What are the United Nations Global Sustainability Goals?
30-05-2024The UN Global Goals
The United Nations Global Goals, also known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all." These goals were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The SDGs were developed in response to the growing urgency of addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. They build upon the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were the previous global development goals established in 2000 and aimed to be achieved by 2015.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are broad and ambitious, aiming to address a wide range of global issues and create a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world for all by 2030. They emphasize the importance of partnerships and cooperation among governments, the private sector, civil society, and individuals in achieving these goals.
KE Fibertec's Commitment to the UN Global Goals
Back in 2012, KE Fibertec was certified with the world's first textile based ventilation solution according to the Cradle to Cradle standard. This was the beginning of a journey of development and optimization towards more sustainable solutions and products as an integral part of our strategy. KE Fibertec has been working with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals for several years, and in the summer of 2021, the company was certified according to several important goals. This has been a significant milestone on the road to our goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, and today the certification forms the framework for all our sustainability efforts. KE Fibertec is therefore particularly proud to have been re-certified by Bureau Veritas in June 2023 with a score of 93 out of 100 possible points, so we can still document that we are making a difference for a more environmentally friendly future.
KE Fibertec's Sustainability Journey
At KE Fibertec we take responsibility and want to make as little impact on the environment as possible in everything we do - from production to transport of our products and to how we can recycle textile ducts after use. For many years, we have worked purposefully and intensively with sustainability, focusing on how we, as a global and leading manufacturer of textile based ventilation, can make a difference and impact the climate as little as possible.
The journey towards sustainability began back in 2012, when KE Fibertec was certified according to the sustainability standard Cradle to Cradle with CradleVent® - the world's first sustainable ventilation duct. The Cradle to Cradle concept is based on the whole idea of sustainability and does not use new materials, but strives to recycle where possible. Today, the circular mindset is part of our entire foundation, and the way we develop our products and optimize processes accordingly.
Sustainable Development Goals in Focus
For several years, we have been working with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals as an integral part of our strategy. Based on our goal of sustainable and energy-efficient ventilation solutions, we have chosen four important goals - SDG6, SDG7, SDG8, and SDG12 - areas where we assess that our products and solutions will have the greatest effect.
SDG6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
By using dyed yarns for our GreenWeave and MultiWeave fabrics, we have succeeded in achieving a saving on water consumption and wastewater of just over 67%, corresponding to approx. 1 million liters of water annually compared to conventional dyeing. We call it Green Thinking.
SDG7 - Sustainable Energy
All electricity that we use at our Danish factories, respectively at the head office and at the weaving mill in Vejen, has been based on 100% wind turbine energy since 2014. It is carbon neutral and gentle on the environment.
SDG8 - Decent Jobs and Economic Growth
We follow the principles of the UN's Global Compact program, which deals with human rights, the environment, and anti-corruption. Most recently, we have been certified according to the ISO 45001:2018 standard, which must ensure a good working environment. In 2020, as in so many other places, there was an extra strong focus on health and safety due to COVID-19. Here we managed to avoid a closure of the company and keep our three factories running.
SDG12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
KE Fibertec has managed to reduce our carbon footprint by 52% per year per turnover DKK compared to 2010. We have succeeded in reducing the waste material from our laser cutting machines by 38 tons. In 2020 we established a new program where we recycle surplus yarns at our weaving mill. Up to 7 tons of residual yarn are currently recycled to produce the various bulb cords used to mount the textile ducts in our mounting rails. Some of the benefits, in addition to reducing our waste, are that the yarns are free, they are fire tested and Cradle to Cradle certified.
However, KE Fibertec is not only limited to these four focus areas – but we also work on several fronts to constantly incorporate sustainability into our products and solutions. By choosing a textile-based ventilation solution you are already thinking about the environment. Textile ducts have a low weight, which makes them easier to transport than traditional steel ducts. This means lower fuel consumption and thus less CO2 emissions. The air distribution with textile ducts is extremely efficient, and we can offer a solution that can work.
Would you like to learn more about KE Fibertec's textile based ventilation solutions?
Simply email us on info@ke-fibertec.co.uk and find out about our free CPD sessions that not only allow you to gain CPD points but find out about what a difference textile based ventilation can make over its steel counterpart.