Corporate Social Responsibility
As any progressive company we deeply care about the environment and sustainability. So we try to reduce our carbon footprint as much as we can. All our packaging materials are made from 100% recyclable materials and we re-use as much of it as we can. On top of that most of the packing materials we use are made from at least 60% recycled materials. The lights in our warehouse are sustainable LED which automatically switch off after not registering any activity for a short time. Our management drives in electric cars and we try not to print any documents unless it is absolutely necessary.
The Circular Economy
As of 2022 Freightways has dedicated itself to achieving a circular economy. We believe that this can be achieved by 2050 and are willing to do everything in our power to help. What does this exactly mean though? The image below illustrates this perfectly.
Instead of continually producing new, raw materials that eventually end up in the bin, all materials should be re-used and recycled indefinitely. This strongly decreases polluting production that very strictly speaking isn’t necessary and does not aid sustainability.
Mono materials and other new regulations
Luckily it’s not just us striving for this Circular Economy utopia. The European Union has introduced new regulations with regards to packaging materials. First of all they have banned the use of single-use plastics. A great start, but one that does not affect Freightways at all as we do not use single-use plastics. Even the cups we drink our coffee and tea out of are reusable.
Something relevant to us though, is the rise of so-called “mono materials”. To give you a practical example of something that does not fit this label; think of a carton of milk that is laced with plastic on the inside to improve the taste. The plastic and carton are intertwined with each other making the packaging virtually impossible to properly recycle. The European Union wants to change this and we are willing to cooperate. Before the end of 2022 we will only use mono materials to ship products, ensuring the packaging is fully recyclable. That means paper tape to seal off cardboard boxes and bubble envelopes completely made of paper in stead of paper and plastic.
Coast Busters
Freightways is proud sponsor of local charitable organization Coast Busters. It is the noble goal of the Coast Busters to clean up local rivers and beaches from all plastic and other waste to ensure none of it ends up in the ocean. In Freightways’ home town of Katwijk the river Rhine, one of the largest rivers in Europe, flows into the North Sea. To achieve their goal they gathered funds to have what is called a “bubble barrier” installed at the point where the river flows into the sea. This bubble barrier uses modern technology to filter out even tiny microplastics.
A clean ocean and a healthy environment is something we whole-heartedly support and so we decided to help out the Coast Busters by arranging their logistics for them. This way we try to pitch in and help to clean up the planet.
Good, Green, Growth
As a result of our collaboration with Coast Busters and our dedication to using recycled and recyclable packing materials, we have been awarded the Good, Green, Growth label by our local government in 2024. Or Goed, Groen, Groei in Dutch.
This label is awarded to local companies who have proven themselves worthy of it by working towards a sustainable future in their own way. Some have well insulated offices and solar panels, while others obtain it by being involved with local projects that benefit the environment.
This makes Freightways part of a small group of about 30 local entrepreneurs that hold this label. Twice a year we get together to catch up and exchange ideas on sustainability.
Our packing material supplier
We are proud to have Topa as our supplier of packing materials. In 2022, the year of their centennial, they officially became a climate neutral company. To do so they have invested in wind parks worldwide and in that year alone they reduced their carbon emissions by 27%. Very impressive considering their ambitious target was 15%. And it doesn’t stop there. Same as Freightways, they are continually looking for improvements on the sustainability front. As soon as one of their latest innovations is introduced, Freightways is among the first to receive a test package to see if it is something we can integrate. Some great examples are:
- Zero Tape. A new, thin tape which allows for more tape per roll while reducing the amount of tape used per parcel.
- Custom packaging. Fast moving goods preferably have their own custom made packaging, making void fill redundant.
- Air cushions and stretch film made from 60% recycled materials.
- Speedboxes. A pop-up box with an adhesive strip that requires no tape at all.
- Paper tape. A simple and natural looking alternative to plastic tape.