Troldtekt’s CSR report one of the best
For the second year running, Troldtekt has been recognised as one of the best Danish SMEs at reporting on CSR. A good CSR report must be based on a strategic approach to sustainability, says CEO Peer Leth. He makes a point of mentioning that the report describes both successes and challenges.
Which Danish SMEs are best at reporting on their CSR progress? Global Compact Network Denmark and FSR – Danish Auditors have again presented their answer to this question. And as was the case in 2020, Troldtekt has made it onto the exclusive list, which was published on 7 September at the live-streamed SMV COP 2021 event. All the companies on the list have fewer than 250 employees, and adhere to the UN Global Compact principles. This means that every year they are required to report on the status of their work with sustainability and social responsibility.
One of the reasons why Troldtekt has made it onto this year’s list is that Troldtekt’s CSR report for 2020 is “a thorough and comprehensible report with clear messages that provide a good introduction to Troldtekt’s work with social responsibility”.
Peer Leth, CEO of Troldtekt A/S, is delighted his company is on the list again.
“We are able to submit a solid report, because as a business we take a strategic approach to sustainability. For us, the CSR report is not a glossy publication, but a tool for informing our customers and employees etc. about our successes and challenges year after year. I’m thrilled that our efforts have been acknowledged in this way.”
Huge focus on CO2
Carbon emissions is one of the areas covered by Troldtekt in its CSR report 2020, which describes the company’s successes as well as its challenges. On the one hand, 97.7 per cent of the energy consumed at Troldtekt’s own factory is based on renewable energy. This results in low direct (scope 1) and indirect (scope 2) CO2 emissions, and includes the use of biofuels and wind power in production.
On the other hand, the report also reveals that indirect emissions from the sourcing of goods from external suppliers (scope 3) are somewhat higher. These CO2 emissions relate almost exclusively to the production of the cement that – together with wood – goes into producing Troldtekt acoustic panels.
“Sustainability is about material health, product lifetime, indoor climate, recycling and all the other aspects that we address in the CSR report. However, given the significant climate problems which have just been highlighted again by the UN climate panel, there is understandably a lot of focus on the embodied carbon footprint of building materials,” says Peer Leth.
“We’ve made great strides at limiting CO2 emissions from our factory, so the cement we use is where we will be able to achieve significant progress in the coming years. It helps a lot that our supplier, Aalborg Portland, is planning to reduce its emissions by 70 per cent by 2050. We will also be able to cut our emissions by approx. 30 per cent if we can use Aalborg Portland’s new FUTURECEM product, which we are currently trialling. At the same time, we’re exploring the possibility of using alternative binding agents which might be able to supplement or serve as a substitute for the cement in the future.”
Are geopolymers an option?
In autumn 2021, Troldtekt will start looking into the potential of geopolymer binder. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with the Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology (DBI) with funding from Innovation Fund Denmark. Troldtekt’s technical manager, Vibeke Pedersen, explains:
“Geopolymer chemistry is a well-known technology which is thought to have been used to build the Egyptian pyramids and the Pantheon. It is not based on chalk, but instead on silica/alumina compounds, which are found in ash from biomass, for example. Through such upcycling, geopolymer binder could lead to significantly lower CO2 emissions compared to standard cement. In this new project, we will find out whether it is possible to use geopolymer as a raw material in Troldtekt acoustic panels, and what it will require.”
“Cement is difficult to replace because it makes our acoustic panels naturally strong while ensuring a long service life of 70-80 years and being able to withstand up to 100 per cent humidity. It’s also the cement that makes the panels fireproof without the need to use fire retardants or other hazardous chemicals. We’re very excited to find out whether geopolymer can confer the same properties,” says Vibeke Pedersen.
