Corporate Social Responsibility at SES
At our company, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a top priority. We are committed to contributing to a sustainable future in every possible way. This is achieved by making conscious choices regarding waste management, energy use, raw materials, and employee care.
Waste
Our waste management focuses on maximum reuse and recycling. Wastewater is treated in special sedimentation tanks to remove harmful substances before it is discharged. Boxes are reused as filler material, reducing waste. Additionally, we carefully separate our waste: plastic, cardboard, residual waste, toners, paint sludge, and archive documents are sent to specialised processing companies. These companies ensure that as many materials as possible are reused or responsibly disposed of.
Energy
We use district heating and electricity to heat our buildings. Our newly constructed logistics hall is equipped with underfloor heating, providing more efficient and even heating. Moreover, 99% of our lighting is LED, which consumes significantly less energy than traditional lighting. Our lighting operates on sensors, so lights are only on when needed. Every room, including production areas, has its own temperature control to minimise energy waste.
Raw Materials
Sustainability is also a core value in our choice of raw materials. We use as many sustainable materials of European origin as possible. Our eco-products are made from eco-friendly raw materials. Our folding boxes are made of 95% recycled paper and cardboard. We minimise plastic use in our packaging, and the plastic we do use is recycled. In addition, our new Green BEEDZ ironing beads contain bio-plastics made from sugarcane, and the Green BEEDZ pegboards are made from recycled plastic from the interiors of old refrigerators. We also create new cutters for our clay from our own recycled plastic. We continuously strive to reduce material waste and work towards more efficient transport through smart loading methods. Collaborating with charities for toys is also an important aspect of our mission.
Our People
Our employees are the heart of our company. We are a recognised training company and offer workplaces and guidance to people distanced from the labour market. Furthermore, we provide free, fresh fruit for all our employees daily, as we believe in the importance of health and well-being in the workplace.
Through these measures, we demonstrate our commitment to a better world. We continue to work hard to reduce our ecological footprint and fulfil our social responsibility.
CO2 Emission Compensation
Climate change is happening as more and more greenhouse gases, such as CO2, are released into the atmosphere, causing the Earth’s temperature to rise. Like any other company, at SES we consume energy to produce our toys, manage our buildings, and our employees take business trips.
Our goal is to reduce our carbon footprint further each year. We aim to achieve this by gradually implementing smart innovations and optimising our production, logistics, and other business processes.
In the meantime, we are already making our entire operations carbon-neutral. By purchasing and managing European forests ourselves, we offset our entire CO2 consumption, ensuring our toys are 100% carbon-neutral.
What is CO2?
CO2 is, in itself, a harmless gas that occurs naturally in our atmosphere. It is essential for warming the Earth. CO2 is stored in fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) and is released when these fuels are burned. Due to excessive emissions, the Earth is warming up too much, leading to the so-called greenhouse effect.
What is CO2 compensation?
CO2 emissions are a major cause of climate change, and nature plays a crucial role in combating this. Trees absorb CO2 from the air. CO2 is made up of carbon (C) and oxygen (O2). Trees release oxygen into the air and store the carbon. Trees absorb the most CO2 while they are growing. The carbon they store during their growth phase remains within the tree. When the wood burns or decomposes, the stored carbon is released back into the air as CO2. By protecting forests and preventing deforestation, the stored carbon remains in the trees, making it possible to offset CO2 emissions.
At present, we have purchased various endangered or neglected forests in central Germany, which we are naturally restoring and managing. This forest management also contributes to job creation, improves nature, and supports various animal species. Locally, together with other companies that support this initiative, we have removed sick or fallen trees and planted new ones to enhance the diversity of the forest, benefiting the entire ecosystem.
The project is carried out according to the principles of the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), currently the most widely used standard for CO2 compensation projects globally. The Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standard is also considered, ensuring that, in addition to tackling climate change, local communities are supported, and biodiversity is preserved or even improved.
Why is forest protection important?
Forests are disappearing all over the world. Each year, the world loses 26 million hectares of forest, an area the size of the United Kingdom. Ninety percent of this deforestation is caused by agriculture and urbanisation. Deforestation contributes to 30% of the increase in CO2 levels.
The loss of CO2 storage due to annual deforestation exceeds the total CO2 emissions of all of Europe. If everyone—companies and individuals—worked not only to reduce CO2 but also to protect and preserve forests to compensate for the remaining emissions, deforestation could be halted or even reversed, leading to forest growth and the positive effects of increased CO2 absorption.