Faber-Castell's Eco-Manager of the year!

Count A.W. von Faber-Castell awarded title.

In times of economic crisis, one could assume that companies act in a more profit-oriented way and tend to treat social and ecological aspects as luxuries. A study by the consultants GoodBrand & Company has now shown that such attitudes can well be harmful. It came to the conclusion that a new standard of values has come about in Germany: especially in the face of globalization and a reduction in government involvement, consumers expect businesses to show greater responsibility for the common good. According to the study, one in every two members of the public would like to know the social and ecological conditions under which companies produce their goods. Over half of all consumers are influenced in their purchasing behaviour by headlines that put firms in a bad light, and two thirds of those asked rate companies higher if they stand up for improved working conditions. Such values have long been taken for granted at Faber-Castell. As Eberhard Brandes, managing director of WWF Germany, put it: “Faber-Castell is an outstanding example of how a globally active company can set far-reaching standards in social and environmental matters, despite growing market pressures”.

a pioneer in the field of environmentally compatib

Faber-Castell produces over 2000 articles: black-lead and colour pencils, cosmetic pencils, artists’ crayons, wax crayons and fibre-tip colouring pens, ball-point pens, highlighters and other office supplies, superior writing implements and desk accessories. The core target group is children; and what counts is to pursue a brand-name philosophy characterized by product safety and environment-friendliness. 80% of the wood for the pencils grows in Faber-Castell’s own FSC-certified forests, run on environmentally and socially compatible lines. There has long been constructive cooperation between Faber-Castell and the WWF. Their joint goal is to use exclusively certified timber, world-wide, within the next three years. The subject of biodiversity also gets increasing attention: the company’s forests in Brazil are home to a growing number of indigenous endangered species of flora and fauna, in the areas left as natural woodland that now make up roughly 30% of the total afforested area. The company is also a pioneer in the field of environmentally compatible water-based paint for pencils. However, “social and ecological commitment must also pay off”, as the Count points out. The Faber-Castell forests in Brazil are not only exemplary in matters of conservation; they also render the company independent of variations in the price and quality of timber from outside suppliers. The headquarters at Stein near Nuremberg are heated partly with timber waste, while a water turbine provides 25% of their electrical needs. The savings in raw materials and energy, and the use of waste as part of the company’s ISO certification, have contributed to continual improvements in the manufacturing processes and thus led to a significant reduction in costs. The company is also committed to social improvements, and even in the 19th century provided subsidized housing, savings schemes, and a children’s day nursery for its employees. Faber-Castell has been a member of the UN Global Compact since 2003, is a member of the German working party on environmentally aware management, and was a founder member of the new “Business and Biodiversity” initiative. The company’s social charter, that guarantees working conditions in accordance with the recommendations of the ILO (International Labour Organization) in all its factories, is currently being extended step by step to its suppliers.

Count A.W. von Faber-Castell awarded title.