CORPORATE SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY - ARMACELL
Environmental Protection and Corporate Social Responsibility
The insulation of technical equipment in buildings and industry is one of the simplest and most efficient ways of saving energy and reducing CO2 emissions. As a world leader in flexible insulation foams for the equipment insulation market as well as a leading provider of engineered foam products that have been installed in millions of buildings and facilities around the globe, Armacell makes a considerable contribution to abating greenhouse-gas emissions.
Environmental Commitment
Besides making an important contribution to environmental protection by manufacturing energy-saving products, Armacell practices active environmental protection throughout the company.
Environmental protection is one of the main pillars of Armacell’s corporate philosophy. It is an integral part of the business strategy and ranks equally with other company objectives. The environmental guidelines oblige all Armacell employees worldwide to aim to protect the environment and conserve natural resources.
To use resources as efficiently as possible, Armacell is constantly searching for ways to reduce raw material use, energy consumption and waste. Intelligent systems have been developed to utilise production waste. The majority of locations are certified in accordance with the international environmental standard ISO 14000 – and all European plants are already certified today. Armacell is also a founder member of the European Industrial Insulation Foundation (EiiF), whose purpose is to promote the use of optimised insulation systems in industrial plants.
To put an exact figure on the energy-saving potential of insulating heating and hot-water pipes, Armacell commissioned the University of Kassel`s (Zentrum für umweltbewusstes Bauen), a research centre devoted to studying sustainable building techniques and materials, to perform a scientific study. Based on their findings and additional in-house studies in 2014, Armacell became in 2009 the world`s first manufacturer of flexible technical insulation materials to present a comprehensive ecobalance life-cycle assessment (LCA).
Social Commitment
In recent years, Armacell has also been emphasising the social dimension of sustainability to its management and employees. In 2005, Armacell received the Ethics in Business Award for its outstanding commitment to environmental and social issues. This award is presented to companies for their exemplary conduct towards people and the environment – also known as corporate social responsibility (CSR).
In 2006, Armacell joined the UN Global Compact initiative, the world’s most important business network for sustainable globalisation. Since then, the company has implemented numerous projects in line with this commitment. As a company with a global footprint, Armacell supports local good citizenship projects, such as projects to help children in Sri Lanka, Habitat for Humanity in the US, maintaining community gardens, regular donations in-kind for schools, hospitals, sports clubs and facilities for the handicapped, as well as partnerships with non-profit organisations – all these programmes that help the local communities in which Armacell operates.
In 2011, the company adopted a specific code of conduct that obliges all employees worldwide to act ethically. The Armacell Code of Conduct is based on values and principles that apply throughout the Armacell Group.
Armacell’s Environmental Protection Guidelines
Our aim is to gear all business activities towards protecting and conserving nature. Our environmental policy is based on the following principles:
- Manufacturing only products that pose no risk to the environment when they are used as intended by customers and consumers.
- Supplying information on the correct storage, use and disposal of our products.
- Conserving natural resources by using raw materials and energy responsibly.
- Using environmentally-friendly technology in research and production. By doing so, we increase safety in the workplace and protect our communities and the environment.
- Avoiding and reducing waste; using recycling and environmentally-friendly disposal systems.
- Reducing risks to soil, air and water to the greatest extent possible
- Preparing for potential dangerous situations in order to protect both people and the environment.
Armacell Sustainability Report 2018
Insulation is Key to Tackle Climate Challenges & Prevent Energy Losses
United Nations Global Compact
The Armacell Group has been consciously supporting the UN Global Compact initiative with our best efforts, since joining in 2006. Whether Armacells` high performance systems that help to conserve energy and reduce CO2 emissions or the unique applications for oil and gas, wind energy, transportation, hospitals, schools and many other fields, Armacell products are making a difference around the world. Our primary focus is on creating innovative solutions for complex challenges and improving performance for all targeted applications. In doing so, Armacell helps to protect and improve the environment in which the products are used.
In our business, the key issue is energy efficiency. We not only market and sell products that target energy conservation worldwide. We continually optimize our elastomeric insulation products and, through effective associations, raise awareness for energy-saving potential amongst industry and governments, thus making an even more far-reaching contribution to building a sustainable future.
Our responsibility for sustainable development does not confine itself only to environmental issues.Environmental awareness is linked to occupational safety, product stewardship and corporate citizenship.
We clearly understand the importance of all ten fundamental principles of the Global Compact and will further strive to initiate appropriate actions to achieve a sustainable and ethical development of our business. Our annual Communication on Progress Report shows a range of activities around the Armacell globe with regard to human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and anti-corruption.
