Words by Gaurav Malhotra
Water is life and our passion. We create inspiring moments while protecting this precious element. In doing so, we take responsibility for people and the environment – for our planet.
At Hansgrohe, our commitment to sustainability is deeply rooted in our corporate DNA. We recognize that economic success must not come at the expense of environmental degradation, and social responsibility should be at the core of every business decision.
Sustainable management is the foundation of our company’s success – long-term thinking and responsible action are its support pillars. One of our key pillars in Sustainable Evolution is environmental stewardship. We are acutely aware of the environmental impact associated with manufacturing processes and product life cycles. Therefore, we have embraced cutting-edge technologies and innovative design approaches to minimize our ecological footprint. From water-efficient faucets and energy-saving production methods to use of renewable materials in our packaging, every product and process is a testament to our commitment to sustainable practices.
We have consistently pursued research and development with this mindset. Our notable milestones in our sustainability efforts include the introduction of the Mistral Eco hand-held shower in 1987, which achieved a 50 percent water-saving capability. In 1992, we established the largest roof-integrated solar power plant in Europe on the Hansgrohe factory building in Offenburg.
Based on our own research, Hansgrohe was the first manufacturer in the German sanitary industry to publish its own sustainability report in 2005. Other advancements include the introduction of the water and energy-efficient EcoSmart technology in 2007, the energy-saving CoolStart technology in 2012, and the launch of the water-conserving PowderRain spray type in Raindance S overhead and hand showers in 2019.
In 2020, the Hansgrohe Group established Green Company, a dedicated core team entirely focussed on achieving our sustainability goals and implementing measures. The Green Company team has outlined 10 initiatives with specific objectives and projects, including Green Production, Green Packaging, and Green Products.
We are already climate-neural* at all our sites worldwide since 2022. Our goal is to conserve all the resources that are becoming increasingly scarce on earth or whose consumption is fuelling global warming, within our sphere of influence. We pursue the 1.5 degree target of the Paris Climate Agreement. Our actions are aligned to the well-being of the planet. This is what our mission statement expresses: IN TOUCH WITH OUR PLANET.
Areas of Action and Initiatives
We categorize our efforts aimed at protecting the planet into three areas of action:
Hansgrohe conserves water cycles
The distribution of safe fresh water is unequal, making it crucial to use it judiciously in regions facing scarcity. Even in areas abundant with water, continual investment in water treatment is essential. Hansgrohe contributes to water cycle conservation by designing products that save water without compromising the showering experience.
Hansgrohe protects the climate
Hansgrohe Group products become environment-friendly, endorsing the Paris and Glasgow objectives. The consumption of hot water entails significant energy costs. Water-saving with Hansgrohe products thus also means reducing the energy consumption of sanitary facilities and contributing to climate protection.
Hansgrohe becomes part of the circular economy
Every resource that no longer needs to be extracted but can be recycled conserves our ecosystems and saves energy and water in production processes. Hansgrohe develops durable, repairable and recyclable products, sustainable packaging and works to use materials that preserve our ecosystems as much as possible. The Hansgrohe Group’s Green Company sustainability team has defined 12 initiatives with specific objectives and projects that pay attention to these three areas of action. These include the Green Production, Green Packaging and Green Products initiatives
2030: Consistent Switch to Eco Products
As part of the Green Products initiative, we will be implementing a consistent product portfolio shift over the next few years. After all, by far our greatest lever for saving water, energy and thus CO2 is to reduce the water consumption of products during their many years of use. This is particularly true as long as energy sources with high emission values are mainly used for hot water production. Reducing the need for fresh hot water is our major goal.
That is why we will convert our entire shower and faucet portfolio to “ECO” by 2030. “ECO 2030” is the major lighthouse project of the strategic Green Products initiative. In concrete terms, this means that by 2030 all water-bearing products will be available exclusively with water-saving technologies. By 2025, we will already have converted 75 percent of our overhead and hand-held showers to EcoSmart. From then on, half of all washbasin faucets will also operate on the basis of EcoSmart or CoolStart technology – with the usual showering pleasure and no restrictions on functions.
Rethinking the Bathroom
At the same time, we are working to create greater awareness of sustainability in the bathroom today. Accordingly, we advise our partners and also give consumers the opportunity to easily find out how they can make their bathroom greener with a CO2 analysis of their bathroom or a water and energy savings calculator.
We are an innovation leader in the bathroom sector. We have, once again, demonstrated this self-image with our “Green Vision”. The innovative, sustainable concept stands for the green future of the bathroom. It celebrates water in a way never experienced before and is the driver for the further transformation of our portfolio, our company and our business models. This is Hansgrohe’s way of becoming ever more true to our responsibility for the planet.
We are now taking our passion for water to the next level. Together with you, the employees, customers, suppliers and business partners. With everyone who lives our attitude with conviction.
*Climate neutrality refers to greenhouse gas emissions from Scope 1 and 2 (direct emissions and energy consumed at the sites) according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Wherever possible, the Hansgrohe Group actively reduces these emissions. The remaining emissions are offset through recognized, certified climate protection projects. For more information, please visit https://www.hansgrohe-group.com/en/about-us/responsibility.
Gaurav Malhotra, Managing Director India
