Sustainability

We take quality and the environment very seriously and strive to be a role model in these areas. Through systematic environmental work, we constantly develop and improve. For us, sustainability is about balancing economic, social and environmental aspects to create long-term solutions, fully in line with the UN definition from 1987: to “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

About Us

Sustainability – Procurement

Procurement Managers Elin Jönsson and Dorte Møller play a key role in ensuring that the business always has the right resources and materials to drive production forward.

We prioritise sustainability and quality in all parts of the procurement process. Our focus is to work with suppliers who share our vision of environmental and social responsibility. At the same time, we strive for cost-effectiveness by balancing price and value without compromising on quality.

With innovative thinking and a strong focus on transparency, we build long-term and trusting relationships with our suppliers. Our team of procurement managers work together to continuously find better solutions that create value for our business and our customers.

About Us

Sustainability – Quality

Certification

Wapro AB is certified to the environmental management system ISO 14001. This provides us with a tool to monitor our environmental impact, set environmental objectives, and increase awareness of the requirement to protect the environment. This also means that we have good routines for waste and chemical management, amongst other things.

EPD – Environmental Product Declaration

An EPD contains information about a product’s environmental impact based on a life cycle assessment, thereby becoming a way to communicate a product’s environmental performance. Wapro has developed EPDs for WaStop in various designs as well as our WaBack. Third-party verification has been carried out by Ramboll Sweden AB.

Carbon Footprint

We must be aware of our carbon footprint. Both to make our staff and external stakeholders aware of our environmental impact, and to know which areas we should drive targets and strategies for emission reduction.

The calculation is based on the GHG Protocol Standard regarding scopes one to three. Several departments collaborate to produce the data needed to carry out the calculation, which further contributes to raising awareness amongst our staff. We consider it natural that the result of the calculation is communicated, both to our employees and to our partners.

Circular Economy

In a circular economy, one strives to minimise waste and maximise reuse, repair, renovation and recycling of materials and products. Striving for circular solutions, as far as possible, to become part of our processes is a strong driving force for us.

We work to minimise waste, both that which arises internally and as part of our packaging to minimise waste at our customers’ premises. As an example, we have completely removed plastic packaging when we pack for delivery. Through this measure, we contribute to reducing the need for new plastic and prevent plastic from ending up in lakes, seas and waterways, or elsewhere in nature.

We use return systems for the wooden pallets we handle. These are cleaned and repaired before being reused. Another example is that for certain well sizes, we buy pre-cut pipes and thus avoid large pieces of polyethylene waste that cannot be used for anything else. We also have an ambition that as much as possible of the polyethylene waste generated in our production can be recycled into new products.

Some of the work clothes and shoes used are made from recycled materials, primarily polyester. Here we collaborate with an operator who has this as their business concept.

Materials

Our carbon footprint calculation is clear – it is the materials and articles that we purchase to manufacture our products that account for the largest part of our total emissions. We have several measures and ideas to be able to influence these emissions.

It is a difficult challenge to achieve a radical reduction in emissions from purchased materials and articles. Therefore, we at Wapro think that the expression “many small streams make a river” is ideal for this emission category. That is, several smaller measures that can each contribute a small emission reduction but together can be significant. One measure is to implement product changes where the material in certain components can be replaced and/or reduced in volume. On certain sizes of WaStop, for example, we have a plan to replace a fastening device in stainless steel with one in polyethylene for selected models, which can reduce emissions by approximately 1.5 – 3.0% per valve. For CE-marked products, changes may only be implemented in collaboration with our certification company.

We can also sometimes use second-hand stainless steel pipes by fitting new membranes and selling them at a lower price. The steel pipe constitutes, depending on the model, 60-70% of the valve’s total emissions. Instead of sending a functioning pipe for recycling, we thus save a great deal of emissions.

A good relationship and open dialogue with our suppliers is another important measure. We must be clear in communicating our ambitions for emission reduction on items we purchase. In this way, we can stay updated with any opportunities to obtain a material with lower emissions, for example thanks to developments in extraction and processing. Opportunities to incorporate recycled material into the items are also of interest to us as this reduces emissions.

Our Products

We want to emphasise that our products are an important means in the pursuit of a sustainable world. Not only do they do their job and protect against flooding. They also help prevent greenhouse gas emissions that arise from restoration after a flood and prevent various chemical substances, including heavy metals, from ending up in lakes, seas and waterways. It is therefore an important goal for us to sell more products that can protect more areas.

The number of floods in the world has increased significantly during this century. Since 2000, flood-related disasters have increased by 134% compared to the two previous decades (https://unric.org/sv/katastrofer-har-okat-med-134-procent/). Thousands of people and animals perish annually, and there is extensive and costly damage to buildings, infrastructure, environments and property. In addition, the spread of diseases can occur due to water contamination.

Depending on the nature of the flood, clean-up and remediation of the affected area may be required. Buildings and infrastructure in the form of roads, bridges, power grids, water systems, and so on may need to be repaired, renovated or even completely replaced. Various environments such as parks and other green spaces can be destroyed and require entirely new plantings. Not to mention all the property that cannot be saved. Destroyed cars and other vehicles must be removed and disposed of. Interior fittings, fixtures, furniture, textiles, electronics and other items found in a typical home are often destroyed in a flood. In short – new production is required for everything that needs to be restored and replaced, as well as labour, energy and fuel to get everything in place. The greater the damage a flood causes, the higher the emissions for restoration. These very emissions can be prevented by having flood protection installed, and this is where Wapro’s products and solutions come into play. By informing our customers and highlighting the issue of increasing flood disasters, Wapro wants to contribute to more valves that protect against backflow as well as other flow regulation solutions being installed. This saves lives and saves both money and greenhouse gas emissions.

Staff

We strive for our staff to be aware of what sustainable action is about, as well as Wapro’s ambitions to become more sustainable. Among other things, by contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Our ambition is for our staff to be knowledgeable about and involved in the sustainability work. We do this by highlighting news and information in daily conversations. For example, when we talk about our products, our suppliers, marketing, goals, strategies, and so on. In addition, it is an aspiration to annually arrange for all employees in the Wapro Group a review and briefing on sustainability where the content varies from time to time. It can touch on sustainability in general with fact-based information, but also connect to the products we manufacture to create and promote pride in being part of the process of designing, building and selling solutions that prevent flooding.

We promote good health amongst our employees and therefore Wapro AB offers a significant wellness allowance to its employees as well as the opportunity to lease company bicycles. We have also established a travel policy to act as a guide when planning business trips.

GLOBAL GOALS
Wapro sympathises with Agenda 2030 and the seventeen goals developed by the UN. With relevance to our operations and the products and solutions we create, we have chosen to focus on these goals.