CWS wants to be sustainably successful, instead of just successful and sustainable
As a service provider, the CWS Group is an active part of the Circular Economy and can make decisions for a healthier and better future across the entire value chain. The focus is on a simple triad around the guiding principle "Think Circular": Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
"At CWS, everything revolves around holistic responsibility and resource conservation," says CEO Jürgen Höfling, CEO of the CWS Group. "By consistently thinking in cycles, we are already contributing to a healthier and safer tomorrow. We summarise this approach with our guiding principle "Think Circular". It is a clear commitment to our corporate responsibility."
Reduce
CWS focuses on resource conservation in all its processes, actively saving water, energy and materials. For example, laundries are equipped with mechanisms for energy recovery or washing processes are optimised so that water is recycled and reused several times – under high quality standards.
Reuse
Every day, up to 7,000 quality checks are carried out on the workwear issued. This means that repair measures can be taken at an early stage and the life cycle can be extended under high quality standards.
Recycle
Product cycles are closed by reusing functionally identical or new applications. For example, discarded towel rolls turn into cleaning utensils, or discarded workwear is broken down into its fibres and reprocessed into recycled polyester.
>>> Here you can find the Sustainability Think Circular Movie
Think Circular distinguishes circularity
A product is maximally sustainable if it does not have to be bought new produced and can be kept in its life cycle for a long time while conserving resources. Products and projects that comply with this circular logic will be marked with the "Think Circular" icon in the future. "In this way, we are creating awareness for the sustainable range of products and services of the CWS Group and inform internal and external reference groups in a memorable and recognisable way," says Dr. Maren Otte, Director Corporate Communications & Responsibility at CWS. "Because through the circular approach, CWS not only reduces the footprint over the complete life cycle of the products, but also helps customers to effectively conserve resources. The most sustainable product is the one that doesn't need to be bought in the first place."
The current Sustainability Report provides an overview of current projects. You will find information about the relevance of quality assurance for the longevity of workwear, the advantages of our service model in the workwear sector and the options for saving emissions, as well as about the upcoming Green Mats.