United Nations Global Compact
Environmental and CSR Achievements
| 2018: Armacell becomes "Special Olympics" partner in Luxembourg Supporting the national team on their way to the International World Games 2019 in Abu Dhabi |
| 2015: Armacell presents environmental product declarations (EPDs) for its elastomeric insulation materials Armacell is now the first manufacturer of flexible technical insulation materials to present environmental product declarations which are based on an independent life cycle assessment (LCA). |
| 2015: New ArmaFix environment-friendly pipe support |
| 2015: Armacell supports charity "Aktion Kleiner Prinz" |
| 2013: Worldwide Environmental Audit Environmental audit at all Armacell plants with the support of ERM (Environmental Resources Management), one of the world’s leading sustainability consulting companies. The audit reveals no environmental issues. |
| 2012: First Solvent-free Adhesive The first solvent-free adhesive for installing flexible elastomeric foams is developed to meet the ever-stricter requirements of green building schemes. |
| 2011: Armacell Code of Conduct Armacell adopts a code of conduct that obliges all employees worldwide to act ethically. The Code of Conduct is based on values and principles that are valid throughout the Armacell Group. |
| 2010: AVK Innovation Prize for Armacell PET product The fully recyclable ArmaForm PET receives a prestigious AVK Innovation Prizes in the category Environment. |
| 2009: Foundation of EiiF Armacell is a founder member of the European Industrial Insulation Foundation (EiiF). Its purpose is to promote the use of optimised insulation systems in industrial plants. |
| 2009: First LCA in Its Line of Business Armacell is the first manufacturer of flexible technical insulation materials in the world to present an ecobalance analysis (life cycle Assessment): 140 times more energy is saved through the use of ArmaFlex products than is needed for the production, transport and disposal of the products. |
| 2008: Donation for Earthquake Victims After the earthquake in Sichuan Province, China, Armacell makes a spontaneous donation of EUR 10,000 to aid organisations working in the area. Armacell employees throughout the world raise an additional EUR 10,000 and the company contributes an extra EUR 5,000. |
| 2007: Innovative Exhaust Air Combustion System Armacell installs an innovative exhaust air combustion system at its headquarters in Münster - the company´s largest production plant worldwide. The largest environmental investment in the history of the company, reduces measurable air pollutants by approximately 90%. |
| 2006: UN Global Compact Armacell joins the UN Global Compact, the world’s leading business network for sustainable globalisation. The members of the Global Compact commit themselves to promoting in their sphere of influence the implementation of ten fundamental principles regarding environmental protection, compliance with labour standards, combating corruption and the general protection of human rights. They also undertake to advocate publicly for the objec¬tives of the pact. |
| 2006: Prime Minister’s Industry Award for Thai Subsidiary Armacell’s Thai subsidiary receives the prestigious Prime Minister’s Industry Award for its innovative energy management programe. |
| 2006: EPBD -campaign Armacell launches a broad information campaign on the potential for savings by insulating hot pipes in buildings (EPBD campaign). |
| 2005: Environmental Certificate for Chinese Plant The location in Panyu, China is certified in accordance with ISO 14001. This makes Armacell the first manufacturer of flexible technical insulation materials in China to have gained the environmental certificate. |
| 2005: Tsunami Relief Fund After the Tsunami in southeast Asia Armacell sets up a relief fund: Donations of EUR 50,000 benefit long-term humanitarian and ecological projects in the area. |
| 2005: Ethics in Business Award Armacell receives the Ethics in Business Award for its exceptional commitment to the environment and social issues. |
| 2004: Independent CO2 Study The Centre for Sustainable Building (University of Kassel`s Zentrum für umweltbewusstes Bauen) presents the final version of the CO2 study. Heat losses can be reduced by up to 70% just by insulating the accessible pipes with SH/ArmaFlex. |
| 2000: HCFC-free Production in Spain Armacell Iberia is the first Spanish company in the industry to stop using HCFCs in the manufacture of its polyethylene products. The propellant is replaced by environmentally-friendly Isobutan. |
| 1997: Foundation of EuroACE Armstrong Insulation Products becomes a founder member of EuroACE, the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings, which was inspired by the European Commission following the signing of the Kyoto Protocol. |
| 1997: EMAS Certificate for Armacell Münster Plant The Environmental Management System at Armstrong Insulation Products in Münster is certified in accordance with ISO 14001 and receives one of the first EMAS certificates in the region. |
| 1995: Environmental Management System Introduction of an environmental management system at the company headquarters in Münster. |
| 1994: Environmental Steering Team An Environmental Steering Team is set up to examine the environmental soundness of all business processes, from the purchase of raw materials to the transport of goods. |
| 1993: Internal Environmental Audits A regular internal environmental audit is established. At three-year intervals, every production facility worldwide is audited in accordance with the environmental legislation of the country it is located. In addition to this, recommendations are made which go above and beyond the legislation. |
| 1992: First Ecobalance In cooperation with the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) in Berlin Armacell starts keeping a first "ecobalance". Introduction of an annual waste balance sheet and a waste management concept at the Münster plant. |
| 1991: Active Member of future e.V. Armstrong becomes an active member of ‘future e.V.’, a business initiative for in-company environmental protection. |
