CWS Group publishes new CR Report

Duisburg, 2nd September. CWS has repositioned itself. Thus, the system provider and hygiene specialist also restructured its corporate responsibility strategy. The results can be seen in the redesigned CR Report which the company published today with the title “RE:NEW:ABLE”. CWS now reports about its efforts in the scope of the new profile topic of the circular economy in three new fields of activity

CWS published its new CR Report on 2^nd September. Along with the reorganisation of the group of companies, CWS has also updated its strategy in the field of corporate responsibility (CR). The title “RE:NEW:ABLE” illustrates this as well as the updated reporting structure and the new profile topic. With the new report, CWS will be demonstrating its CR efforts in three fields of activity in the future: “Put people first!”, “Optimise cycles!” and “Sustain business!”. In addition, circular economy is now the profile topic of the company’s sustainability activities.

The service provider’s circular system, designed with long service lives and reusability in mind, exhibits the company’s sustainability approach right there in its business model. “CWS has set out to be the recognised market leader in innovative and sustainable rental services in hygiene and workwear markets. Hence, sustainability is part of our strategy as a company and a central factor in our success”, explained Jürgen Höfling, CEO of the CWS Group.

The new CR Report represents a new baseline in this respect. “The joint venture united two companies which understood, measured and reported on sustainability in different ways. We seized the opportunity to put it under the magnifying glass yet again: we revised and restructured our fields of activity by means of stakeholder and materiality analyses, comprehensive expert workshops and KPI re-evaluations”, said Dr. Maren Otte, Group Director Corporate Communications & Responsibility.

The company sets great store by occupational health and safety. By 2025, CWS hopes to reduce the number of accidents in the workplace to an impressive zero. The comprehensive reorganisation of the processes, new reporting structures, dedicated root cause analyses and measures such as additional safety training sessions have allowed the company to cut the injury rate from 3.2 to 2.6. Compared with 2016, the rate has been almost halved.

The focus is also evident in the intensification of a comprehensive feedback culture at CWS. Employees and customers alike are regularly surveyed regarding their satisfaction in and with the company by means of a standardised short survey. Critics are contacted within five days – in some cases, by the top management and the CEO in person.

In addition, CWS is continuously optimising its cycle processes with sustainable innovations and products For example, CWS uses resource-saving technologies in its laundries and reprocesses rinsing water. The company also tests environmentally friendly and C0₂-reducing washing procedures. Furthermore, CWS is consistently increasing the use of sustainably produced cotton in its workwear collections. For example, in 2018, the number of items of clothing made with Fairtrade-certified cotton rose to 272,441 articles.

“Thanks to our rental model, we have always thought in cycles. As part of our strategic realignment, we have further honed our profile”, reported Dr. Otte. For example, components and raw materials from towel roll dispensers are reused and recycled wherever possible for the production of new dispensers. These totalled 16,090 in 2018. Worn-out cotton towel rolls are then recycled to produce cleaning cloths, mops and insulation material.

The three fields of activity and the profile topic also define the scope for all future CWS sustainability activities. “We are convinced that our sustainable solutions contribute to a healthier and safer future, resulting in considerable growth potential for the company. This topic is ever more important for our customers. Together we can also generate sustainable value with sustainable offerings”, concluded Mr Höfling.