We reduce our climate and environmental impacts

A better tomorrow starts from respecting the environment and the climate. We develop our operations to reduce our climate impacts and increase the energy and material efficiency of our production and logistics. Let’s take care of nature.

Energy efficiency and emissions

Our efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions are primarily guided by our environmental policy. We are ISO 14001 certified for our environmental performance. The share of renewable energy at our Heinävesi plants is 99.9% – 100 % and our products are transported with renewable fuel from our Heinävesi plants to our logistics centre in Vantaa.

Late in 2021,  we made a commitment to the Science Based Targets climate initiative, which involves preparing a scheduled roadmap and actions for reducing emissions in accordance with the 1.5°C target stipulated by the Paris Agreement by the end of 2023..

Target 2020 – 2022  Results in 2020 – 2022 
The Heinävesi plants run completely on renewable energy. The share of renewable energy in the total energy consumption of the Heinävesi plants is 100% at the H1 plant, which produces cosmetics and hygiene products, and the H2 plant, which produces ethanol-based products. The share of renewable energy at the H3 vinegar production plant will be 99.9% until the fossil fuel oil in the reserve power plant runs out.
We will begin using biofuels in our transport operations between the Heinävesi plants and our central warehouse in Viinikkala, Vantaa. 2022 was our first full year of using renewable fuel in the logistics between our Heinävesi plants and the logistics centre in Viinikkala, Vantaa. Emissions were reduced by 181 t CO2e, or 92% compared to fossil diesel.
We will reduce our direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions. Direct and indirect emissions have been reduced by switching to biofuels. Berner’s commitment to the Science Based Targets climate initiative at the end of 2021 means defining a detailed roadmap, especially for reducing indirect emissions. The current state of the Berner Group’s carbon dioxide emissions will be completed in spring 2023.
We will increase our energy efficiency. We will join the Motiva energy efficiency agreement in 2020. We will set a quantitative target in 2021. We joined the energy efficiency agreement in 2020, and we have improved our reporting on our energy consumption. At the Heinävesi plants, lighting has been modernised and air compressors have been replaced. The effects of COVID-19 and Russia’s war of aggression on demand fluctuations make it difficult to set a quantitative indicator.

 

Material efficiency

Our material efficiency is guided by our environmental policy. Our goal is to continuously improve our material efficiency.  We aim to avoid material waste by evaluating our material balances more effectively than before.

Target 2020 – 2022  Results in  2020 – 2022 
We will reduce the material waste resulting from our own
production by improving our material efficiency and by
reviewing our processes.
Material audits pursuant to the Motiva model have been carried out at the Heinävesi H1 plant, which produces cosmetics and hygiene products, and H2 plant, which produces ethanol-based products. Targets for development have been identified extensively, investments have been made and process monitoring has been developed.
We will enhance the use of washing water by adopting new washing practices and reducing the volume of waste water as well as the amount of waste sent to the hazardous waste treatment plant. CIP scrubbers have been purchased for both H1 and H2 plants. COVID-19 and the crisis in Ukraine have made production planning difficult, but the amount of wastewater and the amount of hazardous waste have nevertheless decreased.
We will explore opportunities to reuse ethanol-based products. We recycled 8,000 kg of sanitary ethanol for use as raw material for technical products in 2021. The practice continued in 2022, but the exact amount is not known due to shortcomings in the records.

 

 

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