Great progress in sustainability for Suominen
Suominen has made great progress towards its ambitious sustainability targets. Sustainability means that Suominen does things efficiently and responsibly in terms of the environment, people, and the economy. All three dimensions are critical throughout the value chain, from raw material supply to end product. Here is a recap of the progress this year - so far.
Fossil-free electricity in Europe
As part of active work to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Suominen is shifting entirely to fossil-free electricity in all its European plants. “This shift is one of the measures we are taking to reduce our GHG emissions in the future,” says Juan Carlos Esteve, Director, HSEQ.
Better cleanability, flushability and softness with a lower carbon footprint
During 2021 Suominen has already launched 13 sustainable products with a complex variety of features. Let us go through some of the products launched in 2021 so far:
Suominen’s HYDRASPUN® family was enhanced by two products. Suominen’s HYDRASPUN® Aquaflo was designed to raise the standard of moist toilet tissue and it certainly did so bypassing the strictest flushability standard in the industry, that published by the International Water Services Flushability Group (IWSFG.) In addition, Aquaflo also passed the GD4 flushability standard of INDA/EDANA in independent testing.
Suominen’s second flushable product launched this year was HYDRASPUN® Regal, which received the WRc Fine to Flush Manufacturer Generic Certification for nonwovens producers. With these launches, Suominen can justify its claim as a leading manufacturer of dispersible nonwovens.
Suominen’s BIOLACE® family was completed with a variety of sustainable products. Two of them were BIOLACE® Ultrasoft and BIOLACE® Cashmere. Both, exceptional softness and absorption capacity are much higher when compared to typical sustainable or renewable nonwovens, which makes them an excellent choice for personal care and consumers looking for products for caring for sensitive skin or if they are just looking for premium softness and touch.
BIOLACE® Silva succeeds in delivering natural power with exceptional cleaning performance and a cloth-like feeling. It’s designed to meet environmentally conscious consumers’ and professionals' choices, who value time and premium feel.
Innovations to be a frontrunner in sustainability
Suominen has collaborated in many innovation projects with different stakeholders. One of them was collaborative R&D efforts by Suominen and Infinited Fiber Company, whose shared values include sustainability and circularity. During the collaboration was developed a nonwoven sheet made from 100% textile waste. Read more
In addition to progress in all our sustainability agenda themes, Suominen was awarded, yet again, the prestigious RRITE supplier award presented by Rockline Industries at their 21st annual virtual SoRa event. Rockline nominations for this annual award are given to the supplier who exemplifies their values of renew, respect, integrity, teamwork, and excellence.
Local activity
Suominen wants to be a good, caring employer and socially responsible corporate citizen and thus promotes the wellbeing of both our employees and the communities near our operations. Doing good locally is one of the ways we support our neighboring communities. Being able to help their own communities also makes our people feel happy and proud, and it supports their overall well-being.
ISO 45001 certified plants
The ISO 45001 standard provides a framework for increasing safety, reducing workplace risks, and enhancing health and wellbeing at work. In 2021 Suominen has passed ISO 45001 certifications on all its plants.