The ROCKWOOL Group commits to helping tackle some of the world’s toughest development challenges

Today, the ROCKWOOL Group has published its forward-looking Sustainability Report, "Rising to the Challenge", focussed on how the company will contribute to meeting some of the world's toughest development challenges. The Report outlines ambitious internal goals which the organisation will meet by 2030, while bringing to life the many ways in which the products address pertinent global issues from energy efficiency to water usage.

"I am proud of the ROCKWOOL Group's long heritage in the sustainability space. Our reason for being is to produce innovative, resource-saving products from stone, one of the world's most abundant natural materials", said Jens Birgersson, President and CEO of ROCKWOOL International. "The world has called for more proactive engagement on sustainability from the private sector and we have listened. Not only are we looking more clearly outward at ways our products can address many of the world's biggest challenges, but we are looking inward, challenging ourselves and our organisation to reduce our own footprint."

The ROCKWOOL Group's internal and external sustainability strategy has been carefully developed as part of the company's transformation, and is designed to focus efforts where they can have the most salient impact. These align with four areas addressed by the UN's Sustainable Development Goals:

Energy Efficiency

40% of global energy is used in buildings. The majority of existing buildings are inefficient, but 75- 90% of buildings standing today will still be standing and occupied in 2050. 10.8% of the EU population (approximately 50 million people) was unable to keep its homes warm in 2012.

As a result of their insulating properties against both cold and heat, over their lifetime the ROCKWOOL Group's products improve buildings' energy consumption, typically saving between 80 and 1,500 times the carbon emissions emitted during their production.

The ROCKWOOL Group will reduce CO2 emissions in its own factories 20% by 2030.

The Circular Economy

In 2013, the World Bank predicted that, at current pace, global levels of solid waste would triple by 2100. The building and construction industry accounts for approximately 35% of total waste generated globally.

The ROCKWOOL Group is committed to reducing building waste by using secondary materials from other industries in its production, reclaiming waste and used products for recycling and driving better resource efficiency in its factories.

The ROCKWOOL Group will offer to reclaim products in 30 countries by 2030 and will reduce its landfill waste 85% by 2030.

Water

In 2050, the world will need twice as much food to feed its growing population. Horticulture requires water, but only 4% of the available global water resources are freshwater of which close to 2% is frozen.

Crops grown on GRODAN products produce up to three times more than crops grown in soil and can be sited on any available land — around, in or even on buildings. Growing fresh tomato crops in stone wool systems compared to production in soil typically uses 50% less water per kilogram of crop produced.

The ROCKWOOL Group will reduce water consumption in its own factories by 20% by 2030.

Health and Wellbeing

The World Health Organisation (WHO) affirms that noise seriously harms human health and interferes with people's daily activities. More than 30% of the population in the EU are exposed to noise levels that disturb their sleep. Noise also impairs our ability to learn. A poor acoustic design in a school can result in students not hearing one out of every four words spoken by their teachers.

The ROCKWOOL Group's solutions optimise indoor acoustics, reduce noise and improve comfort in the home, workplace, public spaces and the classroom. In healthcare settings, installing high-performance sound-absorbing ceilings such as our ROCKFON products have been shown to reduce patient and staff stress.

The ROCKWOOL Group is committed to the health and wellbeing of all its employees, and will reduce Lost Time Incident frequency rates (LTIs) at its sites by 10% on an annual basis.

The company's enhanced focus on sustainability is central to the transformation programme, which is already seeing financial success. Q2 2016 built on the achievements of the first quarter, with a net sales increase of 3.7% in local currencies when compared with Q2 2015 while EBIT increased by 35% to EUR 63 million (11.4% EBIT margin).

Jens Birgersson continues, "We feel very privileged, that we can push for more sales and growth across the board with a clean conscience, knowing that our products improve quality of life and the environment, now and in the future."

Further information
Mirella A. Vitale
SVP Group Marketing, Communication & Public Affairs
M: +45 50 84 50 25
Email: mirella.vitale@rockwool.com

Anthony Abbotts
Head of Group Sustainability
M: +45 41 96 30 25
Email: anthony.abbotts@rockwool.com