Sustainability
At S. Sørensen Thisted A/S, we have a strong commitment to contributing positively to the green transition, and we are continuously implementing improvements to enhance the company’s sustainability.
With the measures already in place, the company supports the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions
In 2022, as part of mapping the company’s energy consumption and CO2 emissions, we entered into an agreement with Scanenergi for energy consulting and assistance with CO2 mapping.
The above was part of a package solution that also includes the purchase of wind energy, the establishment of a climate forest, and an additional climate initiative.
By choosing all five initiatives, we are permitted to use 5 stars and two leaf marks in our marketing.
CO2 Mapping 2023 – Scanenergi
Energibesparende tiltag
Based on Scanenergi’s energy consulting and CO2 mapping in 2022, several improvement initiatives have been initiated.
However, several energy-saving measures had already been implemented prior to this, including:
- The oil burner in the warehouse at Løvevej 4 was replaced with a heat pump in December 2019.
- Lighting in the warehouse and bottling facility at Tigervej 11 was switched to LED in 2019.
- Two gas-powered trucks were replaced with electric trucks—one in 2018 and another in 2021.
- An electric charging station for company vehicles and customers was installed in March 2022.
Planned future initiatives as a result of the mapping:
- The natural gas heating system at Tigervej 11 is scheduled to be phased out and replaced with either district heating or a heat pump solution during 2023.
- Remaining gas-powered trucks are planned to be gradually replaced with electric trucks by 2030.
- Light sources that are not yet LED are scheduled to be replaced in 2023.
VINDenergi
As part of the green transition, we have chosen to shift our electricity purchases to 100% renewable and CO2-neutral energy produced by Danish wind power. This not only helps to protect the environment but also supports both the production and investment in eco-friendly energy.
With the VINDenergy agreement, we support the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
KLIMAskov
To offset the company’s total CO2 emissions, we have chosen to invest in the Danish climate forest initiative with Scanenergi. The KLIMAforest initiative involves planting the number of trees that, over their lifetime, will absorb 100% of the company’s annual CO2 emissions.
In 2022, we planted a total of 1,388 trees, consisting of 16 different species to ensure biodiversity.
With the KLIMAforest agreement, we support the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
KLIMAtiltag
In addition to our agreement with Scanenergi to transition our electricity purchases to 100% renewable and CO2-neutral energy produced by Danish wind power, we have chosen to invest in further reducing global CO2 emissions through one or more climate initiatives in different parts of the world.
With this Climate Initiative agreement with Scanenergi, valid from 2022 to 2028, the company’s total CO2 emissions will be reduced twice over.
With the Climate Initiative agreement, we support the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Circular Economy
Plastic Packaging
At S. Sørensen, we have focused extensively over the years on recycling plastic packaging, which is why we have implemented a deposit system for packaging such as plastic tanks, barrels, and containers.
The deposit system has enabled us to reuse empty packaging, which we collect from our customers.
The empty packaging is then refilled and reused multiple times throughout its lifespan. The lifespan of packaging for handling chemicals depends on the contents and can vary from two to five years.
This handling of plastic packaging allows it to be reused around 30 times within five years.
Any received packaging that is not clean is sent for external washing before being reused. Packaging that is damaged, cannot be cleaned, or has exceeded its lifespan is sent for recycling—where it is shredded and used to produce new plastic.
The way we handle plastic packaging already fully complies with the EU’s Packaging Directive 2025, which introduces new rules for reducing plastic packaging waste as of January 1, 2025.
According to the Danish Ministry of Environment, too much plastic waste ends up in incineration plants and in nature, which is a waste of resources and a threat to our climate and environment. Therefore, much more packaging needs to be reused or recycled.
Furthermore, the Ministry states that plastic waste is the primary source of Denmark’s CO2 emissions from waste incineration.
The set targets for plastic recycling by 2035 are up to 70%, which we are already meeting with our current handling of plastic packaging.
Plastic Film and Cardboard Packaging
Plastic film is one of the waste fractions we collect and compress into bales before sending it for recycling.
We reuse cardboard boxes received from our suppliers for shipping products to our customers whenever possible.
We understand that reused cardboard boxes may not always look perfect, but every time a box is reused, it saves energy in producing new ones.
Any cardboard packaging that cannot be reused is also collected and compressed into bales before being sent for recycling.
