Esselte Earth in Mind Initiative

March 12, 2008

Esselte consistently focuses on environmental protection through its Earth in Mind initiative

Product longevity and product recyclability are at the core of the corporate philosophy

Stuttgart, 12 March 2008. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has almost become a matter of course in the economy today, because only those who act with social responsibility will also be able to experience sustainable economic growth. “An effective CSR strategy must fit into the core business of a company,” emphasises Dr. Annette Kleinfeld, one of the first scholars and consultants in Germany to focus on the areas of business ethics, values and integrity management. This is precisely what the company Esselte, which also owns the brand Leitz, has taken to heart. In addition to responsibility for people and employees, the issue of environmental protection is a significant part of the Product Development process for the leading manufacturer of office supplies.

According to calculations by leading environmental organisations, per capita consumption of paper in Germany has increased by 700 percent over the last 55 years. Today Germany is ranked number four in overall paper consumption worldwide. For the time being, the paperless office remains an illusion. In light of this constantly increasing paper consumption, Esselte has taken up the cause of making a significant contribution towards conserving valuable raw materials. The focus is on high quality standards and the use of recycled materials wherever possible.

“Our ultimate credo is product longevity,” explains Barry McCool, Vice President of Marketing at Esselte Europe. “Rather than recycling things,” McCool says, “it is better not to throw them away in the first place.” The Leitz binder mechanism, for example, has been tested around 12,000 times to make sure that the product lifespan is longer than any other binder on the market. It is not uncommon for a Leitz brand binder to be used for 20 years or more. The high quality doesn’t just benefit the consumer, but also protects the environment. A long lifespan is a key factor for the company’s other important products, such as hole-punches and staplers. For this reason Esselte even issues a 10-year warranty for many products.

Most Esselte products contain paper and cardboard and are made from 100 percent recycled materials. McCool: “This alone saves around one million trees each year.” Plastic binders and folders are made with polypropylene, which can be disposed of more easily than PVC. Basically the goal is to make the products as recyclable or reusable as possible. This is why Esselte avoids using complex material compounds. The new Vivanto cardboard series, which is doing extremely well on the market, shows just how attractive products made of recycled material can be. Many of the Esselte office supplies have been awarded the German “Blue Angel” environmental label. In addition to this, the company also labels its ecologically efficient products in catalogues with its own “earth in mind” symbol.

Environmental management is also the top priority in production and trade

“No matter whether it’s in development, production or sales, environmental impact is at the heart of our business,” explains McCool. “Our basic principle is to limit all conceivable damage to a bare minimum.” Thus all of Esselte’s European production sites strictly follow the ISO standards. For example, through the more efficient running of the moulding machines at the St. Niklaas production site, 350 tons of CO2 emissions are reduced each year.

Through the conscious and more efficient use of warehouse space, heating and electricity costs can also be reduced, equivalent to emissions of around 40 tons of CO2. In the production of electrical devices such as staplers and laminating machines, the European Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) as well as the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) are strictly observed. Esselte is also environmentally conscious in trade: As a matter of principle, the company uses as little packaging and transport material as possible. All cardboard containers and product packaging are made of 100 percent recycled material.

“Conserving resources, avoiding waste and minimising emissions are the focal point of our responsibility for the environment,” McCool emphasises. “Through continuous improvements and the resulting savings/reductions in production, we will make an even greater contribution for the environment in the future. It is a constant journey of improvements thanks to our corporate commitment to the core principle of waste elimination that lies at the heart of the Lean focus of Esselte.”

For more information:
Esselte Leitz GmbH & Co. KG
Ard-Jen Spijkervet, Marketing Director Central Europe
Siemensstraße 64, D-70469 Stuttgart
Email: ajspijkervet@esselte.com

Agency contact:
P.U.N.K.T. PR GmbH
Siegmund Kolthoff / Dagmar Rutenbeck
Theodorstraße 41a, 22761 Hamburg
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)40 853 7600
Email: info@punkt-pr.de

About Esselte
Esselte, With executive offices in Stamford, Conn., USA, is a leading global office supplies manufacturer with annual sales of approximately USD 1 billion, subsidiaries in 33 countries and approximately 5,000 employees worldwide. The company develops innovative solutions that simplify the modern home and workplace. Esselte sells more than 20,000 different office products in over 120 countries; its principal brands include Esselte, Leitz, Oxford, Pendaflex and Xyron. More information about Esselte can be found by visiting www.esselte.com.