Environmental performance
Environmental performance
In 2024, Royal Ahrend made solid progress in advancing its environmental performance, building on its commitment to circularity, sustainable product development, waste reduction and climate action. We also took important steps to strengthen our data and target frameworks for a long-term impact.
Setting the framework
This year, we introduced an internal KPI framework to monitor progress on key sustainability areas, with a focus on high-impact projects. While not all KPIs have defined targets yet, the framework provides transparency and highlights priorities. In parallel, we have defined specific measures to track our progress and are preparing for the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) review of our reduction targets in 2025. As part of this preparation, we are improving the granularity of our Scope 3 data.
Sustainable products
Through our internal Lifecycle Management (LCM) process, sustainability requirements are now fully integrated into new product development. Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) modelling supports informed decisions about material use. In 2024, we increased the use of recycled plastics in new products, with environmental impacts assessed during development. Recycled plastics remain a high priority, and we will continue to increase the proportion of recycled plastics in our product portfolio.
Looking ahead to 2025, we will focus on integrating more recycled steel and pursuing partnerships with energy-efficient steel manufacturers. We are also exploring sustainable glass alternatives for our space-in-space solutions.
Circular services
Our circular service offerings continue to grow. In 2024, we held €19,15 million in leased assets in the market - a 12,5% increase compared to 2023. Revenues from circular services such as consultancy, refurbishment, and Revived product sales also increased. While specific growth targets will be determined in 2025, this upward trend reflects a growing customer interest in circularity.
Climate action
Scope 1 and 2 emissions
We aim to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 85% by 2030 compared to 2018. By the end of 2024, we achieved a 56% reduction, keeping us on track to meet this target.
Our roadmap includes electrifying leased vehicles and encouraging alternative commuting. All major Dutch sites now run on renewable energy from wind and rooftop solar panels. By 2030, remaining Dutch and international sites will also switch to renewable energy through expanded solar installations in Taicang and Prague as well as Guarantees of Origin purchases.
Scope 3 Emissions
Scope 3 emissions make up 95% of our total carbon footprint. Our target is a 42% reduction by 2030, compared to the 2023 baseline. One of the key levers here is improving the footprint of our furniture portfolio.
We aim to calculate externally verified LCAs (Environmental Product Declarations) for 95% of our sales volume. By the end of 2024, we achieved 66% coverage. Older EPDs are being updated to meet the EN 15804+A2 standard.
We also made significant strides in sustainable logistics. In 2024, we transitioned to using fully electric lorries for deliveries in the Benelux. We also introduced inland waterway transport between the Port of Rotterdam and our Veghel warehouse, lowering emissions by 92% per tonne-kilometre compared to transport by lorry.
Waste and resources
In 2024, we expanded our waste management practices to track 18 different waste streams. Of all production waste, 67% was recycled, 26% was used for energy recovery and 4% was incinerated. Hazardous waste remained low at 2%, and we continued to avoid the use of hazardous substances in production wherever possible. Our water withdrawal remained stable at 13.090 m³.
Outlook 2025 and beyond
In 2025, we will submit our climate targets for validation by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and improve the accuracy of our Scope 3 emissions data. We will expand the use of recycled materials—particularly metals, glass and plastics.
We also plan to define clear growth targets for our circular services, including consultancy, refurbishment and Revived product sales. These services will continue to play a key role in supporting our customers’ sustainability goals and expanding our circular business model.
Operationally, we will continue increasing the share of renewable energy used across all sites, building on the foundation we already established in the Netherlands. This includes expanding rooftop solar installations at our international factories and sourcing renewable electricity through Guarantees of Origin.
Finally, we will scale up our efforts to decarbonise our logistics, expanding the use of emission-free delivery options in the Benelux and exploring additional low-carbon transport solutions. Through these actions, we are confident that we will remain on track to meet our environmental targets for 2027 and 2030.