CSR

As far as Vendor is concerned Corporate Social Responsibility is a clear and practical way to pursue good, sustainable results for the company, always taking social and environmental consequences into proper account.

All the core processes of the company play a role in this regard, from purchasing and production to personnel management and marketing. The CSR policy at Vendor starts with a responsible choice of suppliers, which means the application of strict selection procedures for the right raw materials and semi-finished products. Alongside quality assurance, the sustainable production of raw materials is a fundamental starting point for Vendor. Vendor towel and toilet paper is made with cellulose obtained exclusively from FSC certified forests. Such paper enables Vendor to produce high-value final products whereby a rigorous tree-planting policy guarantees that the production of raw materials is sustainable on an ongoing basis. The pulp is bleached with oxygen, so that all pulp used by Vendor is also guaranteed to be TCF (totally chlorine free). For suppliers from countries where there is a risk of child labour, rigorous checks are carried out in advance to establish that no child labour is deployed at any stage in the manufacturing process of the products concerned.

Vendor pursues a high and consistent standard of quality in all her products and services. Here an ISO-9001 certified quality management system is applied. An environmental plan for the production processes is set out in the environment manual. All procedures and guidelines applicable to the business processes are recorded in full, with clear objectives in relation to the reduction and separation of waste streams, energy consumption, etc.

Research

Sustainable purchasing and environmentally responsible production have a major effect on environmental impact, but they are only two phases in the life cycle of a product. In the case of paper and cotton hand towels, a complete analysis of the life cycle from forest management (for paper pulp) and cotton cultivation to towel production, usage and recycling or waste processing gives us a complete picture of the full effect of our products on man and the environment.

The life cycle analysis carried out by the independent research institute PréConsultants in 2008 showed that a hand-dry using the Vendor paper towel cassette has a smaller impact on the environment than a hand-dry using (washable) cotton towel rolls. On the basis of this result and the results of previous research carried out by the German Öko-Institut in 2006, we can say that compared to folded paper towels and cotton towel rolls, the Vendor hand-drying system is one of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions on the market.

Ecolabels

Apart from guaranteed quality, user convenience and maximum hygiene, Vendor toilet and towel paper is also guaranteed to be environmentally responsible. Nordic Swan certification, the official ecolabel from Scandinavia, shows that the product is a good ecological choice. Paper with the Swan label is made of fibre from sustainable forestry and/or recycled fibre, with low emissions of harmful substances to the air and/or water during the production process. The Swan label relates to both the environment and quality requirements, considering that quality and the environment often go hand in hand. This means the Swan label may also be regarded as a certificate of quality.

One example of the requirements for toilet paper is that it should not have any ‘wet strength’, in other words it should have a high degree of solubility in water. Vendor toilet paper is unsurpassed with respect to its solubility in water. This property is continually checked during the production process to guarantee effective flushing through the drainage system and easy filtering of paper fibre at water treatment plants.

Vendor toilet paper was recently awarded the official European Ecolabel.

Apart from responsible alternatives for hand-drying and toilet paper, Vendor also offers an assortment in the field of soaps and air fresheners which fulfils all user requirements while providing the most sustainable solution possible. The Everfresh air freshener, for example, provides a continuous fresh fragrance without the risk of toilet visitors being sprayed, and without the use of batteries or spray cans.

The Vendor hire and/or service concept offers an extra guarantee of a responsible choice in the field of toilet hygiene equipment and services. Apart from being manufactured in full compliance with European standards, Vendor cabinets and dispensers are also a more sustainable solution because of their long life span.

Vendor Ecolabel

The ‘Vendor Ecolabel’ combines all the various analyses and environmental certificates underpinning the environmental effects of Vendor consumer items as accounted for. It is also a guarantee of measures taken during the purchasing, production and disposal of dispensers. The Vendor Ecolabel is placed on all Vendor dispensers, and it is your guarantee of a socially responsible choice