Sustainability for Eco-Responsible Growth
When individuals, businesses, and institutions discuss sustainability, numerous themes and interests intermingle. At Grupo Torrent, we understand sustainable development as the process through which we meet the economic, social, cultural diversity, and environmental needs of the current generation without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
This definition encompasses everything. From small daily recycling efforts in our homes to corporate production and the political actions that generate the laws governing us—it truly is a lifestyle in its full extent.
Sustainable Development Goals of Grupo Torrent
Grupo Torrent and the Creation of a Culture of Sustainability
At Grupo Torrent, it is clear to us that sustainability is about finding a balance between economic, social, and environmental care. This applies both at the corporate level and personally, including our families. We recognize our clear responsibility in this area, which affects us all, especially given the type of products we develop, whether they be cork, aluminum, or plastic stoppers.
Given the broad and elevated nature of this concept, we use understandable language so that the entire company can easily grasp the need to implement sustainability comprehensively and integrate it into our corporate culture.
Eco-Responsibility Strategy
At Grupo Torrent, we have a mission: To be Eco-Responsible.
Sustainability is embedded within our company mission and goes beyond being merely a statement of principles; it is enacted practically through a program we call “Eco-Responsibility.”
Given the breadth of the concept and in order to foster continual, cross-cutting change, the program is structured around various areas of work and initiatives. These range from product design and logistics to the sourcing and certification of our raw materials, the energy we use, and the health of our employees, among other actions. Notably, these include product design, logistics, raw material sourcing and certification, energy use, and employee health.
Under our Eco-Responsibility strategy, we have already realized many actions, but we continue to work on new projects that we implement day by day. These cover everything from product design to logistics, raw material sourcing and certification, energy usage, and employee health, culminating in our comprehensive sustainability strategy.
Eco-Responsible Initiatives of Grupo Torrent:
EcoDesign
Torrent Innova, our company dedicated exclusively to R&D activities, consistently develops sustainable stopper solutions as an ongoing challenge. We elevate our clients’ requests to the highest level by introducing new user experiences that simplify bottling and distinctly mark the product in the market, adding significant value for the end consumer.
To achieve this, design and aesthetics are crucial in the technological development of stoppers. With the necessary technical knowledge and the application of the latest technologies such as additive manufacturing or finite element simulation, we are able to introduce unique closure solutions to the market.
At Grupo Torrent, we operate under the premise of EcoDesign aimed at enhancing the development and production of our stoppers. To this end, we have initiated the following actions:
- Lightweighting of parts and components
- Use of single-material solutions
- Use of bio-based materials
- Use of recycled materials (recycled aluminum, recycled cardboard, etc.)
- Process improvements that enhance energy efficiency
- Optimization of logistics
- End-of-life considerations
- In our Terra Range, we have eliminated glues and adhesives in the assembly of components, which perform identically to glued corks. The design is initially more complex, but the long-term benefits for the packaged product and the environment are significantly greater.
- We have also launched the Green Valve, a single-material valve with just one component, which achieves a 10.05% reduction in CO2 emissions.
EcoProcesses
We are making numerous positive changes in our process lines and continue to progress steadily in their improvement. We incorporate new technologies to achieve a significant reduction in consumption and minimize environmental impact.
- At Grupo Torrent, we have implemented the CO2-Tool this year, which allows us to calculate the CO2 footprint of our products and their manufacturing processes and make comparisons in the development of new plans. This tool helps us choose options that have the least impact on CO2 emissions and encourages us to select more sustainable options based on data.
With this tool, we have developed products and processes that reduce their carbon footprint by up to 40%.
- We are continually improving the sustainable efficiency of the packaging we use to send our stoppers to clients. In this regard, we have optimized the weight and size of the cardboard boxes in which our stoppers are distributed, reduced the use of pallet wrapping film, and practiced reusing them.
- We develop specific logistics circuits for the use of returnable packaging in delivering goods to clients, as circumstances allow.
- We have incorporated new high-energy-efficiency injection molding machines for the injection of our stopper components.
- At Grupo Torrent, we have fully implemented the installation of solar panels at all our production plants in Spain (Jerez de la Frontera and El Puerto de Santa María) and internationally, achieving a substantial reduction in our CO2 emissions.
- Approximately 45% of the total energy consumed by Grupo Torrent comes from renewable sources, with the goal of reaching 100% by 2025.
- We operate more productive, efficient, and sustainable plants. We have expanded our production capacity and installed new assembly lines for new product developments. Additionally, we have an auxiliary warehouse that optimizes our group’s entire logistical process, saving on intermediate transport and thereby reducing our CO2 footprint.
- The Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) certification, a global industry initiative to reduce the loss of pellets, is also a reality within our group of companies.
EcoHealth
We focus on the health of our professionals. To this end, we are taking actions that improve the quality of their professional life, incorporating cutting-edge technology. We have an agreement with Sanitas that provides medical coverage to our employees at reduced prices.
EcoCollaboration
We collaborate with various associations and entities to exchange knowledge and experiences, always with the goal of enhancing the sustainability, recyclability, and fraud prevention of the products that require our stoppers.
At Grupo Torrent, as one of our priority objectives, we work on the development of new sustainable materials that enable the creation of new products that have the least impact on the environment. To this end, we engage in collaborations with suppliers, technology centers, and universities.
The result of these collaborations has been the development of BIOCORK, a new bio-based material, with the addition of cork waste from our microgranulation process, which we incorporate in various percentages. This material allows us to create a range of natural colors without the need for adding pigments, providing an absolutely natural appearance and texture. The use of this new material significantly reduces the carbon footprint compared to conventional polymers.
Along with our suppliers, we continue to work on the development of bio-based and recycled materials (recycled aluminum, recycled cardboard, etc.). Additionally, we have planned for this year the development of bio-based inks, varnishes, and pigments, 100% free of BPA, PFAS, PVC, and other substances.
EcoEducation
We understand that to become a truly eco-responsible company, we must not only implement technological and structural changes but also continuously educate ourselves as a company. This involves engaging our entire environment, both inside and outside our company.