By Andrew Coulsen, CEO, Spandex Group
At Spandex, we’re on a journey to make our business more sustainable, not only within our operations but also by empowering our customers to adopt similar practices. My previous discussions have emphasized the critical role leaders play in steering the signage and visual communications sector towards a more environmentally responsible future.
In 2022, we laid down ambitious goals aimed at transforming Spandex into a more sustainable and circular enterprise. This involved minimizing waste and promoting the reuse and recycling of our offerings. Detailed insights into our strategic approach and progression plan are accessible on our website. Concentrating on five pivotal areas—People, Carbon, Products, Packaging, and Procurement—our objectives are in harmony with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and are supported by our unwavering commitment to ethical practices.
I am excited to share that we have made significant strides in realizing these goals and are now in a position to support our customers along their sustainability journeys.
Accountability in Our Operations
A key component of our sustainability strategy is our capability to evaluate and disclose the carbon footprint of several products we produce. The practice of quantifying carbon emissions associated with product and service creation is becoming increasingly vital in our industry.
Fortunately, we can already share this information for select products, offering our customers the support they need, regardless of where they are on their sustainability path. We initiated our carbon measurement efforts with our top-selling ImagePerfect series and have since expanded this practice to include our Berger Textiles division, with carbon footprint details for popular materials such as Samba soon to be released.
We are also actively collaborating with our partner brands to disclose the carbon footprint of third-party materials available through Spandex.
Commitment to Social Responsibility
The ethical considerations within our supply chain are of paramount importance to us. As part of our commitment outlined under the Procurement pillar of our sustainability strategy, we are thrilled to announce that we are a member of the SEDEX network (www.sedex.com), a move that underscores our dedication to social responsibility. Through SEDEX’s SMETA auditing methodology, we aim to enhance transparency and accountability within our supply networks and provide clear and unbiased insights into our suppliers’ operations to our customers and stakeholders.
Additionally, in the UK, Spandex is a member of the Self-Adhesive Industry Sustainable Action Group (SAISAG), an initiative focused on reducing plastic waste and promoting recycling awareness within our industry.
Moving Forward Together
While celebrating our progress, we acknowledge that our understanding of sustainability is still evolving. The journey towards sustainable practices is ongoing and we are dedicated to continuous improvement.
The interest in sustainability topics such as carbon measurement, waste management and supply chain ethics is growing within the visual communications sector. We anticipate that even our smaller customers will soon face these discussions more often. Rest assured, Spandex, along with our leading brand partners, is proactively addressing these issues and is prepared to support you in making meaningful, positive changes.
Together, we can take significant steps towards a more sustainable future, reinforcing our commitment to the planet and our industry.
Author – Andrew Coulsen
Andrew Coulsen is the CEO of Spandex Group, one of the world’s leading suppliers of materials, sign systems, displays and equipment to the sign making, graphics, architectural and vehicle wrapping markets.
