Climate and Circularity

A road in the middle of a forest.

We Enhance Actions on Climate and Circularity

Ensto builds critical societal infrastructure that helps drive the green transition. We develop durable and innovative products and solutions that advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We are dedicated to improving resource efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions across our value chain. Our goal is:

  • Develop durable and innovative solutions with positive impacts
  • Cut CO2 emissions at all levels
  • Resource-efficient operations and supply chain

UN SDGs on Climate and Circularity

Our Targets in Climate and Circularity

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75%

reduction of scope 1 & 2 CO2 emissions by 2025

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50%

of the R&D investments contribute to Sustainable Development Goals by 2030

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€10M

of revenue from sustainable products by 2025

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100%

renewable energy by 2030

Climate Actions

We have made substantial strides in reducing our environmental impact, surpassing our emissions reduction targets. By focusing on cutting fuel consumption and sourcing renewable energy, we have significantly lowered our carbon footprint. A notable portion of our electricity now comes from non-fossil fuels, helping drive sustainability in manufacturing.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Electricity

Our approach to quality and environmental matters is outlined in Ensto’s Quality and Environmental Policy. Ensto’s environmental management system is built to comply with the ISO 14001 standard requirements.

At Ensto, we are committed to reducing our Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 50% by 2025. Electricity plays a leading role in our direct CO2 emissions. Therefore, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources are the most impactful ways to reduce our own carbon footprint.

As an example of our energy efficiency efforts, a smart energy control system has been installed at our solar power plant in Porvoo factory to store energy. Our goal is to have two of our largest factories, Porvoo and Keila, use electricity generated from 100% renewable energy sources and solar panels for own renewable electricity production to be installed at our factories in France.

Emissions in the Value Chain

With energy efficiency and by using renewable energy sources, we can significantly reduce the CO2 emissions of our manufacturing plants. However, based on our pre-evaluations, the largest sources of CO2 emissions in our supply chain are expected to be raw materials. It is therefore important to drive sustainability improvements together with our suppliers. We have recognized our significant categories of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions and have set baseline for target setting for reduction activity to align our climate strategies with the goals of the Paris Agreement, limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

Ensto’s Scope 3 data collection is ongoing, in conjunction with the development driven by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). 

Solar power plant at Ensto, Porvoo.

The Emission Reduction Goals of Our Own Operations Achieved in Record Time

We reached our 2025 target of reducing Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 75% ahead of time.

Our Actions for Climate

Where we are with our targets by 2023.

Target Baseline from 2021 2023 results 2025/30 target
75% reduction of Scope 1 & 2 CO2 emissions by 2025 100 24* level 25%
50% of our R&D investments contribute to SDGs by 2030  18.5% 13.2%** 50%
100% renewable electricity by 2030 12% 36%* 100%
*Ensto Group, excluding newer businesses Protrol and Maviko
**Ensto Group, excluding newer businesses Arcteq, Protrol and Maviko

 

Circular Economy

In waste management, we have reduced total and hazardous waste, reflecting our commitment to responsible resource use. We are also working to meet the new EU sustainability regulations, emphasizing transparent supply chain management and ongoing improvements in materials such as steel, electrical machinery, and aluminum.

Circular Product Design

Reducing waste to a minimum by reusing existing materials and products as long as possible is the essence of circular economy. Being a part of the critical infrastructure of society, Ensto’s products are of high quality, and they survive decades in harsh environmental conditions. 

In the future, emphasis will increasingly be put on new business models like services. A great example of this evolving business area is the refurbishment of overhead loadbreak switches (LBS) produced by Ensto in France. The LBS called Auguste is the only one on the market with the safe advantage of an embedded voltage transformer. Through refurbishment, LBS Auguste’s normal 25-year lifespan can be extended by another 20 years.

Environmental Product Declarations

We have established in-house capabilities to produce Enviromental Product Declarations (EDPs) and carbon footprints for select products, adhering to ISO 14025 standards. This reflects our commitment to trancparency and enviromental responsibility. 

Innovation of New Materials

Innovating to create materials that replace harmful substances used in our products is an important part of our work on circularity. We actively participate in the development of lead- and SF6-free products together with our suppliers and scientific institutions. One of the materials being tested is lead-free brass, which is being developed for use in brass screws. As for SF6, our product development is testing an alternative gas mixtures for circuit breakers.

Besides innovations, we are researching and prototyping technologies that help distribution system operators (DSOs) reduce their CO2 emissions. Smart sensors and IOT provide accurate fault information from their network so that focused repair actions can be made without manual investigation. 

Waste Management

At Ensto, our aim is to reduce waste and promote circularity in our manufacturing plants. We have increased the shear, or recycling, reusing, recovering and composting part in our overall waste generation and have been able to reduce the landfill and energy waste part by a small amount.

We are continuously seeking ways to reduce waste generated in our manufacturing plants and also for our customers. To reduce the environmental impact of our packaging, we use as many recyclable materials as possible, such as brown corrugated board and enviromentally friendly filling. We also use less printing colors in our packaging. 

Waste chart about 76 tons reduction in total waste.

76 Tons Reduction in Total Waste

Ensto has made progress in reducing waste, cutting total waste by 76 tons and hazardous waste by 33 tons. Despite a slight drop in waste recovery rates, the company remains committed to improving its waste management practices. By focusing on reducing landfilling and enhancing recycling efforts, Ensto continues to prioritize sustainability and responsible resource use across its operations.

Our Actions for Circularity

Where We Are with Our Targets by 2023.

Target Baseline 2023 results 2025/30 target
10 million euros of revenue from sustainable products by 2025 4.1 M 3.3 M** 10 M
All factories ISO 14001 certified by 2025 4/6 6/9 9/9

*Ensto Group, excluding newer businesses Protrol and Maviko
**Ensto Group, excluding newer businesses Arcteq, Protrol and Maviko