Lenzing sets a good example in a difficult industry: social responsibility and sustainable jobs
April 30, 2024 at 08:08 am
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EQS-News: Lenzing AG
/ Key word(s): Sustainability
Lenzing sets a good example in a difficult industry: social responsibility and sustainable jobs
30.04.2024 / 09:06 CET/CEST
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Lenzing sets a good example in a difficult industry: social responsibility and sustainable jobs
Outstanding results in the Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (FSLM) for social sustainability
Study shows: Lenzing creates 25,282 direct and indirect jobs in its production countries
Lenzing – The Lenzing Group, a leading supplier of regenerated cellulose fibers for the textile and nonwovens industries, has achieved outstanding results in the Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (FSLM) certification for five of its production sites. This involved measuring the social impact of production in areas such as wages, working hours, health and safety and treatment of employees.
In addition to ecological and economic challenges, the global textile industry also has to contend with a number of social challenges, including precarious working conditions, non-compliance with human rights and other social grievances in parts of the value chain. Transparency along the supply chain plays an important role in overcoming these. One of Lenzing's key sustainability goals is to obtain a valid, independently audited and accredited social standard certificate for each of the Lenzing Group's production sites by 2024. This goal is pursued through the Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (Higg FSLM), which assesses social and labor-related conditions. In 2023, more than 7,200 companies worldwide underwent this audit, with Lenzing's result placing it in the top 25 percent of all verified Higg FSLM facilities.
“We are delighted with the outstanding results in the Higg Facility Social & Labor Module. They show once again that social sustainability and responsibility are not just buzzwords or empty phrases for us, but that we are actively committed to better working conditions. We will remain true to our mission and continue to contribute towards a textile industry more sustainable and fairer for all players in the industry,” says Christian Skilich, Member of the Management Board of the Lenzing Group.
Independently verified social certifications are now essential for companies like Lenzing to be considered as a supplier. Major brands and retailers have already established clear guidelines for their supply chains that require potential suppliers to be socially certified.
Florian Heubrandner, Executive Vice President Commercial Textiles of the Lenzing Group: “If we can show clearly and transparently that social aspects of sustainability are just as important to us as environmental issues, this will improve our business relationships”.
A recent study by the Society for Applied Economic Research in Innsbruck (Austria)[1] emphasises Lenzing's responsibility as an important employer. The Lenzing Group creates a total of 25,292 jobs in the five countries in which it operates production facilities. This figure includes not only employees, but also indirect jobs - because every direct job created creates more than two additional indirect jobs in other sectors of the economy.
The Lenzing Group stands for eco-responsible production of specialty fibers based on cellulose and recycled material. As an innovation leader, Lenzing is a partner of global textile and nonwoven manufacturers and drives many new technological developments. The Lenzing Group’s high-quality fibers form the basis for a variety of textile applications ranging from functional, comfortable and fashionable clothing to durable and sustainable home textiles. Due to their special properties and their botanical origin, the TÜV certified biodegradable and compostable Lenzing fibers are also highly suitable for everyday hygiene products.
The business model of the Lenzing Group goes far beyond that of a traditional fiber producer. Together with its customers and partners, Lenzing develops innovative products along the value chain, creating added value for consumers. The Lenzing Group strives for the efficient utilization and processing of all raw materials and offers solutions to help transform the textile industry from the current linear economic system towards a circular economy. In order to reduce the speed of global warming and thus also support the targets of the Paris Agreement and the EU Commission’s “Green Deal”, Lenzing has developed a clear science-based climate action plan that aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and a net-zero goal (scope 1, 2 and 3) by 2050.
Lenzing AG is one of the world's leading producers of cellulose fibers for use in the textile and non-woven industries. Net sales break down by activity as follows:
- sale of fibers (81.6%);
- sale of pulp (18.2%);
- other (0.2%).
Net sales are distributed geographically as follows: Austria (5.2%), Europe (29%), Asia (55.9%), Americas (9.3%) and other (0.6%).
LENZING AG 
