Dataflex 100% carbon neutral!

In January 2020, Dataflex became 100% carbon neutral. We now compensate all our CO₂ emissions (Scope 1-3!). We’re proud to say this makes us the world’s first carbon neutral manufacturer of ergonomic workplace accessories. But we’re not stopping there. We see carbon-neutrality as a stepping stone on the journey to becoming a truly sustainable business.

Reducing emissions

Like any other company, at Dataflex we produce carbon emissions. Through our daily business operations, such as heating and lighting our offices and business travel, but mainly through our production processes, from mining raw materials to the moment a product exits our gates.

Our main focus is on reducing our carbon emissions, and we manage to do that year after year. For example, through less energy consumption, smarter production processes and our Circularity Program, whereby customers return products they no longer need and we ensure they’re repaired, refubished or properly recycled.

Measuring and compensating emissions

At the same time, for a while now we’ve been gathering data on our carbon emissions, for example through Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) that calculate the environmental impact of a product during its life cycle. However, we’re now able to measure our total annual carbon emissions, from both business operations and production, and have decided to offset these annual emissions each year, starting with the emissions for 2019. This means that Dataflex is now a carbon-neutral business.

To compensate our emissions, we’re partnering with Trees for All, investing in a reforestation and preservation project in Uganda’s Kibale National Park. The project is both VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) and CCB (Climate, Community & Biodiversity) certified, which guarantees the project’s replanting will have the desired positive environmental impact. The Kibale project not only has a positive impact on the climate, but also on the rainforest’s biodiversity and the lives of local people.

Eliminating emissions

Our aim now is to continue reducing our carbon emissions, so we have less to compensate each year. The ultimate goal is to produce no emissions, removing the need for emission compensation altogether. As a key part of this process, we’ll be focusing strongly on giving products a second life: some 95% of the environmental impact of Dataflex products comes from mining raw materials and processing used materials. Recycling those materials will therefore significantly reduce that impact.

“Everyone at Dataflex is extremely proud of reaching this key milestone. But we know there’s always more we can do,” says Dataflex CEO, Roderik Mos. “So we’re continually looking for new ways to shrink our footprint, and make our operations and products even more sustainable. No company’s perfect; but when it comes to sustainability, at Dataflex we genuinely try to do everything we can.”