Saving the planet: Sustainability in the automotive industry.
While the automotive industry is ahead of other sectors in meeting global sustainability standards, it still faces strategic challenges in the area of sustainability. In the last decade, the concept of sustainability has emerged as a major challenge for this industry, and this new way of visualizing cars has permeated the industry completely, to the point of forging a new philosophy within each of the automotive companies. At the beginning of the decade, there were hardly any options for eco-friendly, hybrid, or electric cars; today the competition is fierce and the options are simply spectacular. Now, regardless of whether the car is electric or gasoline-powered, sustainability has reached everyone. Polluting emissions are being reduced more and more, and the industry is making significant investments to develop recyclable materials for interiors and other accessories. 2021 looks set to be an incredible year for the automotive sector, as the new normal is a period in which manufacturers are prioritizing aspects such as electrification, autonomous and intelligent driving. Furthermore, the value chains of multinational automotive companies will also undergo visible changes, in sales, after-sales service and other services, as well as social and environmental responsibility initiatives. We're sharing sustainable actions that automotive companies are implementing, with the ultimate goal of taking care of our planet. Cupra: The Spanish company has reached an agreement with Seaqual Yarn to manufacture the standard seats of its first electric car, the Cupra Born, using recycled marine plastic extracted from oceans, rivers, estuaries and seas. It is the fishermen, various non-governmental organizations and local communities who collect these products in order to make the weaving. This circular economy contributes to the continuous cleaning of seas, rivers and oceans. Bridgestone: It has set itself the goal of reducing its global carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. For Mexico, the brand has launched different initiatives, such as adapting backup boilers to use diesel for steam generation instead of fuel oil. This led it to reduce, in 2020 alone, the emissions generated in its operation by 17%, compared to the previous year. Among other actions, it has implemented a circular economy in which it uses 100 percent sustainable materials in its products. Its plant in Cuernavaca, Morelos, has a waste recycling rate of 97 percent, as well as a program for manufacturing "llancreto", a material used for paving, from discarded tires. At GDI Uniforms we have extensive experience in the automotive sector. We are suppliers and strategic partners of the following companies, so that together we can achieve a positive impact on the care of our environment. KIA: In its commitment to sustainability and the environment, it seeks to improve and perfect its processes to create 100 percent environmentally friendly cars, and an example of this is its painting process, where volatile organic compounds are channeled through its Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (ROT) system, which purifies the air to be released into the environment without polluting residues. This system, used in their paint shop, is one of the cleanest processes in the automotive industry, where the company not only seeks to beautify its cars with the highest quality standards, but to do so through technologies that allow them to minimize their ecological impact and create sustainable processes. Roshfrans: At its plant in Actopan, Hidalgo, they have ISO 14001:2015 certification, an environmental management system that allows them to reduce the environmental impacts of their operations, as well as collaborate in the preservation of the environment. They have also implemented an environmentally friendly product project, namely sustainable Roshpack packaging with 70% less plastic. Lightweight, flexible, and economical, the innovative 4-liter Roshpack bags, along with our traditional 950ml Roshpack, are made of multi-laminated film that guarantees long-lasting preservation of the products, as well as lightweight packaging that helps reduce CO2 emissions. During the production of Roshpack bags, the carbon footprint is reduced, allowing for the measurement of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions derived from the production and distribution of the product. Environmental protection has become a fundamental part for all participants in the automotive industry. We know that this industry is made up of a long chain of roles and types of work, managers, salespeople, administrative and security personnel. For each of them, we have the garment that provides security and comfort, while projecting the company's image to its clients and collaborators. At GDI Uniforms we develop sustainable solutions: We have sustainable programs such as regenerated garments, sustainable garments and uniform destruction, each of them is aligned to take care of your brand and take care of the environment.
Do you know the difference between Sustainability and Sustainable Development?
According to their root meanings, "sustainable" and "sustainable" do not mean the same thing, but they are two words we often use as adjectives to describe environmentally friendly processes and activities. Unfortunately, they are not synonyms, and using them interchangeably is incorrect. The difference between "sustainable" and "sustainable" is not that complicated to understand; each has characteristics that make them distinct. Below, we explain their respective characteristics. SUSTAINABILITY. The dictionary of the Spanish language defines sustainability as "that which can be supported or defended with reasons." Sustainable development is making proper use of current resources without compromising those of future generations. This development includes sustainable processes to preserve, protect, and conserve current and future natural resources. It does not take into account the specific cultural, political, and social needs of human beings. Herman Daly, an American ecological economist, professor, and recipient of the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize) in 1996, defined some principles of sustainability. Daly also states that we should promote technologies that increase the productivity of natural resources (greater benefit from resource use) and reduce those that require a greater quantity of natural resources to produce the same output. SUSTAINABILITY refers to the pursuit of social and economic progress that ensures a healthy and productive life for human beings, but without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Based on the global importance of natural resources and the need for their rational use according to Daly's principles, sustainability seeks social development that contributes to improving the quality of life, health, education, and culture of all people. At GDI, we are convinced that by implementing these types of actions, the world will be more inclusive, improving the quality of life for everyone. Therefore, both concepts are put into practice at GDI because we care about the future of the ecosystem and strive to make proper use of all natural resources. We seek the appropriate way to perform our work under the corresponding human processes, taking into account constant innovation, without neglecting the care of the environment, trying not to generate waste and seeking alternative inputs that are environmentally friendly.
Strategic decisions adopted for a commitment to ecology
Environmental management refers to a company's policies and actions aimed at achieving maximum environmental protection in its activities and surrounding environment. It is based on three main pillars: Each company must analyze and identify the impact of its activities on the environment in order to design the tools for each of these pillars. Furthermore, these are intersected by government regulations and policies, which must be followed. CHARACTERISTICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT The implementation of an Environmental Management System is a process that begins with the company's strategic decision to commit to environmental responsibility. This process involves several stages and is characterized by a series of tools that enable the achievement of its objectives. Among the characteristics of environmental management, the following can be mentioned: ADVANTAGES AND CHALLENGES Advantages of Environmental Management Proper environmental management, both in society in general and through corporate social responsibility initiatives, has multiple benefits, such as: Just as there are advantages, there are also challenges to implementing this type of management, such as: Each company, by analyzing its activity, can define its own characteristics of environmental management and how to carry it out. Any type of implementation must have a good structure and support from the entire company. At GDI, we are aware of the impact of our activities on the environment. For this reason, we have implemented measures to correct processes that could harm the environment, for example, saving energy with LED lights, using a cutter that minimizes fabric scrap waste, and partnering with suppliers who use sustainable fabrics for garment production. We have implemented the sale of cloth face masks to reduce the use of disposable face masks, which can harm the environment; we also sell sustainable garments, which are made with sustainable fabrics or contain a percentage of PET. At GDI we care about the environment, making our processes more environmentally friendly. We are a company that looks out for the future and seeks growth without harming resources.