Investing in green technology and eco-friendly solutions lies at the core of Skanem Africa's sustainability efforts. However, our approach to sustainability is far-reaching, emphasizing the importance of circularity and community to achieve our sustainability goals.
As regional and local regulations tighten, along with rising consumer expectations, sustainability practices have become a necessity for businesses.
Our vision at Skanem Africa is clear – creating a responsible future in packaging and labelling, where sustainability is integrated into every part of the business.
Committed to ambitious sustainability targets
To achieve our environmental goals – and to aid your business in reaching yours – we adhere to three key pillars in our sustainability agenda:
1. Care for Climate
To reduce emissions, we’re using renewable energy, optimizing transport, and cutting energy consumption by 10% per unit annually.
2. Care for People
Prioritizing employee well-being, fostering diversity, and creating safe and respectful working environments are non-negotiables. Moving forward, our goals include achieving a 30% female workforce and initiating over two community projects per region each year.
3. Reducing Material Impact
We’re aiming to reduce material waste by 25% and increase the use of Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials to 30% by 2030.
At Skanem Africa, we believe in fostering long-term, sustainable growth for our customers and the environment alike. Collaboration with stakeholders is essential to all three pillars, ensuring sustainable changes are implemented throughout the value chain. Participating in collaborative projects is key to achieving 100% circularity.
Read more: Balancing material and energy consumption in sustainable manufacturing
IFC EDGE-certified facility in Tilisi
Skanem Africa’s new factory in Tilisi demonstrates that sustainability and energy efficiency can go hand in hand. To achieve an IFC EDGE certification, a factory must reduce energy, water, and material use by at least 20% compared to conventional buildings. Additionally, the facility must meet these efficiency standards, be verified by EDGE software, and undergo a third-party audit for certification.
Skanem Africa’s building design for this project is setting a new benchmark in sustainability, earning an EDGE Advanced certification with predicted:
- 46 % energy savings
- 48 % water savings
- 48 % embodied energy savings
These resource savings won’t only benefit operations and manufacturing but also positively impact the larger community for years to come.
Read more: How Kenya's label manufacturing industry is evolving
Long-term environmental investments
Initiatives for meeting our sustainability goals at the factory in Tilisi include reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption through:
- LED lamps. Replacing conventional mercury lamps with LED lamps reduces the factory’s energy consumption by nearly 50%. LED lamps are also used for the printing press in our Tanzania factory.
- Solar panels. Kenya’s energy mix is already 93% renewable. As an advocate for a greener future, Skanem Africa is committed to increasing this percentage. Investing in solar panels minimizes the dependency on non-renewable energy sources and has significantly reduced the factory’s carbon footprint.
- Energy System Optimization. EDGE's advanced data software fine-tunes the factory’s energy systems for optimal performance, ensuring that the facility remains a benchmark for sustainable manufacturing in the region.
We are committed to continuous improvement and constantly seek innovative, eco-friendly solutions. Our efforts extend beyond energy efficiency to include waste reduction, production optimization, and responsible material sourcing.
