Our sustainability pledge

Sustainability has always been a large part of what we do and who we are. That is why we are taking a stance on sustainability by telling the story of what it means to us.

Our conviction

Sustainability has always been a large part of who we are. Ravago has been committed to various aspects of sustainability since the company was founded in the 1960s. Today, the word sustainability has become a different animal, politically charged, polarizing, often misunderstood, and misused.

We want to take a stance on sustainability by sharing our interpretation, what it means to us and how we aim to make a difference on a global scale. Like our core values – human focus, professionalism, entrepreneurship, and humility – our sustainability pledge is at the heart of our company, striving to reach a balance between people, the environment, and business.

In other words, we are making a promise to our employees, customers, suppliers, and everyone who is a part of our company’s ecosystem. Together, we will make an impact through our sustainability principles: recycling excellence, environmental footprint, and social impact.

Our sustainability principles

"We want to give back to the world what it has given to us."
- the Ravago family

Recycling excellence

Giving waste a second life is how it all started for Ravago. When our founder Raf Van Gorp saw the potential of discarded products, he started recycling before others saw the value in doing this. Today, as one of the leading plastics recyclers, Ravago continues to push the boundaries in recycling technologies and applications.

Through technological advancement, we can recycle more and more types of plastic waste, including post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. We work with product manufacturers and partners to help design products suitable for recycling and develop new applications for recycled plastics. Step by step, Ravago is working towards solving the plastic waste issue and making plastics truly circular.

Examples:

From carpets that are soft underfoot to types that are suitable for industrial functions, Ravago’s expertise in re-purposing end-of-life nylon carpeting allows us to redirect landfill and create value instead.

Similarly, we recycle the nylon fibers from used fishing nets from fish farms. Our recycled nylon compounds can be used for filler reinforcement, UV stabilization, and impact modification, and are found in familiar markets such as automotive, furniture and sporting goods.

Along with post-industrial plastic scraps, we use different post-consumer waste streams in our compound formulations. Caps, closures and end-of-life crates are recycled back into polypropylene automotive compounds, whereas used bottles are the main ingredient for our recycled polyethylene blow molding compounds. Despite the difficulties posed by input materials with contaminations and abnormalities, we are able to deliver consistent quality for demanding, high performance applications.

Environmental footprint

In a world where natural disasters and the extinction of animal species are all too common, we need to do our part by minimizing our footprint on our planet.

We measure the carbon footprint of our factories and have set ambitious targets to reduce it. We will continue to improve our energy efficiency, limit our waste, and optimize our warehouse network.

Ravago also manufactures insulation materials to insulate homes better, resulting in lower energy bills and fewer carbon emissions. We also help to close the loop for industrial partners and consumers.

Together with our employees, we initiate small and large projects to foster a better environment for all – from planting trees and installing beehives to supporting electric mobility and cleaning up waste.

Examples:

Near the port of Volos, Ravago built and now operates Greece’s largest and most modern biomass power plant. The plant produces renewable electrical power to supply the production facilities in the Volos industrial zone through the combustion of olive pomace and other agricultural waste.

Ravago invested in solar parks –and panels close to and on its manufacturing sites and warehouses across the globe. The goal is to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Social impact

Giving back to the community has permanently been embedded in Ravago’s DNA. We organize and support philanthropic initiatives in the local communities where we are present, encouraging employees to actively engage in community development. We focus on initiatives with tangible impact and long-term effects. The ambition is that all initiatives are cross-generation, with groundbreaking and incremental changes on our planet.

To our employees, we are responsible for creating a trusted and healthy place to work, well-equipped with the right tools, equipment, and processes. We strive for a safe, collaborative environment that incorporates ethical behavior, caring for each other’s well-being, and respect for all aspects of diversity.

Examples:

Habitat For Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. They organize events such as the Home Builders Blitz, where they build five complete homes in five days, mostly with donations from local builders. It is truly incredible to see it all come together so quickly, every time. Ravago contributes annually by donating, and many more employees volunteer their time to support the organization.

During Diwali in India, the five-day festival of lights, the gifts we receive from our beloved customers are ceremoniously auctioned to our employees. The proceeds are later given to charitable organizations and the gifts the employees receive are also passed on to the needy.

Furthermore, Ravago India provides basic necessities to neighboring slums by conducting charity drives to distribute meals, clothes and other household items they require. Important to know is that these goods are collected from and distributed by our Ravago employees.