uvex hearing protection - protecting people and the environment

SwedSafe is part of the uvex safety group and a manufacturing facility for hearing protection. The company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing site with its own research and development department is based in Sweden. Social responsibility and sustainability are integral components of uvex corporate policy. Our aim of protecting people, the environment, the climate and consumers influences our entire supply chain.

By buying uvex earplugs, you are not only getting an innovative, high quality and comfortable product, but you are also supporting your company's sustainability targets by reducing CO2 emissions, protecting natural resources, communities and society.

Impressively, the ISO 26000 accredited production facility does not produce any CO2 emissions and in recent years has cut energy consumption by 45% by investing in modern machinery and innovative processes. And that’s not all:

ENERGY & CLIMATE

Manufacturing 1,000 pairs of earplugs requires no more energy than producing the paper for your favourite magazine.

ENERGY & CLIMATE

We have managed to reduce energy consumption by 45% over the last five years and are keeping the energy requirement at a very low level by investing in modern machinery and innovative processes. We use energy resources efficiently in a bid to help protect the environment. Manufacturing 1,000 pairs of earplugs requires no more energy than manufacturing the paper for your favourite weekly magazine.

QUICK FACTS
— 3.6 kWh energy for 1,000 pairs of earplugs
— 45% less energy required than in 2005 and following a move to a new plant 5 times bigger

CARBON FOOTPRINT

Manufacturing 1,000 pairs of earplugs = zero CO2 emissions. Most of our energy comes from wind and hydroelectric power.

CARBON FOOTPRINT

Protecting the environment by using renewable energy sources is one of our most important objectives. We never use gas or oil in our manufacturing processes or for heating and most of our energy requirements are met by wind and hydroelectric power, helping to significantly reduce uvex’s CO2 emissions.

QUICK FACTS
— 0% fossil fuels
— 100% green power

WATER & WASTE WATER

Water consumption is kept to a minimum, only 14cl of water is used to manufacture 1,000 pairs of plugs - the equivalent to one champagne glass.

WATER & WASTE WATER

We want to protect global water resources over the long term and for years have been doing our utmost to reduce our water consumption to an absolute minimum. Result: we now only require 14 cl of water to manufacture 1,000 pairs of earplugs, which is equivalent to approximately one champagne glass. The water used in the manufacturing process completely vaporises and as a result we do not produce a single drop of waste water.

QUICK FACTS
— 14 cl of water for the production of 1,000 pairs of earplugs
— 0 litres of waste water

WASTE & RECYCLING

Manufacturing 1,000 pairs of earplugs generates no more waste than one full coffee filter.

WASTE & RECYCLING

We have been able to significantly reduce our waste in recent years. Manufacturing 1,000 pairs of earplugs only generates 85 grams of waste, which is equivalent to the weight of one full coffee filter. Of our total waste volume, 60% generates new energy in the SYSAV incineration plant in Malmö. The remaining 40% is recycled. We do not produce any hazardous waste.

QUICK FACTS
— 60% of our waste generates new energy
— 40% of our waste is recycled
— No hazardous waste produced

MADE IN SWEDEN

Manufacturing 1,000 pairs of earplugs involves short transport routes.

MADE IN SWEDEN

Short transport routes save valuable energy and reduce environmental pollution through harmful emissions. We source 90% of our raw materials and packaging from local Swedish suppliers and carry out all manufacturing processes at one location. Sweden has particularly strict regulations with regard to health and environmental protection. Regular inspections ensure compliance with laws and regulations.

QUICK FACTS
— We source the majority of our materials from within a 2 hour drive of the factory
— SwedSafe is the first company in the PPE sector to be audited and approved in accordance with ISO 26000*

INDUSTRIAL & PRODUCT SAFETY

Manufacturing 1,000 pairs of earplugs protects people and are free from harmful substances*.

INDUSTRIAL & PRODUCT SAFETY

Providing optimal industrial safety is of paramount importance to us and we have not had any occupational accidents since our establishment in 2005. This health and safety requirement also applies to our products: our earplugs are proven to be free from harmful substances*. We guarantee this through regular inspections by independent test institutes.

QUICK FACTS
— 0 occupational accidents
— 0 harmful substances in our products

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Manufacturing 1,000 pairs of earplugs helps protect the environment.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCT CONCEPT

50% of our earplugs are sold in large, refillable dispensers. One dispenser holds 400 pairs of earplugs and can be restocked from refill packs, which contributes to reducing the volume of waste.

QUICK FACTS
— More than 50% refill quota
— We save 85% on plastic film and 50% on cardboard boxes

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Manufacturing 1,000 pairs of earplugs provides opportunities for disadvantaged people.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

More than 90% of our assembly work is carried out by people with disabilities. Our long-standing collaboration with sheltered workshops ensures continuous high levels of quality and gives people with disabilities a professional future. We help young unemployed people to get their first job and introduce them into the employment market. The number of people we support per year is double that of our own employees.

QUICK FACTS
— Longterm collaboration with sheltered workshops
— 100% social responsibility

Next steps

For more information on our range of hearing protection contact your local uvex representative who will be happy to help:

Contact us


Working sustainably

uvex protecting planet mission

Calculating our CO₂ footprint

* ISO 26000 is a benchmark guideline on corporate social responsibility. It is based on United Nations guidelines and the standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).