What is the Faber-Castell approach to environmental protection & sustainability?
Anchored as one of four core brand values in the corporate strategy, environmental responsibility at Faber-Castell not only includes environmentally-friendly sourcing of resources, but also covers the entire product life cycle, from environmentally-friendly development, right through to disposal. This means low-emission production processes and products that offer a long service life and that are refillable or recyclable where possible.
What does Faber-Castell focus on when selecting raw materials?
Anchored as one of four core brand values in the corporate strategy, environmental responsibility at Faber-Castell includes environmentally-conscious use of resources.
The wood we use, for example, comes from sustainable, certified forests - some of which we manage ourselves. We also aim to constantly reduce the use of non-recyclable plastic.
Raw materials must fulfil the same high quality requirements all over the world. To this end, the raw materials undergo regular quality tests and are monitored via defined standardised testing methods. Find out more.
The wood we use, for example, comes from sustainable, certified forests - some of which we manage ourselves. We also aim to constantly reduce the use of non-recyclable plastic.
Raw materials must fulfil the same high quality requirements all over the world. To this end, the raw materials undergo regular quality tests and are monitored via defined standardised testing methods. Find out more.
Where does the wood for the pencils come from?
As the largest single producer of wood-cased pencils in the world, Faber-Castell needs up to 150,000 tonnes of wood a year. The entire requirements of the Faber-Castell Group are covered by sustainably managed and certified forests. A large portion of our own raw material consumption has been safeguarded through reforestation projects in Columbia and Brazil.
The portion that has to be purchased is strictly monitored. The EU Timber Regulation ensures that wood is only imported into Europe that has been harvested legally, in a socially responsible way and in accordance with all ecological requirements in the country of origin. We also place great importance on a completely closed and transparent supply chain in line with the ‘Chain of Custody’ stipulated and regularly monitored by FSC and PEFC.
The portion that has to be purchased is strictly monitored. The EU Timber Regulation ensures that wood is only imported into Europe that has been harvested legally, in a socially responsible way and in accordance with all ecological requirements in the country of origin. We also place great importance on a completely closed and transparent supply chain in line with the ‘Chain of Custody’ stipulated and regularly monitored by FSC and PEFC.
What role does energy saving play in the company?
In the fight against climate change, reducing emissions by saving energy is an important measure for Faber-Castell. Faber-Castell is making a positive contribution to climate protection with the forests planted in Brazil over three decades ago. As they grow, the trees absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere and bind carbon. A scientific study carried out by TÜV Rheinland confirmed that the Faber-Castell forests in Prata are helping to reduce greenhouse gases with over 900,000 t carbon dioxide. They therefore bind significantly more CO₂ than the company emits annually on a global level. Faber-Castell is therefore one of the few companies in its sector that is climate-neutral thanks to its own forests.
Faber-Castell covers a large portion of its energy requirements through heat generation using wood waste and hydraulic power. At the site in Stein, over 30% of the energy consumption per year is covered with its own hydropower plant. At the Stein and São Carlos sites, Faber-Castell operates pelleting lines to press the wood waste from production into wood pellets, which can be used for supplying heat to the buildings, among other things.
Similar renewable and environmentally-friendly energy generation measures are also used in the other Faber-Castell production sites all over the world, such as the use of geothermal energy at our plant in Austria.
Faber-Castell covers a large portion of its energy requirements through heat generation using wood waste and hydraulic power. At the site in Stein, over 30% of the energy consumption per year is covered with its own hydropower plant. At the Stein and São Carlos sites, Faber-Castell operates pelleting lines to press the wood waste from production into wood pellets, which can be used for supplying heat to the buildings, among other things.
Similar renewable and environmentally-friendly energy generation measures are also used in the other Faber-Castell production sites all over the world, such as the use of geothermal energy at our plant in Austria.