Sustainability and mobility for all

Universal experiences, values, and common goals

Investor AB, a leading Swedish investment company, is the parent company of Patricia Industries, which includes BraunAbility. We are proud to be part of the portfolio, and we share their business-driven approach to sustainability.

That means, our daily work as BraunAbility Europe also follows the commitment to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN has set 17 goals for 2030, and leaders worldwide are committed to reaching them. Investor has identified 6 of the SDGs where we can contribute the most and where they are also most impacted.

Our business efforts are also in compliance with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which includes completing a Double Materiality Assessment (DMA). As we are dedicated to transparency and accountability in our sustainability practices, we comply with the EU Commission's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Integrating these standards means we are compelled to examine how our activities impact people and the environment, and how sustainability issues can affect our organisation and business in the short, medium, and long-term. By building upon the guidelines and framework of Investor, and transparently sharing our learnings and experiences, we can contribute to an environmentally friendly change and a more inclusive tomorrow for our product users.

We make sure to incorporate longstanding changes into our operations and decisions. Simultaneously, not every effort has to be big or needs to lead to immediate rewards and payoffs. However, working consistently for a more sustainable future is inevitable.

Small productional changes with durable impact

We are always working to improve our operations and minimise our impact on the environment at our facilities. Through many small steps, we can make a difference and have an impact in the long run. These steps include: saving energy and resources, effective material and energy utilisation, waste management, and CO2 emissions measurement.

Examples of sustainability projects initiated by employees

For instance, a weekend cutoff time was proposed by colleagues at BraunAbility Europe's Swedish production site in 2023 to be put into practice for various machines and systems. This included the site's air compressor, indoor heating gates, laser machines, cooling system, and ventilation fans for laser cooling units. We were able to save a significant amount of energy within the production circle by cutting off power instead of putting it on standby on weekends. Thanks to our production team, we've saved a lot of energy. Starting in 2023, by cutting power to machines on weekends, including air compressors and laser machines, we saved 1.4 MWh compared to a typical week.

Another example from the same year was when we changed our air and noise management systems. We could greatly improve energy use and save costs by reducing annual energy consumption by 122 MWh. Additionally, by installing a new system in our air compressor, we were able to reduce inefficient air usage and waste during production. We have also made improvements to our air blow gun. This has resulted in a 50% reduction in noise and a 35% reduction in air consumption.

We continue to optimise our process flow while exploring ways to save energy and reuse resources. Here are some other examples of on-site improvements and small yet significant steps towards greater sustainability:

• Reducing handwashing water usage by up to 85%.
• Minimising plastic packaging waste: plastic recycling program, improved instructions, and supplier collaboration.
• Installing automatic sensor lights and LED lights to save energy.

Key sustainability initiatives 2024 – 2026

Between the years 2024 and 2026, several key initiatives lead the way towards enhancements in efficiency, sustainability, and innovation. These span across different parts of our organisation and focus on improving product development, documentation processes, and environmental impact.

To give you a clearer understanding, let us break it down into two levels:

Process level: Optimise energy processes to save energy and resources, reduce waste, and implement smarter process improvements. This benefits our organisation and workplace by creating a more efficient work environment.

Product level: We are committed to developing lighter products and future products that are easy to sort. The aim is to reduce material usage and simplify the handling and recycling of products. Among other things, product development will concentrate on reducing welding for health and energy reasons.

2024

• We continued expanding our convenient EV charging facility, allowing employees to charge their cars.
• The external finished goods inventory is closed. Logistics and operations at the new warehouse have become more efficient and cost-effective, resulting in a positive environmental impact.
• As part of our efforts for ISO 1421, we intensified our work in measuring recycling and operational waste at our production facilities in both Sweden and Denmark.
• Both our Danish and Swedish production sites are powered by 100% certified green energy obtained from accredited local hydro power providers.

2025

• Developing new products with less welding and more assembled solutions (as part of the Scope 1 & 2 plans).
• Transitioning product documentation to QR codes instead of paper.
• Introducing food waste sorting in the lunchroom.
• Setting new goals and action plans to reduce operational waste and issuing 'credit notes' for collaboration with suppliers handling recycling and waste.
  
