CWS Hygiene launches "We Care" Responsibility Report
Dreieich, Germany, 9 September 2025 - CWS Hygiene has released its 2024/25 Responsibility Report, fittingly titled "We Care". Building on the success of last year's campaign, the latest report highlights how the business continues to drive responsibility and circular approaches, keeping sustainability at the center of its strategy.
Ambitious CO₂ roadmap and 50% Emissions Reduction Target
One of the highlights of the 2025 report is CWS Hygiene's CO₂ reduction roadmap, which provides a clear vision for significantly reducing carbon emissions. The company wishes to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, using 2021 as the base year. The target encompasses all scopes of emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3), including indirect emissions and energy use, as well as those throughout the entire value chain. It is an interwoven approach across operations, the supply chain, and services. Towards this ambitious target, CWS Hygiene is undertaking a broad range of initiatives across its value chain, including:
- Sustainable Operations
CWS Hygiene is cutting its carbon footprint through renewable energy projects at multiple facilities, intelligent energy monitoring, heat recovery and water-saving technologies in laundries. In logistics, the company is expanding its electric vehicle fleet and utilizing more innovative route planning. In the Netherlands alone, this has resulted in a 10% reduction in fuel use, as we prepare for zero-emission zones across Europe.
- Product circularity & innovation
The “Act Circular” refurbishment program enables the reuse of up to 80% of dispensers, lowering production emissions and extending life cycles. At the same time, product innovations such as toilet paper foam systems, 100% bamboo hygiene paper, and other sustainable solutions reduce waste and demonstrate how circular thinking drives both hygiene and sustainability.
- Social Responsibility Initiatives
Beyond environmental progress, CWS Hygiene strengthens its social impact. In Belgium, for example, the company partnered with local organizations to donate over 40,000 menstrual products to women in need - a small act with a powerful impact.
Taken together, these measures form an integrated roadmap to reduce CO₂ emissions while promoting a circular economy model. Each step aligns with CWS Hygiene’s long-standing principle of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” which guides everything the company does.
Turning responsibility into action - Insights from our CEO
The report emphasizes that the sustainability activities of CWS Hygiene are not mere promises, but real actions with quantifiable effects. Ranging from third-party verifications to open data tracking, the report is intended to present tangible progress. CWS Hygiene CEO Gatien Gillon explains why authenticity is so important:
"Sustainability at CWS Hygiene is no promise but a measurable impact. 'We Care' expresses our commitment to turning care into action. By being open about our goals and tracking our progress, this report highlights how all our actions - from reducing our carbon footprint to pioneering circular products - contribute to a healthier future for people and the planet. We are proud that our plan is not just about objectives on paper, but about concrete, quantifiable steps forward,” said Gatien Gillon, CEO of CWS Hygiene.
Gillon adds that the title of the new report is also a call to partners and customers. “‘We Care’ sends an important message - that each person’s contribution makes a difference. By working closely with our clients and communities, we multiply our positive impact,” he says, underscoring the report’s theme of cooperation and collective involvement.
The launch of the latest responsibility report is a continuity and evolution for the company. It supports CWS Hygiene's inner conviction of responsibility and emphasizes the critical significance of customers, employees, and partners in driving sustainability forward. With a clear CO₂ reduction plan and tangible initiatives already in motion, CWS Hygiene continues to demonstrate leadership in sustainable business practices.
“Our message with this report is simple,” concludes Gatien Gillon. “We care, and together we can make a measurable difference.”
