1. Designing For Comfort, Durability, And The Environment
What we are doing: For nearly 20 years we’ve been designing products that are loved by parents and babies for their ergonomic comfort and durability. The measurement of our carbon footprint revealed that nearly 70% of our company’s GHG emissions are generated from manufacturing our products and from the materials used in our products. Based on this information, we are working on a plan to reduce our impacts through design, material choices, and the longevity of use for our products. In addition to our sustainable and award winning Aerloom carrier made from recyled polyester yarns, this year, we launched our new Evolve™ 3-in-1 Bouncer designed to grow with little ones. We created this bouncer to be three products in one (a newborn lounger, bouncer, and toddler seat) with the idea that products designed to last through multiple ages and stages, and made of high-quality materials would reduce our environmental footprint. Besides, we have actively focused on reducing unnecessary packaging and environmental impacts. In 2022, we saved over 12 tons (24,000 pounds) of packaging.
Why it matters: Using fewer, safer materials ensures that we care for the safety and well-being of our planet, our children and the people who manufacture our products.
Here’s our goal: To help us achieve our GHG reduction target, we will be selecting and incorporating new materials with lower carbon footprints for our products and packaging that still perform as well or better than our current offering. Additionally, we will be extending our chemicals management program even further beyond regulatory requirements and seeking alternatives that lessen the overall impacts on the planet and people. We will also work with our suppliers to support and encourage the use of renewable energy at their facilities.
2. Ensuring Healthy And Safe Working Conditions For Producing Goods
What we are doing: We collaborate with our established suppliers to ensure that the people producing our products are treated fairly and work in safe and healthy conditions. This includes forbidding the use of forced labour, child labour and discrimination. To provide accountability, Ergobaby’s factories hold social compliance certifications.
Why it matters: We believe in taking care of people; those who wear our products and those who make our products.
Here’s our goal: By 2022, we will complete a deep analysis of our material selection to further ensure the safety of work environments used to produce Ergobaby products.
Focus on sustainability and social responsibility in our supply chain:
Vietnam
Our partner in Vietnam takes a holistic approach to business and community wellness. In particular, it has helped address the needs of rural communities in Vietnam by donating 50 ambulances and reconstructing local bridges with stronger, safer materials. Additionally, the company has built on-site housing for employees. For those employees who have worked with the company for over 10 years, they may move into multi-generational housing.
India
Our partner in India has a robust sustainability program including a solar array that saved over 244 metric tons of CO2 in 2019 - which is the equivalent emissions of driving 605,000 miles in a passenger vehicle. Additionally, energy demand was reduced by 10% by changing lighting systems. On-site water treatment ensures compliance with local pollution control board standards and is used to irrigate landscaping. The company also donates significant funding to local schools for infrastructure improvements.
3. Reducing Our Carbon Footprint
What we are doing: In 2021, we worked with a professional consultancy to measure our greenhouse gas emissions to establish a baseline measurement for our entire company. We already know from our carbon footprinting data that in 2019, the second most significant category of emissions was from the transportation of Ergobaby products from production factories all the way through to retail stores. 2022 proved to be a challenging year to get our carbon reduction efforts underway. The world presented all of us with wars, increases in energy prices, and inflation - all of which lead to increases in cost of materials. As part of our future climate strategy, we must minimize emissions from product transportation and distribution despite these challenging conditions.
Why it matters: We believe that climate change is one of the most pressing issues our children will face in their lifetimes.
Here’s our goal: Using our 2019 carbon footprint as a baseline, we will set GHG emissions reduction targets that meaningfully address Ergobaby’s impact on climate change.
4. Extending the Life of our Products
What we are doing: Everlove, Ergobaby’s program for keeping Ergobaby carriers in use, buys back, restores, certifies, and resells quality, lovingly used Ergobaby carriers. 2022 marked the second anniversary of Everlove’s launch in the US and continued expansion into Europe with the program translated into German.
Why it matters: Through Everlove, we are building a circular product system that keeps carriers in use for longer and provides greater financial access to our products. Keeping products in use is one of the best ways to save the resources that go into making a new product. In fact, Everlove carriers save about 80% of the CO2e emissions and 90% of water use compared to making a new carrier.
Here’s our goal: In calendar year 2022, Everlove sales will be equal to 5% of the combined US and EU ergobaby.com sales in the same time period. We are looking forward to streamlining our operations next year and working with YOU - our customers to get more carriers out of closets and garages and into the hands of families who need them. By sending back your carriers you are not only helping the landfills, but also helping other young families.
Read our brand impact report: Here