focus our efforts on the areas where sustainable solutions have the most impact. This includes the responsibility of making sure our products find a new purpose after they’ve served yours.
We’ve developed a recycling programme for our DOTCH® portfolio. We’re also intensifying our partnerships with our customers and key players, to create a circular way of doing business and make sure our DOTCH® products are recycled. And last, but certainly not least, we’re making sure that recycling is embedded by design in our R&D procedures.
We want to make it easy for our customers to help us to recycle our products and contribute to their company’s sustainability goals at the same time. Simply by having them collect the used consumables in a used box, attach our recycling label and sent them back to STAXS®. We will make sure together with our local recycling partners that the DOTCH® products will get recycled and start their second life.
01. 02. 03. 04.
The DOTCH® consumables integrated in the second life program are transformed into raw materials and given a new life as a new resource for a whole range of materials. We’re currently working on adding other materials to our second life program and we hope our customers join us on our sustainable journey.
2021
2% recyclable
2022
50% recyclable
Target 2023
98% recyclable
TCF 100%
We’ve been working on creating a value chain to ensure more responsible use of resources. As part of these efforts, we’re using TCF (Total Chlorine Free) cardboard boxes for our DOTCH® products. These boxes are bleached through an ozone treatment, rather than chlorine. This is currently the most environmentally acceptable method of bleaching.
In the coming years, we will take further steps toward the responsible use of resources. This includes optimization of box configurations for our products. Optimal configuration means saving space per box and per pallet. And that subsequently means less transportation is needed. It also allows for increased irradiation efficiency, and therefore less energy consumption.
In 2022, STAXS® made significant progress toward our goals of prioritizing employee health, promoting gender equality in remuneration, reducing our carbon footprint, and using resources more responsibly.
We’re proud to report that our employee absenteeism was below national averages, and we’re committed to creating even better working conditions for our employees. Since years we use a quantifiable approach to ensure equal pay, regardless of gender.
We’ve also made significant strides in reducing our carbon footprint by switching to heat pumps in our facility and using LED lighting, among other efforts. We’re committed to further responsible resource use, including optimization of our product box configurations, and we’re working towards carbon neutrality. We’ve also significantly reduced the number of diesel cars in our fleet.
At STAXS®, we believe in taking tangible steps towards a more sustainable future and look forward to continuing our progress in the years to come. But we can’t do it alone. Join us on our journey towards a better planet, happy people and a bright future.
• Continued focus on absenteeism rate and gender equality
• Skill matrix introduction for cleanroom activities
• Reduction of CO2 impact transport
• CO2 neutral facility expansion
• Introduction of whistle blower procedure
• Active second life program for DOTCH® consumables
• CO2 neutral facility expansion
• Switch from gamma to X-ray sterilization
• 100% recycling of waste plastic & carton
• Code of conduct
• Incorporation of ethical consideration in supplier selection
