Striving for decarbonisation is an ambition that we all share, and one that every business in Ireland must play its part in tackling, as Philip Cefai, Managing Director of Crown Paints explains.
“The Irish Government has put the country on a path towards net zero carbon, with legally binding pledges to reduce emissions by 51% by 2030 and hit net zero by 2050.
Achieving these goals is going to mean we all must make changes, and that’s something we’re taking very seriously at Crown Paints.
As one of Ireland’s biggest suppliers of paint to DIYers, tradespeople and the construction industry alike, we’re in a strong position to help support our customers’ efforts, as well as our own, to reduce impact on the environment by ensuring that our processes are as sustainable as they can be.
That’s why we have launched Project Possible, unifying all of our environmental sustainability activities under one single initiative that we can all get behind and support.
Continuous improvement
We’ve already made good progress in our efforts to be a greener business. For example, we now only use 100% certifiable renewable energy for our business operations. We were also one of the first paint manufacturer to use 100% recycled packaging.
As well as this, we’re leading the way when it comes to expanding the number of products that meet
environmental regulatory criteria including BREEAM and LEED.
This includes new Clean Extreme Clean Air Scrubbable Matt, which features innovative air purifying technology that improves indoor air quality by removing up to 45% of the formaldehyde present from the air. It was recently awarded Best Interior Product at the Architecture & Building Expo in Dublin.
Crown Trade Extramatt is also low VOC, limiting exposure to airborne triggers of asthma and allergies, and both products benefit from Crown’s leading breatheasy® formulation.
But there is a lot more to do, and we’re going to have to continue to adapt and innovate as we work to maintain momentum and keep delivering the progress we have promised.
That includes becoming a carbon neutral, zero waste to landfill business by 2026.
Supporting global change
Just as the climate crisis isn’t a challenge that can be tackled by any single business or government, it also demands action worldwide, and not just in a single country. As part of the Hempel Group, global coatings company wholly owned by The Hempel Foundation, working for good is in Crown’s DNA. A portion of Crown profits go towards supporting the philanthropic work that the Hempel Foundation does to protect biodiversity, empower children to learn and make the paint industry more sustainable, and in 2022 alone, the Foundation made donations of over €21 million.
Becoming a sustainable business is not a box-ticking exercise. Cutting carbon and reducing waste means
making real change right across our operations and supply chain, and that’s what we’re committed to doing.
It’s our passion and has been a core part of our purpose for many years.
We’re holding ourselves to account, setting ambitious targets and being totally transparent with regular updates on our progress.
And we’re sharing our ambitions and achievements with our customers and colleagues so everyone can come on this journey with us.
I’m so proud of the positive difference we are already making, and I can promise that we will continue to be a force for change.”
You can learn more about our Project Possible initiative at: www.crownpaints.com
