The company’s forest in Brazil, more recycled plastic as well as projects for green electricity and water: Faber-Castell is continually improving its environmental impact by using more sustainable materials and renewable energies, among other things. In the 2020/21 business year, CO2 emissions at the company’s production sites were reduced by 25 per cent compared to the previous business year. The latest Sustainability Report shows that a positive environmental impact continues to be a top priority for the world’s largest manufacturer of wood-cased pencils. In terms of climate protection, Faber-Castell thus remains an industry leader and is committed to specific projects.
Faber-Castell makes an important contribution to climate protection with its company-owned forest in Brazil that spans 10,000 hectares and absorbs 900,000 tonnes of CO2. Two thirds of this are pine forest, which cover 86 per cent of the wood required to manufacture pencils. One third of the forest is natural and provides a home for over 700 species of native plants and animals to support regional biodiversity. The wood used is also FSC- or PEFC-certified, so the roughly two billion graphite and colouring pencils produced all come from 100 per cent sustainable forestry.
Progress with recycled plastic
To improve sustainability in the area of plastics, Faber-Castell is increasingly using recycled material. By 2029/30, the share of alternative plastics used should be increased to 55 per cent. In the 2020/21 business year, 144 tonnes of recycled plastic were used in production, which marks an 89 per cent increase from the previous business year. In Germany and Austria, markers are made and packaged with recycled plastic. Faber-Castell also uses recycled material for the packaging of other products. The company is also increasing the proportion of cardboard packaging to continually reduce the use of plastics.
More green electricity and clean water
The topic of sustainability is part of Faber-Castell’s company history. The production site in Stein, Germany, has been producing renewable electricity since 1956 thanks to a small hydroelectric generator. This generated about two million kilowatt hours over the 2020/21 business year. In Southeast Asia, solar projects have been installed in the company’s production sites. Additional electricity for the sites in Peru, Brazil, Austria and Germany is also purchased from 100 per cent certified renewable sources.
In Germany, Faber-Castell switched to a less water-intensive manufacturing process for the graphite lead of its pencils. In 2021, when a risk analysis was carried out on ground water pollution that specifically focused on water as a resource, no risks were identified in the process. Compliance with German standards and legal regulations ensures that no water bodies are polluted. By installing a water treatment plant in Brazil and several rainwater reservoirs in Indonesia, Faber-Castell has succeeded in reducing wastewater intensity by five per cent compared to the previous business year.
With its use of 87 per cent renewable energies, and proven carbon-neutral production through its own forests, Faber-Castell remains an industry pioneer in climate protection. This is being taken further with even more ambitious targets: By the 2029/30 business year, the company’s carbon footprint is to be reduced by a total of 55 per cent (reference year 2019/20). In addition, Faber-Castell wants to be energy self-sufficient as much as possible in the future and use renewable energies from its own sources.