GROHE is one of the 50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders
“We at GROHE have a do-er mentality: We don’t talk too much, we basically implement,” is how Thomas Fuhr, Leader Fittings LIXIL International and Co-CEO Grohe AG, describes how sustainability is implemented and translated into concrete action at GROHE in a documentary. The short film is part of the global sustainability and climate protection initiative “50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders,” for which GROHE was elected along with 49 other international companies. As pioneers in their respective industries, the companies portrayed demonstrate how they are actively committed to a sustainable future grounded in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)* of the United Nations, and in doing so, inspire others to follow their example. The GROHE brand also uses milestones from its 20-year commitment to sustainability to illustrate the innovative approaches to making sustainability the core of its business activities and how it views this transformation as an economic opportunity.
Behind the scenes of GROHE’s sustainability management
Above all, the basis of all commitments in the field of sustainability is the courage to break new ground. Fundamental changes, such as those initiated by GROHE over the last 20 years, imply the necessity to take up challenges. This can only be done together: GROHE implements sustainability in all areas. It all starts with product development, which combines an ecological approach with enjoyment through technologies such as EcoJoy: Water consumption is reduced by up to half while the level of comfort remains the same. The development center at the Hemer site with its 160 employees continuously researches and develops new innovations and approaches in order to create even more environmentally-friendly products and solutions in the future. This enables consumers to make their everyday life more sustainable as easily as possible. However, the focus is not only on the use of water- and energy-saving products – their manufacture is also constantly optimised from a sustainability perspective.
Since April 2020, GROHE has been one of the first leading manufacturers in the sanitary industry to produce CO2-neutral products. With recycling rates of more than 90 percent, the brand is approaching a circular economy. Initiatives such as “Less Plastic” particularly contribute to the conservation of resources and an avoidance of waste. As many as 23.5 million plastic packaging materials have already been saved as part of this initiative – a first milestone on the way to the goal of ultimately banning all plastic materials from product packaging by March 2021. The fight against the global problem of plastic waste is complemented by GROHE Blue. The water system, a finalist for the German Sustainability Award Design 2021, offers chilled, filtered and, if desired, carbonated water straight from the kitchen tap – making plastic bottles redundant.
“Even though we have achieved a great deal in recent years, we are aware that we must continue to strengthen our commitment in order to shape the future of water in a sustainable manner. For us, sustainability is a continuous journey that we must continue with courage. I am proud that we are doing this as a team and that each individual at GROHE is making their contribution. Only like this can we pave the way to a sustainable economy, meet global challenges and improve people's quality of life,” said Fuhr.
*GROHE's sustainability strategy is based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The overall 17 goals for sustainable development are part of the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, which was adopted by all member states of the United Nations in 2015. They include concrete targets on urgent challenges such as the advancing climate change, growing inequalities or water pollution that need to be addressed. You can find more information here.
