Sustainability is a broad concept. To clarify our sustainability ambitions at Stena Metall, we are working with three sustainability areas: care for environment, care for people and care for sustainable business. Each of the areas correlates with several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which constitute a common framework for the global sustainability agenda.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals identify 17 key areas where businesses need to work for change if we want to achieve a sustainable society in the long run. The goals range from human rights and the environment to issues of economic growth and responsible governance. At Stena Metall, we have identified 11 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals that are more closely related to our operations and business context.
Relevant target:
3.4 Prevent non-communicable diseases and promote mental health and well-being.
How we contribute:
At Stena Metall Group, we prioritize the health and well-being of our employees as a fundamental part of our culture. Through regular communication and health-related initiatives, we foster a supportive and inclusive work environment that promotes work-life balance and encourages personal growth.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for people
Relevant target:
5.5 Ensure women's full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.
How we contribute:
At Stena Metall, we want equality between genders – same pay for equal work, and the same opportunity for growth for everybody. Conscious efforts are made to encourage increased gender balance, especially in the production environment where women have traditionally been under-represented. At Group level, we track the share of women in managerial positions and and aim towards balance between the genders.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for people
Relevant targets:
6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
How we contribute:
Water is a limited resource that we must protect. Stena Metall measures and strives to reduce water consumption. At some operational sites, for example the largest one in Halmstad (Stena Nordic Recycling Center), there is a closed-water circuit where the water required for the recycling process is cleaned and reused. Stena Recycling also treats wastewater which then reenters the system.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for the environment
Relevant target:
7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
How we contribute:
Stena Metall is working to reduce emissions and energy use across its operations, and to progressively switch to fossil-free fuels and electricity. The Group also provides circular solutions related to energy. For instance, one part of the recycling process for cars includes production of pellets, which serve as a fuel-supplement in certain industries. Another example is the subsidiary BatteryLoop, which uses electric vehicle batteries to build energy storage solutions.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for the environment
Relevant targets:
8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labor-intensive sectors.
8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavor to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-Year Framework of Programs on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead.
8.8 Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular female migrants, and those in precarious employment.
How we contribute:
Stena Metall works for sustainable growth, and invests in innovative and creative solutions to make this a reality. Transitioning to a circular economy is a a central part of the Group's operations. Creating a safe workspace is also a highly prioritized focus area, based on the perspective that all work-place accidents can be avoided.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for the environment, Care for people, Care for sustainable business
Relevant target:
9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.
How we contribute:
Stena Metall's operations are characterized by innovative development in all sectors of operation. An important part of a successful transition to a circular economy is to recognize and value innovation that strengthens the circular use of resources, increases recycling rates and enables the use of circular materials. We continuously look for opportunities to invest in processes and technology that contribute to increased circularity and sustainability.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for the environment
Relevant target:
11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
How we contribute:
An efficient waste management and recycling system is integral to creating hospitable communities and living-spaces. By offering waste management solutions, our largest subsidiary Stena Recycling contributes to taking proper care of the waste produced by society and turning it into new resources.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for the environment
Relevant targets:
12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
How we contribute:
Circularity and increased resource efficiency is a key puzzle piece to achieve more sustainable consumption and production patterns. The transition to a circular economy is a common denominator for a significant part of Stena Metall's operations. Stena Metall has issued three green bonds, which finances projects within the Group that support the transition to increased circularity.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for the environment
Relevant target:
13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
How we contribute:
Through internal and external engagement, Stena Metall is taking concrete action to address the climate transition. Group-wide emissions in Scope 1 and 2 are reported in the annual sustainability report and mapping of Scope 3 emissions is ongoing. The Stena Recycling companies on all markets have set a joint climate target approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, and reduced climate impact is a priority in the Group.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for the environment
Relevant target:
16.5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms.
How we contribute:
Stena Metall is committed to complying with international standards and legislation. We recognize the need for organizations to be held accountable for their actions, and report in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard to ensure that we report transparent, accurate and balanced sustainability information in our annual review. In 2022, Stena Metall joined the UN Global Compact.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for sustainable business
Relevant target:
17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
How we contribute:
To achieve the transition to sustainable, circular societies, collaboration is necessary both within and across industry sectors, and both nationally and internationally. Stena Metall participates in several initiatives to promote sustainable development, some at a local, company level, and some on a Group level. One major collaboration initiated by Stena Recycling is the Circular Initiative, a collaboration arena to promote circular innovation through partnerships.
Sustainability area Stena Metall: Care for the environment, Care for sustainable business
