Environment and sustainability – our shared responsibility
We live in a time of change, where environmental and social challenges are becoming ever greater worldwide. Those challenges are a shared responsibility, making it essential for us to make good and important decisions.
And our decisions are significant when it comes to environmental responsibility, social learning, communication and ethical standards.
We, therefore, strive to follow the ten guidelines outlined in the UN’s Global Compact – as we all have a shared responsibility for the past and for developing this changing world.
That’s why we work continuously with selected areas of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, where we can make a difference. (UN Global Goal no. 12: Responsible consumption and production.)
CSR – At VELA, we set requirements for recycling and sustainability
At VELA, we make quality products for the sitting person. We strive towards increased well-being and improved quality of life for the people who use our products.
The world we live in – both its people and the environment – are placing stricter demands on companies to be environmentally sustainable in their production, from the cradle to the grave.
Our products have a long lifespan and are reused user after user, and when a chair has been worn out, we reuse as many parts as possible. With a focus on environmentally friendly choices, we are constantly working towards more sustainable production, supporting VELA’s environmental responsibility.
VELA products are for the whole person. It is therefore only a matter of course that we make demands on our subcontractors, ensuring that they:
protect the internationally declared human rights
support the eradication of all forms of forced labour
support the effective abolition of child labour
do not contribute to human rights violations
We take an active position on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – not just internally but also with our suppliers.
That is why we visit our suppliers every year and conduct surveys that focus on CSR, quality, the environment and sustainability, and complement our evaluation system Factlines Supply Chain Compliance.
Integrated Factlines Supply Chain Compliance
At VELA, we use Factlines Supply Chain Compliance to evaluate our supply chains and chart where our raw materials and parts originate. This gives us optimum conditions for controlling our path from raw materials to finished products and actively evaluating our subcontractors.
Simply put, this means that we can influence our suppliers towards honouring the same ethical standards that we comply with.
Social responsibility
We believe that everyone has the right to a rewarding everyday life, which is our products’ exact concept.
We also employ people with special needs, e.g., flexible job solutions and internships, because we want to take social responsibility.
It also helps develop the company.
Sustainable focus areas
Reusability
As a company, we have a significant responsibility when it comes to the environment. Consequently, we have a high rate of reusable products and product parts.
As mentioned, our chairs have a long life and a high degree of reusability. The long life of our products is an extension of the fact that we have a responsibility to ensure that our suppliers also use the right processes and chemicals – and that they handle waste in an environmentally friendly and responsible manner.
But this is not the only area where we have a responsibility.
Environmental responsibility
We place great demands that our product production is being environmentally responsible. This applies to both recycling materials and products but also applies to daily production in general.
We sort waste and send metal, electronics, batteries, plastic and packaging for recycling so that every conceivable element from production has a recycling cycle.
Furthermore, we work with other companies to strengthen our focus on recycling and minimise the amount of waste. By doing that, we ensure a more circular and greener approach to disposal and recycling. As an example of what we do, we hand over our obsolete IT equipment to a company that renovates and upgrades it so others can refurbish it.
We also expect all our suppliers and partners to comply with this. And that is why we are in close contact with them about how we can make the right choices for the environment and quality together.
Our quality and environmental policy
At Vermund Larsen A/S, we are certified in internationally recognised standards for environment and quality. This ensures that we have a standardised approach to our processes and methods – and that we focus on both quality and environmental improvements.
All our employees comply with our quality and environmental policy every day, and we have a particular focus on continuously improving and optimising our daily work.
Therefore, we must work to improve and document both products and processes to meet all requirements from customers, authorities, and others.
The certifications have also contributed to a corporate culture, where there is structure and awareness among our employees regarding our:
processes
workflows
quality level
environmental impact
Focus on customer satisfaction
Because VELA makes products for people with a focus on independence
and a better everyday life, it is essential that the products are functional and can withstand daily wear and tear.
We need to be in ongoing contact with our customers. In that way, we can create a good product that considers expectations, use and lifecycle.
Our focus is, therefore, on:
being in close contact with our customers about use, expectations and improvements.
making continuous improvements and quality assurance based on customer input, e.g. during the development phase.
At VELA, we make an effort
All of the above initiatives, policies and focus areas help make VELA a company that focuses on ethics, environmental responsibility, communication and social learning.
We make an effort, and we know we can all do a little extra. That’s why there is never a definitive conclusion to our efforts – it is always about developing for something better.