Building sustainability into everything we do

We are committed to reaching carbon net zero in 2050 in line with the government target and are proud to have been awarded the status of Construct Zero Industry Business champion by the Construction Leadership Council.

We continuously develop innovative solutions for safe and sustainable water usage that support vulnerable communities and help our customers meet the challenges of climate change. A big risk to human well-being worldwide is the lack of clean and safe water resources. It is an urgent problem and one of the effects of climate change we are already witnessing today. Wavin continuously develops innovative solutions to mitigate these effects. We contribute by building healthy and sustainable environments and by creating future-proof cities.

Wavin has 45 production facilities throughout the world. Many of these are based in regions, mainly in Latin America, where potable water facilities, sewer systems and other crucial infrastructure are lacking behind.

Wavin is keen on supporting such regions in the development of these basic needs. Creating a positive impact on the community results in more prosperity in the area and an increase in local entrepreneurship. It enables Wavin to attract and attain motivated employees, supports their families while securing stable conditions around the production facility. At the same time, Wavin is aware of the relevance of a diverse composition of its workforce. Being an international company automatically provides an international and culturally diverse workforce. Through our hiring process and employee promotions, Wavin is committed to fostering a corporate culture of inclusion and equality – embracing of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation and identity, and age.

Our materials and products are designed to be reused and recycled to maximise environmental value. To close the material loop, we continuously improve our procurement processes and contribute to the increase of recyclate usage. 

Limited natural resources and climate change are important drivers of the circular economy. A circular economy preferably starts at the very beginning of a product’s life cycle. Wavin has been an early adaptor in using recyclate (internal and post-consumer/producer waste) in its products. Our materials and products are designed to be reused and recycled to maximize environmental and financial value. Circularity is a broad concept which does not only include product reuse or lifetime extension. Next to a focus on increasing recyclate usage and improving the rate of recyclability of our products, we will continuously improve our procurement processes.

Clear targets are key for a sustainability program. We want to create full transparency and disclosure to all stakeholders, so we develop tools, processes, and skills to collect high-quality data.

Through well-defined reporting processes with clear responsibilities on site level, Wavin monitors and steers its sustainability performance. This enables Wavin to actively respond to changes in the business environment and implement measures that contribute to reaching ambitious goals. Wavin has production facilities worldwide; therefore, it is key to define roles and responsibilities and fully engage with all stakeholders.

We continuously optimise our production and value chain processes to lower greenhouse gas emissions. This is achieved with sustainable energy, SMART solutions, and other innovative fine tunings.

As an international company, with production facilities in over 40 countries, Wavin is fully aware of its environmental impact. Not only the effect our actions have but also the footprint of our customers and suppliers in the value chain. By monitoring and measuring emissions, Wavin can perfectly assess which improvements or changes can and should be made. Goal setting helps Wavin to steer towards lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the production process and to further fine-tune innovative processes and support the right decisions going forward. Wavin is taking broad measures to reduce GHG emissions and increase energy efficiency by, for example, installing LED lighting at production sites, by using more efficient machines or reorganizing production lines. Besides our concrete goals, we also work on increasing the number of sites, using 100% electricity from renewable sources. Six sites in the UK and Ireland complied with these objectives in 2020.

We are actively involved in policy development and build strategic alliances to promote sustainability, act upon it and further grow awareness. 

With a rich history of over 60 years, Wavin has built a great network with a variety of relevant stakeholders. Next to our employees, customers and suppliers, we, directly and indirectly, engage with NGOs, legislators and various trade and business associations, all relevant stakeholders. With some of them, we interact on a daily or regular basis such as NGOs, Global Resilient Cities Network and TEPPFA (The European Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association) and with others, more project-based.

RootSeal Technology in Wavin OsmaDrain Fittings uses a natural inhibitor to deter tree roots from pipe systems - protecting both the surrounding environment and below-ground pipe networks. Look out for the green seal!

Wavin takes responsibility in realizing a sustainable supply chain. Maximizing the efficiency of supplier logistics, for example, makes an important contribution to our controlled carbon footprint.