We’ve always been very focused on the sustainability of our products and our operations because it’s the right thing to do. But we’ve also done it because it makes economic sense.
Sustainability is extremely important to JSP, and the company is continually improving its manufacturing methods to ensure a safer, more sustainable future by making products that are substantially recyclable, and by concentrating on product lifecycle management and educating its workforce.
You have to collaborate to become sustainable
The company recognizes how critically important it is to involve many different people on the sustainability journey and has formed a sustainability team that is led by management. There are energy champions reporting to management in each factory, for example, who gather suggestions from the shop floor to reduce energy consumption. There are personnel focused on sustainable packaging design. The purchasing team source sustainably and locally where possible.
JSP uses the supply chain sustainability school in UK and the EcoVadis platform in Europe for sharing information with distributors in UK and Europe and conducts SMETA audits of the company’s factories to assess working conditions and how they could be improved.
The company also collaborates with recycling companies to try to improve the end-of-life process for its products — for example is a founder member of the Hard Hat Recycling Scheme.
Sustainability as a fundamental business strategy
JSP’s Chief Executive Mark Johnstone emphasizes that sustainability is fundamental to the company’s overall business strategy. “There’s a lot more recognition of the need to improve all aspects of sustainability,” he says, “and as a family business, we’re able to make decisions quickly. Governments are setting targets, but frankly, it’s the private sector that will make the difference in achieving them. It’s up to companies like ours to do that.
We’ve always been very focused on the sustainability of our products and our operations because it’s the right thing to do. But we’ve also done it because it makes economic sense. We’re a product manufacturer and the whole design of a product is crucial in terms of how recyclable it is. It has to be integrated throughout everything we do, and these days, that’s even more the case given the high cost of energy. We need to keep finding innovative ways to reduce our consumption along with innovations that improve our manufacturing processes.”
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