Koen Pack notices their customers consider a "switch" to sustainable packaging. The company has been going through this transition for much longer. In this article, they explain more about their vision on sustainability.
Koen Pack works according to the standard that we have agreed with each other from ISO: 9001. Our Waste Policy explains how we handle waste.
Koen Pack's sustainability vision
Our world faces many sustainability challenges, in particular as a result of the increasing demand for and depletion of natural resources and climate change. Waste management can make an important positive contribution in this regard. By recycling materials can again serve as a raw material or as an energy carrier, which reduces the use of primary raw materials and reduces CO² emissions.
Sustainable processing
We strive to process (or have processed) all released materials in as sustainable a way as possible and, where possible, to make them suitable for reuse.
We declare that we return the released materials to the chain as much as possible. On the one hand as a recycled material for new materials or as a new raw material for equal or equivalent products. The products that cannot be recycled are used for high-quality energy generation, among other things.
LED lighting
At the end of 2018, LED lighting was installed in the entire warehouse. Dynamic dimming is used where the light output when not in use is 10% and when driving in is 100%.
"It is a cost saving and better for the environment," said Robert Kooyman, facility manager at Koen Pack in Amstelveen. The lighting in the warehouse has been thoroughly addressed. Despite the fact that the building comes from 2007, all fluorescent tubes were replaced by sustainable LED lamps in 2018. The lighting in the office has also been replaced by the more economical version. "We are also doing CSR responsibly with this."
Office equipment
An important step towards Corporate Social Responsibility is the conscious purchase of articles. Most of our office items are made from recycled materials. We buy these from Quantore, they are certified according to the ISO 14001 environmental standard and the ISO 90001 quality standard.
Corporate social responsibility - different certificates
Koen Pack has been a member of the BSCI program since 1 January 2017. BSCI is an initiative of amfori, formerly the Foreign Trade Association (FTA) and stands for "Business Social Compliance Initiative". The initiative has been created to, among other things, improve working conditions in the production chain worldwide. We believe that equal and good working conditions are important for everyone in our production chain. In close consultation with our producers in Kenya, China, Vietnam and Myanmar, among other things, we ensure that the circumstances in which they work meet the requirements set. This has been guaranteed for years through the Sedex program. Sedex is a non-profit organization that works on improving ethical and responsible business. By being affiliated with the FTA, independent auditors conduct regular audits of our suppliers. BSCI participants and suppliers follow training on various themes as described in the 11 principles.
The 11 principles of BSCI
BSCI is committed to the worldwide improvement of working conditions in the production chain of its members and does this according to eleven principles. This includes ensuring equal opportunities for employees, assessing risks, socially responsible policies, freedom of association, special protection for young workers, combating child and forced labor, paying fair compensation, protecting the environment and provisions for safe and healthy workplace. More information can be found in the Code of Conduct.
Sedex
The Supplier Ethical Data Exchange, empowers sustainable and ethical supply chains, is a not for profit membership organization dedicated to driving improvements in responsible and ethical business practices in global supply chains. The goal is a secure, online database that offers members the ability to store information, share and report on four key areas: Labour, Health & Safety, Environmental and Business Ethics. Koen Pack is connected with since 2013.
CSR Netherlands
Since 2017, Koen Pack has been a partner of MVO Netherlands. MVO translated to CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility. We take responsibility for social issues and make agreements about pollution, working conditions and sustainability. At Koen Pack we treat our employees in a pleasant way and we think it is important that we, together with CSR Netherlands, can contribute to society.
NVGP
Koen Pack has joined the Dutch Association of Wholesalers in Paper and packaging materials (NVGP), a supporting association in which we exchange knowledge with other members about packaging and the developments that take place there. More information at the website of the NVGP. Even when it comes to laws and regulations, test reports or legal questions (site in Dutch).
ETI
Koen Pack works according to the regulations of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI). The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is a leading alliance of companies, trade unions and NGOs that promotes respect for workers' rights around the globe. Our vision is a world where all workers are free from exploitation and discrimination and enjoy conditions of freedom, security and equity, see www.ethicaltrade.org.
ISO-14001
In Colombia Koen Pack has an ISO-14001 certification, because using an environmental management system according to the ISO-14001 standard, the environmental risks of the operations are controlled and if possible reduced.
Here you can find a list of all certificates.
For more information:
Koen Pack
[email protected]
www.koenpack.com