Sustainability

For Serax, the sustainability story begins with making products that are needed, wanted and able to stand the test of time. For example, Serax imposes high standards of quality on itself and works with artisans who are committed to sustainability. Serax embraces the imperfections in its handmade products and hopes that its customers will treat the imperfections and patina that occur due to ageing similarly. Let’s not just throw away the objects we use daily if a corner is missing but instead cherish them for a lifetime.

In that spirit, Serax refuses to participate in the race towards seasonal trends. Not only is quality paramount, but the design must be timeless so that every object has the opportunity to be valued for life. Serax hopes to be part of a new design vision in which people no longer view an object as disposable but as a lifelong partner.

Every business inevitably has an impact on the climate. That’s why Serax is committed to continuously seeking opportunities to reduce its ecological footprint. To take a professional approach to this, Serax had its footprint calculated by Futureproofed, a consultancy company based in Leuven with over two decades of experience in this field.

The entire production chain was audited, from the head office to the transport chain to the manufacturing workshop. Futureproofed used the Greenhouse Gas protocol (Scope I, II and III) in performing the calculation, an internationally recognised standard.

The calculations show that over 70% of carbon emissions are linked to producing goods. 13% of emissions are caused by transport and distribution. That led to several green promises for the future. For example, Serax will commit itself to reducing its fuel consumption and, in the long term, fully converting to renewable energy. There will also be closer cooperation with suppliers to persuade them to reduce their footprint. In addition, Serax will continue to look for packaging and transport options with a lower impact on the climate.

Deforestation and poor forest management are an unfortunate reality with disastrous consequences for the climate and nature. Serax wishes to be part of this as little as possible. For this reason, all Serax products are packaged and shipped in boxes made from FSC-certified cardboard. FSC, or Forest Stewardship Council, guarantees wood and paper products from responsibly managed forests. It’s an internationally recognised standard.

Online shopping also impacts the climate, especially in the area of transport. That is why Serax decided to apply the principle of CO2/carbon-neutral shipping. The emissions associated with each purchase from Serax are offset by a proportional investment in carbon offset projects. These initiatives are committed to preventing, neutralising or even absorbing greenhouse gas emissions through reforestation projects, the recovery of swamps and the storage of carbon through new technologies. In this way, every purchase from Serax is made in a carbon-neutral manner.