Manufacturing with the future in mind

Sustainability is more than a compliance box to tick. It means making informed decisions that improve the environmental performance of a product, from the first design decision through to production and delivery.

At H+A, sustainability runs across our entire value chain. Manufacturing for tomorrow is not simply an ESG obligation, it is part of how we operate. Our focus is practical: reduce risk, use resources more efficiently and create long-term value for our customers, partners and stakeholders.

We have built sustainability into the daily operation of our local manufacturing facility. Smart, energy-efficient lighting and ridge line ventilation help reduce the energy required for lighting and climate control. More than 15% of the site is allocated to greenery, 40% of our power comes from renewable energy and solar panels cover over half of our roof. We use biodegradable cleaning products, while harvested rainwater has reduced our municipal water use by 30%.

But sustainable manufacturing starts before anything reaches the factory floor.

The real work starts at the design stage. Using software like EcoDesignCloud, we can assess a product’s environmental impact across its lifecycle, estimate carbon emissions, compare material options and provide customers with information that supports their own sustainability reporting. It helps us make better choices early in the process, before a product reaches the factory floor, where those decisions can have the greatest impact.

This means designing products with a more circular lifecycle, improving energy efficiency and cutting waste wherever possible. We also work with sustainability partners to support transparent reporting and keep pace with changing market and compliance requirements.

Those decisions then carry through into how we physically produce. Across our process, we focus on practical ways to reduce our environmental footprint; from using cleaner energy and lowering logistics emissions to reducing landfill waste and managing chemicals responsibly, whilst maintaining regulatory compliance.

We continue to assess the durability of our designs, reconsider how materials such as corrugate are used, find ways to reduce production waste and design with reuse, recovery and recycling in mind.

But sustainability only means something when it can be measured.

Our EcoVadis Committed Badge recognises our commitment to continuous improvement across key sustainability areas. It also gives customers greater confidence that our approach is aligned with internationally recognised assessment criteria. It can support supplier qualification requirements and gives us a clear benchmark for improving our performance over time.