Focusing on what matters most
We want to focus our environmental sustainability activity where it will make the greatest difference. As a virtual company, which relies on manufacturing and logistics partners, most of our environmental impact is in our value chain and outside our direct control. Even so, mitigating and reducing this in ways we can measure is what matters most to us.
Our work to limit environmental impact spans the whole Karo Healthcare organisation and also includes ‘bottom-up’ initiatives for our brands.
We’ve neutralised the scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emission we control directly through sourcing certified renewable energy and initiatives from encouraging e-cars and providing staff with recycled plastic IT hardware, to carbon trading certificates. We’ve also committed to revisit our travel and meeting policies to move our own locations towards net zero emissions.
But we want to go much further. By working with our manufacturing and logistics partners, we can reinforce the environmental standards we want to meet. This collaboration will be over and above what we lay down in our codes of conduct and supplier contracts.
Our materiality assessment and emissions mapping with Schneider Electric shows packaging and transport are significant factors in our bid for sustainability. So we’re defining clear targets and activities to progress in these areas.
Cutting our packaging footprint
Our goal is to improve the environmental performance of our packaging by reducing emissions in production and cutting waste.
We’ve committed to:
– remove plastic from secondary packaging, except shrink wrap;
– cut down on packaging by limiting the amount of air, or unused space, in packs; and
– find ways to refill, reuse and renew packs, including using PCR (recycled plastic), replacing plastic with sustainable alternatives and choosing cardboard with certified paper.In 2022, we’ll go further by adding more measurable targets and actions to be able to track progress towards our long-term goals.
Individual brands contribute with their own initiatives. The skin health brand Indy Beauty uses recyclable packaging, 100% vegan ingredients that are locally produced, and is moving towards more sustainable PCR packaging and mono materials that make packs more recyclable. And wellness brand Flux and foot health brand CCS are working with Bower Collective to promote consumer recycling.
Reducing our transport impact
We want to work with our suppliers to explore ways to limit the transport footprint in our value chain.
This includes
– avoiding air freight;
– consolidating our supplier network to streamline transport;
– using all available space in transport to avoid unnecessary journeys;
– using transport hubs to minimise empty lorries;
– using the shortest available routes; and
– encouraging suppliers to use alternative fuels and minimise greenhouse gas emissions.