Our environmental and social responsibility

       
We have worked with environmental issues for a long time. for example we started to map all our manufacturing units in the mid 90s.

In all our actions we strive to maximise the performance of incontinence care for customers and consumers and, simultaneously, minimise the impact on our environment.
We always strive to get the lifecycle of nature to work in symbiosis with the lifecycle of man. This is why we emphasise the entire lifecycle, not just the conventional part – from raw materials to retail shelf. In fact, it is in the consumption phase that the biggest savings can be achieved for both man and nature. Fewer materials and fewer products lead to less waste!

Responsible Resourcing

Our commitment to a sustainable society starts with the responsible sourcing of raw materials.
Since 1997, we have continuously audited our suppliers against the SCA Personal Care Supplier Standard. Securing quality, environment, use of non-hazardous chemicals, product safety and social considerations. A Code of Conduct was introduced to our suppliers back in 2004.
With our Wood Sourcing Policy, we apply sustainable forest management principles to promote the preservation of forest health and diversity. In addition, we only use timber from known resources. Finally, we encourage our suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint by becoming more energy efficient.

Responsible design and manufacturing

SCA established Life Cycle Assessments (LCA's) as the main environmental tool in the early 90s. An LCA studies the environmental impact of a product from its creation to disposal. It includes:

• Production of raw materials
• Manufacturing of products
• Transport
• Disposal after use

Through consistent use of LCAs, SCA has good knowledge of how its carbon reduction has developed over the years. The main environmental impact of our products comes from the production of raw materials. Thus, the choice of raw materials and suppliers is vital. By developing super-absorbent materials and improved fit and function, our products have become thinner, drier, more comfortable and better for the environment. All materials are continually assessed for absorption, safety and environmental performance. The most important measures to reduce environmental impact are:

• Improve energy efficiency in raw material production (Suppliers)
• Improve efficiency in product manufacturing (TENA factories)
• Improve the function of the material (TENA R&D)
  

Responsible in-use consumption

As mentioned earlier, the biggest potential for man and nature is perhaps in minimising the environmental impact of in-use consumption.
At TENA, we see an important distinction between incontinence protection products and incontinence care as a whole.
By taking on this broader perspective, we can do more for a sustainable society.

 

ISSUE	BENEFIT	ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Product over-consumption	Lower consumption and waste	Less raw material and less waste
Leakage and Laundry	Less laundry and energy	Less energy and less emissions
Skin conditions	Less skin treatment and waste	Less raw material and less waste

Minimising waste

Minimising product weight and the consequences of incontinence also minimises waste and landfill. Our products suit all waste treatment systems and are ideal for energy recovery.

 Hygiene products generate 2-4 % of household waste

• Incontinence protection is only part of hygiene product waste
• Reducing consequences of incontinence leads to less waste

Less product consumption

• Less laundry
• Less skincare

WWF Environmental Paper Company Index - In WWF's Environmental Paper Company Index 2011 SCA scored best both in the tissue and containerboard categories Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Index - SCA is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Europe index, which is one of the world’s most prestigious sustainability indexes Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) - SCA qualified 2010 and 2011 to the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index Corporate Knights 2010 - In 2010 SCA was ranked for the sixth consecutive year as one of the world’s 100 most sustainable companies Ethisphere Institute - For the fifth consecutive year, SCA was named one of the world’s most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute in New York FTSE4Good Index - The FTSE4Good is a market index which measures the performance of companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards The New Economy Carbon Leadership Awards - An award hosted by The New Economy magazine since 2010 recognizing companies who have reached higher levels of carbon reduction and carbon reporting than required by regulatory and voluntary frameworks