  

Learn more about the history of our organisation and facilities

ISO: Responsible high-quality systems

BraunAbility Europe has been re-awarded the ISO 9001:2015 quality certification, a globally recognised standard for quality management systems. It helps organisations to improve their performance, meet customer expectations, and demonstrate their commitment to quality. The requirements define the process for setting up, implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving a quality management system.

We have been certified by ISO 14001:2015, which is the internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems. It provides a framework for organizations to design and implement an environmental management system, and continuously improve their environmental performance.

The ISO certifications demonstrate our commitment to high-quality products and environmental responsibility. Going forward, we are working to not only maintain these certifications but continue enhancing the standards followed by our organisation.

Learn more about our work in testing, safety, and product quality

Evaluating and managing carbon emissions

In accordance with BraunAbility US, we measure and quantify the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) we produce, both directly and indirectly. Based on this collaborative work, we are developing strategies to reduce emissions. Our objective is to improve our operations and beyond by analysing and evaluating our entire value chain. 

When companies, such as ours, want to fully assess their climate impact, they must measure both the emissions caused by their operations and the raw materials in their goods. To determine the total impact a company has on emissions, it is necessary to evaluate three scopes. Scopes 1, 2, and 3 divide the different types of carbon emissions generated by an organisation:

• Scope 1: Direct emissions from sources we own or control.
• Scope 2: Indirect emissions from the energy we purchase and use.
• Scope 3: Other indirect emissions in our value chain, like business travel and emissions caused throughout a product’s lifecycle.

At BraunAbility Europe, we fulfill Scope 1-3 emissions across all levels, and we are working continuously with all three scopes of emissions. This comprehensive approach ensures we make a significant impact on our sustainability efforts at all levels of our operations.

Future emission goals

Our goals for the next years include the following:

• By 2030, we aim to decrease our total emissions by 50%, compared to the 2016 levels on a net basis. This covers all emissions in Scope 1 and Scope 2.
  
  
• BraunAbility Europe continues developing a portfolio that will meet our emissions reduction objectives and protect us from risks.
  
  
• We continue to emphasise energy efficiency at all of our business units, led by our own Sustainability Council.

Inspiring collaborations and efficient transitions

We have implemented various measures to reduce our environmental impact throughout our business units and production sites, including energy-saving initiatives, efficient material utilization, and waste management.

Our collaboration with the Swedish RISE Institute is an additional demonstration of our dedication to forward-thinking research and innovation. Furthermore, it shows that our organisation as a whole is open to receiving support and inspiration from experts in the field of sustainable change. In 2023, we started to engage in several sustainable development projects where we worked with Malin Hallin, Martin Kurdve, and Emma Enebog at RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden). They supported us with the right sustainability models and tools.

Together we defined three pilot projects for our production:

1. Quantifying our carbon footprint and finding ways to cut emissions
2. Improving the use of sheet metal by identifying the reasons for waste and reducing them.
3. Building a circular business model through a greater understanding of customers and their incentives to support circularity.

Inhouse sustainability

• Involvement in circular projects on energy efficiency (e.g. collaborating with the Swedish research institute RISE).
• Lean work: Lean can be described as a set of management practices designed to enhance efficiency and effectiveness by eliminating waste in various working processes within an organisation.
• The new warehouse in Stenkullen: Since 2023, the new warehouse offers more effective, cost-efficient, and environmentally responsible logistics and operations.
• Circular product use: We have even tested the Turny^® Evo as part of a circular economy project but encountered issues with ensuring safety guarantees on a global scale.

We have learned that energy efficiency must not be as difficult to achieve as one might think. Test, follow up, test again, and improve – that is our motto.

Hydro Power Certificate

Hydropower certification schemes are used globally, outlining sustainability efforts for hydropower projects.

In 2024, the Swedish part of our production has used 100% hydro power, with the origin verified according to the Guarantee of Origin system. As of the same year, both our Danish and Swedish production sites are powered by 100% certified green energy obtained from accredited local providers.

The potential of environmental upstream and downstream impact

Our upstream and downstream processes have the potential to affect society, business partners, and the supply chain. By focusing on these areas, we aim to create a positive impact across all levels of our operations.

Upstream processes involve procuring raw materials and conducting the initial stages of production, which have an effect on our suppliers and business partners.

Downstream processes include the distribution, use, and disposal of our products, which can affect end-users and society as a whole. They allow our product users to participate in a green transition. That way, BraunAbility products also can contribute to environmental sustainability. 

Selected projects