Spectro is an archetypal Dutch company. But did you know that we also have a passport to sustainable business practices? Four of our cleaning products are even ASP certified. But what does that actually mean? And what does it benefit our customers? The word: CSR coordinator Maria Rijsdijk.
When it comes to sustainability, we set the bar particularly high at Spectro. Not for nothing did we join AISE in 2011: a European umbrella organization for companies that produce sustainably on all fronts. “By doing so, we committed ourselves to sustainable business practices,” says Maria. “Since then, we have been doing a lot to reduce our impact on the environment. Take the quartet of ASP-certified products, which is a great example of that.”
Thoroughly tested
By this, Maria is referring to three Ecodos products: the liter bottles of Interior, Floor and Washroom Cleaner. And on the Toilet Cleaner Eco. “Those four cleaning products have been thoroughly tested for their environmental impact,” she explains. “The starting point is a Life Cycle Assessment: where the most relevant environmental impact has been addressed. Also, the dosage bottles are made from our own recycled material. And our production process is completely energy-neutral thanks to the solar panels on our roof.”
Grains
But we go much further in our sustainable approach. “We pick up the empty bottles ourselves to rinse them clean or shred them,” says Maria. “We have the flakes that remain processed into granules from which dosage bottles are then made again. A first in the Netherlands.”
“At Spectro, we like to be ahead of the troops”
Innovation Award
Of course, sustainability is not just about recycling and energy conservation. At Spectro, we also think about the ergonomics of our products. Maria: “The handle of our bottles is designed to be easy to handle. This earned us a nomination for the innovation award of the world’s largest cleaning trade fair: the Interclean Amsterdam. Unfortunately we didn’t win it, but we are still very proud. Little is impossible, as this achievement shows. We do it because sustainability is in our DNA. We feel responsible for the well-being of people and that of the world.”
Matter of pre-sorting
Maria notices that customers still have to get used to the many labels and certifications out there. Let alone their meaning. While those can therefore give away a lot about the sustainability of a product, such as the ASP certification. “Unknown makes unloved,” concludes our CSR coordinator. “And in the end, cost also plays a role. But by very consciously opting for sustainable operations, we are sorting for the legislation of the future. Eventually everyone has to change tack. So we like to be ahead of the troops.”