THE ESBE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2024 IS HERE!

2025-04-24

We know we're not alone in talking about sustainability, and sustainability reporting is of course not unique either. But the subject is very close to our hearts. When Johan August Skogsfors founded the company in 1906, he was already working to create better conditions and living environment for the inhabitants of Reftele.

2024 was a year greatly affected by a sharp slowdown in the ongoing energy transition in the world. This has been a challenge both for ESBE and our industry at large. However, it has not stopped us from striving to be a sustainable company that creates sustainable products.

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Since September 2015, we have been working on the basis of the UN's "Agenda 2030", which consists of 17 global goals for sustainable development. This is the agenda most companies are working towards today and it aims to achieve four overarching goals:
-   To end poverty
-   To stop climate change
-   To minimise inequality and injustice
-   To create peaceful and safe societies

In our sustainability report, we present the eight goals we at ESBE have identified as the most important for our business. The goals are categorised by environment, society and economy.

Below you can read a selection of the results of the work ESBE has carried out in the three different areas in 2024.

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Environment

-   Despite decreasing volumes in 2024, ESBE has maintained the bulk weight factor at a low level by optimising shipments to transport as little air as possible.
-   We are preparing for the transition to lead-free brass in drinking water applications.
-   During the year, we have deepened our action plan and started work on soil decontamination of older tri pollutants on the factory area.

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Society

-   Training courses on the subject of environment, first aid and CPR and a seminar on health promotion were organised.
-   ESBE's installed solar panels, together with "our own" wind power, accounted for 43.8% of our total energy needs in 2024. In addition, only renewable electricity is purchased for the factory in Reftele. ESBE has a completely fossil-free heating of the premises. Read more about our focus on energy savings.
-   During the year, work continued on replacing lighting with LEDs in the production halls and switching to more energy-efficient fans in the ventilation system.

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Economy

-   During 2024 we have received the award Sweden´s Best Managed Companies and were named one of the Career Companies of the Year 2025 (Årets Karriärföretag 2025) - awards that we value highly and that we aim to live up to in the years to come.
-   In collaboration with Gislaved municipality, ESBE has participated in the SKAL project where students from neighbouring schools have visited ESBE to learn more about us. The project aims to secure the skills supply of the future by bringing schools and industry together at an early stage.
-   The company has inaugurated new testing equipment to increase capacity for testing and to test the performance of products under different loads and water quality to meet different conditions in Europe.
-   Brass shavings from production are classed as a by-product and are returned to the metal supplier. The new alloys purchased by ESBE consist of approximately 80% recycled material. Here you can read more about our work with recycling.

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Towards a sustainable future

The work on sustainable development is done in small steps - locally and globally - where everyone can help and see where they have the greatest opportunity to contribute. Our sustainability report gives you an easy-to-understand and clear picture of how we have worked towards our goals and what results we’ve achieved.