Sustainability at arbesko shoe factory
We believe in local production. That is why we have chosen to keep the final production in Sweden. It enables us to drive our processes in the direction of becoming as sustainable as possible. These include, for example, control over energy use, transport, employee ergonomics and safety, waste management, circularity and design.
Today, 90% of the shoes we sell are produced in our own factories.
As part of our sustainability strategy, Arbesko Skofabrik has been certified in quality and environmental management, (ISO 9001 and ISO 14001) since the 90s. And since autumn 2021, work environment (ISO 45001) and all office operations are also included.
100% fossil-free electricity supply
All electricity purchased for our production in Kumla comes from hydropower, which is a renewable source. We are also working to reduce the total energy use in the factory.
Solar panels on the factory roof
In autumn 2023, the solar panels on the factory roof in Kumla were put into use. The solar panels are expected to provide an annual energy production of 110,000 kWh/year.
Waste
As part of our goal to minimize waste from our operations, a collaboration with recycling company Ragn-Sells was initiated in 2021. The collaboration resulted in us being certified according to ReThink™. A ReThink™ certification means that Ragn-Sells gives a rating on how well we perform in the field and offers suggestions for actions to improve us even more.
Ragn-Sells helps to map our waste management with the goal of being as resource-efficient as possible. They help identify efforts to minimize waste and to ensure that the best solutions for recycling are used.
In 2022, we reached level 4 on their 5-point score scale. Since the work was initiated, we have seen a great impact and we are very proud that our efforts have led to a reduction in both total waste and the percentage of combustible waste. In 2022, we reduced our combustible share of waste by 18%.
