ACF eliminates 100 tons of plastic from its production process
Fred Vandermarliere, CEO of Vandermarliere Family of Cigars received a VCDO annual certificate from Voka
Fred Vandermarliere, CEO of Vandermarliere Family of Cigars (VCF), received a VCDO annual certificate from Voka, as a reward for the company’s successful efforts in the field of sustainability.
VCF signed a sustainability charter in 2021 and, in consultation with the Flemish employers' organization Voka, set 20 concrete, measurable objectives, all of which have been achieved. Every company that signs the sustainability charter undertakes a voluntary commitment to reduce its footprint on an annual basis.
“This is a reward for our teams who were able to implement smart improvements and an encouragement to continue on this path. Together, with our Voka coach, we are now looking at further improvements such as mapping our CO2 flows, which is key to lowering emission levels,” says Vandermarliere.
"In 2021, we signed the charter and listed 20 objectives. Today, we are proud to announce that they have all been met," adds Serge Ponnet, who coordinates VCF’s commitment.
Described as a milestone, VCF replaced all plastic packaging with cardboard for its Neos Exo series, which significantly helped to reduce its environmental impact. Thanks to this move, a volume of 100 tons of plastic has been removed from its production chain.
As part of its list of achievements, VCF revised a number of its other product ranges. No less than 600,000 cardboard outer packages have been successfully removed from the process.
Furthermore, VCF's mobility policy was analyzed. The company’s fleet will be made greener from 2022 by switching to hybrid and electric cars. Every choice is optimized by looking at each person’s commuting route.
"We are very satisfied with our first year. However, perhaps the most important achievement is that these projects help us to strengthen the ecological awareness of all our employees. This creates perspectives.
"We are also very pleased that we have made this commitment with Voka. Of course, they check whether we are fulfilling our commitments, but they also play an important role by making technical knowhow available. They motivate and drive us, like a real partner,” comments Serge Ponnet.
