Sustainability

Committed to a more sustainable world

For CF group, sustainability means responsible action on the part of the company, with the aim of reconciling the interests of society and the environment. In the spirit of continuous improvement, we try to find comprehensive solutions in all areas of the company that are resource efficient and sustainable. One important aspect is energy consumption and the production of our own electricity. But we are also focusing on a more sustainable and energy-efficient product portfolio. The involvement of our employees is essential to anchor sustainable action in the company. In the future, we want to further intensify and support this approach so that each of us can actively make a contribution in the long term.

 

 

 

« Although the swimming pool market is expected to continue to grow in the future, I consider the preservation of drinking water, an increasingly scarce resource, to be a priority for our company.« 

Cedrik Mayer-Klenk, CEO of CF group

 

 

 

Our 6 areas of CSR

CF group has formalised its CSR commitments around 6 key areas: 

  • Energy
  • Mobility
  • Sustainability of our products
  • Recycling and reconditioning
  • Partnerships
  • Supply chain
  • Health and wellbeing of our teams

Energy

Our factories and buildings are moving towards greater self-sufficiency. We are massively deploying solar to use more green energy. Since 2021, we have installed 940 solar panels at our headquarters, covering 50% of our energy consumption. Two other sites (Köngen and Nidderau in Germany) will be equipped with photovoltaic panels during 2023.

Mobility

Since 2021, the group has converted its entire fleet to hybrid or electric vehicles. Recharging stations have been installed at our headquarters in Wendlingen and are powered by our photovoltaic panels. Our French site in Brécé has also been equipped with charging stations. This deployment will eventually be extended to all our sites. 

In order to further reduce our CO2 emissions, the trips between our headquarters in Wendlingen and our factory in Köngen, Germany, are made exclusively by electric bicycle. 

We also encourage commuting by bicycle (velotaf) by covering part of the cost of bicycle or electric bike rental by our employees. This is not only good for the environment, but also for the health of our staff.

Sustainability
of our products

We have been working for many years to make our products more sustainable and less CO2 intensive, and we must continue this commitment. Here are some examples : 

  • Intelligent control. For example with electrolysis or our low energy pool concept that we were the first to develop back in 2012.
  • Natural pools. These are pools that require very few or no chemicals and that stand out from an economic and ecological point of view. 
  • Biological brine pools. After 1 ½ years of research and development and more than 500 analyses, we have succeeded in developing an ultra-compact and high-performance filtration system for brine pools. Thanks to higher salt concentrations than in conventional electrolysis, we further reduce the use of chlorine. 
  • Natural ingredients. 80% of our wellness products are based on natural ingredients: fragrances, cosmetics and essential oils for spas.
  • Efficiency of our products. Our largest pumps use 65% less electricity than we did 10 years ago

Recycling
and reconditioning

We are using more and more recycled materials. This is the case for our pond liners, our packaging and the bottles we use on our production sites. We recycle our industrial off-cuts and carry out a 5 stream sorting process. 

We are committed to creating products that last over time. All of our products have a 1-5 year warranty and almost all of the electrical systems in our products are repairable.

 

 

 

Partnerships

We ensure that we share the same work ethic with our partners. That is why we sign a code of conduct with our suppliers and partners. Compliance with this charter is frequently verified through our audits.

Supply chain

With over 150 container deliveries in 2021, our CO2 emissions from road transport are high. By using electric locomotives instead of trucks, we could reduce our carbon footprint by 98 tonnes of CO2. We have started to do this for the transport of some containers from Hamburg, and are committed to further reducing the impact of our supply chain.

Health and well-being
of our teams

We are attentive to the well-being of our teams : 

  • Company canteens offering balanced meals at low cost
  • Eco-responsible aquaponics projects for an ultra-short production-consumption circuit for the catering area of our headquarters in Wendlingen
  • Sports halls
  • Distribution of fruits and vegetables baskets to employees
  • 30-minute lunchtime walks at some of our sites