deSter unveils its first Sustainability Report

Hoogstraten, Belgium, 26 June 2023 — deSter, a leading provider of innovative, sustainable packaging solutions for the aviation and hospitality industries, is pleased to announce the launch of its Sustainability Report for the year 2022.

This comprehensive report showcases deSter’s dedication to environmental responsibility, social impact, and ethical governance, reflecting the company’s holistic approach toward sustainability.

As a global leader in the industry, deSter recognizes the importance of people, planet, and product and their crucial role in building a sustainable future. The Sustainability Report serves as a transparent account of deSter’s sustainability journey, providing insights into the company’s initiatives, achievements, and future goals across three key areas:

People:

By 2025

• Be a great place to work
• Establish a fully committed supply chain
• Actively contribute to communities 

Planet:

By 2025

• Achieve 25% carbon footprint reduction across our entire supply chain, compared to 2019

• Reach net-zero carbon in our internal operations
• Achieve 75% carbon footprint reduction across our entire supply chain, compared to 2019
• Net-zero waste in our internal operations
• Contribute to reach nature-positive on biodiversity

• Reach net-zero carbon in our entire supply chain. Scope 1,2 and 3

Product:

Since 2020

• We have only launched new products that are reusable, recyclable, or compostable

By 2025

• All our products are either reusable, recyclable, or compostable
• We work exclusively with responsible resources and sustainable materials
• Remove all added fluorinated compounds from packaging materials

By 2030

• 100% of our products create zero waste

Highlights from deSter’s Sustainability Report 2022 showcase the company’s commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles, including:

• 63% reduction of polystyrene material use (compared to 2019)
• 38% reduction in single-use plastic products (compared to 2019)
• Successful launch of in-house developed paper cutlery, with investment in the newly developed production line
• 3 major customers transitioned to closed-loop recycling of reusable products
• 51% turnover from sustainable products
• More than 500 new joiners following the recovering from Covid-19 pandemic
• 49/51 men to women gender balance and 40+ nationalities
• 12.6 hours of training completed per employee
• Global lost time injury severity rate of 0.11 (vs 0.46 industry standard Belgium)
• 10,5% employee turnover rate
• 90% of our global suppliers committed to our social and environmental goals
• Committed to the Science Based Targets initiative on greenhouse gas emissions
• Scope 1 and 2 reported according to the greenhouse gas protocol and externally audited
• 100% closed loop water system installed in all three production facilities for the cooling of production processes
• Almost 60% of operational waste is recycled across all three production facilities

Stef Van de Perre, deSter’s President & Managing Director, commented, “At deSter, we strongly believe that sustainability goes beyond just protecting the environment. Our Sustainability Report demonstrates our firm commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of our employees and communities around us, taking care of our planet, and creating sustainable products. The recent and ongoing multi-million investments in sustainable production methods across our production sites only add to it. We take great pride in showcasing our accomplishments and the dedicated efforts of our team. By working together, we can make a real impact and contribute to a better future for everyone.”

For more information about deSter and to access the full Sustainability Report, please click here.