Sustainability Roadmap

Our aim is to manufacture long lasting products that are easy to service and to guarantee spare parts availability for many years (minimum 5 years) after the product’s discontinuation. We always prefer to select partners close to us, not to waste energy in transportation and stocking, and to keep the total ecological footprint of our products as small as possible.

In 1985 a new factory was built by the Porovesi Lake in Iisalmi, Finland, with environmental aspects in mind: heat recovery from air ventilation, thick wall and roof insulation and 3-layer glazed windows to minimise any heating wasted energy. The same principles have been applied and further improved during each of our factory expansions in the 1990s and 2000s. Our most recent expansion in 2019 increased the space, flexibility and efficiency of our warehousing and logistics operations, while ensuring that the entire facility is now powered exclusively by sustainable sources including solar, wind and hydroelectric energy.

Since the year 2000 we have further improved our processes to ensure sustainable development in all our activities with the following concrete steps:

2000

• Product Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) undertaken
• Environmental assessment of the factory and its operations undertaken
• Environmental Policy and Program implemented

2001

• Environmental Risk Evaluation undertaken
• Key suppliers’ environmental system evaluation undertaken
• Documentation of the environmental system according to the ISO14001 standard

2002 - 2003

• Regular auditing of environmental issues introduced
• Regular reporting of factory waste and recycling materials introduced

2004 - 2005

• Genelec factory is certified according to the international standard ISO14001, Environmental Management System
• Study is undertaken of Genelec suppliers’ capability to meet directive 76/769/EEC (Restrictions of certain dangerous substances and preparations)

2006 - 2007

• Lead-free soldering according to the RoHS regulations implemented

2007 - 2008

• Development project is introduced to reduce packing materials and harmful emissions during transportation
• Ecological footprint calculation model is created and piloted
• Smaller packages introduced for the 8040 model

2009 - 2010

• Factory heating system is changed from oil to bio-fuels
• Factory heating energy savings implemented with ventilation inverters
• All Genelec products compliant with the RoHS and ErP directives (Restriction of Hazardous Substances and Energy Saving)

2011

• General checking of compliance with updated RoHS requirements undertaken
• Improved website information provided to our customers concerning Genelec and sustainable development
• Adoption of company web-meetings to reduce staff travel
• Key suppliers' environmental system check undertaken
• LEAN implementation to stock logistics implemented
• Large loudspeaker products are updated for improved sustainability

2012

• Production cell improvements implemented to minimise waste
• Carbon-oxide footprint study undertaken for all mainstream products
• Review completed of updated EU-directives and evaluation of possible effects
• Fact-based information distributed to customers (via our MonitorMonitor newsletter)

2013

• Carbon-oxide footprint study undertaken for new products
• Genelec ISS-system introduced to decrease product total power consumption
• Evaluation of work-related risks, including used chemicals, is completed
• Genelec Product Safety Datasheet (PSDS) established
• Genelec Embedded Sustainability educational AV content produced
• Introduction of our first Natural Composite Enclosure with the M Series

2014

• Genelec embedded sustainability report produced for internal use
• Supplier risk assessment tool (including sustainability issues) introduced
• Environmental and ethical aspects added to Genelec supplier auditing system
• Improvements to product power efficiency with new technology including Class D amplifiers and Switched Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) in main audio monitors
• Detailed analysis of certain products' sustainability factors undertaken
• Extension of internal quality and sustainability communication implemented
• Extension of product modularity implemented

2015

• Further development of Genelec factory waste collection system; improved collection of energy waste
• Agreement reached to buy all electricity from renewable energy resources to reduce CO2 emissions
• Improvement of product co-efficient factor, so amplifiers are now three times more efficient compared to traditional designs
• Sustainability aspects now included in the new personnel initiation program
• Assembly time shortened by using LEAN and by increasing product modularity
• Improvement to environmental metrics by introducing Ympäristösinetti-reporting system

2016

• Genelec receives Sustainability Award from the International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers (IABM), a non-profit trade association representing manufacturers and suppliers of products and services to the broadcasting and electronic media industries
• Staff supported in cycling to work by through the provision of a proper shelter for bicycles and by organising motivational competitions
• Improved video conference system introduced to reduce staff travel between Iisalmi and Helsinki
• Electrical energy purchases meet the requirements of the European Union Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC and our energy supplier is certified by EECS (European Energy Certificate System)
• Factory HVAC-system renovated to save energy
• Sales/purchasing invoices are delivered electronically to reduce the need for printed copies

2017

• Safety evaluation of chemicals – minimising the selection of used chemicals and updated the chemical list
• Information and training on SVHC is introduced for the work safety committee and production teams
• Introduction of fully biodegradable plastic bags for small 8000-series products and The Ones packaging
• External safety assessment with scoring system undertaken for the whole factory
• Teaching of safety instructions included as a part of the Genelec safety culture

2018

• Pallet deliveries optimised by reducing the return of heavy packing materials
• Continued support of staff cycling to work by organising motivational competitions
• Cross functional workshops organised to update the Genelec long-term sustainability road map, as well as its environmental aspects and effects
• Plan formulated with the logistics team to move towards a recycling economy
• Common review of our Code of Conduct undertaken alongside responsible actions through our core values

2019

• Factory expansion completed with sustainability focus on:

  • Long lifetime construction principles applied when building the site extension
  • Energy consumption minimisation through energy efficient walls, doors and windows, energy efficient industrial estate automation and use of local construction partner with optimised material flow
  • Installation of solar power plants
  • Renovation of HVAC-system for continued energy saving
  • Planning of waste handling centre to maximise recycling efficiency and enable future circular economy demands

• Introduction of Aural ID software solution to improve headphone listening experience from stereo to immersive, thus reducing equipment and space demands
• Introduction of new Smart IP installation loudspeakers, enabling simpler installation infrastructure and reduced cabling requirements
• Service instructions now distributed in electronic format