Faber-Castell’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable forestry
Since the 1980s, our managed forests in Prata, southeastern Brazil, have fulfilled numerous roles. They are crucial for raw material supply and also serve as a habitat for diverse animal and plant species. Additionally, the trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, converting it into biomass and oxygen. We are fully aware of the significance of this unique forestry project and are committed to its protection.
Key natural resource
Wood is the raw material for our pencils, making it vitally important. We manage 4.5 million pine trees across 8,200 hectares – equivalent to 11,000 football fields – meeting most of our wood needs. Every year, we plant 300,000 new seedlings to ensure consistent reforestation.
FSC® and PEFC certification
Our managed forests are fully certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®), and all wood used in our global production of wood-cased pencils is either FSC® or PEFC certified.
Reservoir for biodiversity
1/4 of our managed forests in Brazil is left untouched and has evolved into a habitat for local wildlife. Species like the anteater, macaw, maned wolf, porcupine and white-eared puffbird find a home here.
Our environment and biodiversity projects
For many years, we have been committed to a range of programs for environmental protection and biodiversity in our managed forests:
"Animalis" and "Arboris"
These long-term projects are dedicated to the conservation and establishment of native fauna and flora. Scientists monitor the biodiversity and its distribution. There has been a steady increase in biodiversity since the start of the initiatives.Forest fire prevention
A sophisticated strategy acts as a protective measure against forest fires in Faber-Castell’s managed forests. This is successfully implemented through state-of-the-art technology on-site, trained employees of our own factory fire brigade, fire barriers, watchtowers and importantly, through education and cooperation with neighbouring communities."Aqua"
This program oversees the water quality and levels to detect and prevent contamination and droughts early.
"Soils"
This initiative aims to counteract soil erosion, including regular analysis and mapping of the forests soil for monitoring and to put in place countermeasures.
Plastic alternatives and recycling
Plastic causes enormous environmental problems worldwide. We are therefore committed to continually reducing the use of conventional plastics and instead using more eco-friendly materials for our products and packaging.
We increasingly rely on alternative plastics, especially recycled or bio-based, in our pen manufacturing. Instead of single-use product packaging made of virgin plastic, we are increasingly turning to cardboard or other alternative materials. To extend their lifespans, many of our products are refillable.
Our plastic projects
Pens from recyclate in Austria
Since 2016, we have been manufacturing more and more pens from recycled plastics, known as recyclate. For this, plastic waste from industrial production is processed and used as a new raw material in manufacturing. In our production site in Austria, the proportion of recycled plastics is already over 55 percent.
“Naturals” product range by Faber-Castell Australia
The “Naturals” range includes sustainable coloured pencils, lead pencils and erasers. The wood-cased pencils are made from FSC®-certified wood, the erasers are PVC-free and without plasticizers, and the packaging uses 100 percent recycled cardboard.
Faber-Castell Brazil’s cooperation with Terracycle
In Brazil, we collaborate with the recycling company Terracycle to repurpose plastics from pen waste. Non-refillable writing instruments and plastic accessories like ballpoint pens, markers, erasers and sharpeners are centrally collected and transformed into new raw materials.
Recycling campaign in Peru
This is a campaign with Peru's largest supermarket chain, “Supermercados Peruanos”, to raise public awareness of waste management and promote proper recycling of materials.
Corporate carbon footprint
Our aim is to reduce our corporate carbon footprint. To achieve this, we monitor our CO2 emissions at all production and affiliated distribution sites and take targeted action to reduce them. We are working on improving our energy efficiency and striving for self-sufficiency through renewable energy.
Energy efficiency and self-sufficiency
We plan to significantly lower our energy consumption by switching to more energy-efficient products, machines and facilities at our worldwide production sites.
We generate our own renewable energy from various sources, including hydropower, solar energy and thermal energy from wood waste from our production. We also ensure sustainability in purchased energy. Where possible, energy purchases adhere to the internationally recognised I-REC standard, ensuring transparency and traceability.
We generate our own renewable energy from various sources, including hydropower, solar energy and thermal energy from wood waste from our production. We also ensure sustainability in purchased energy. Where possible, energy purchases adhere to the internationally recognised I-REC standard, ensuring transparency and traceability.
Our energy projects
Renewable energy generation is a tradition for us. We therefore continue to expand the necessary technologies at our global locations:
Thermal energy in Brazil, Indonesia and Germany
At our production sites in Brazil, Indonesia and Germany, we generate thermal energy from the wood waste produced in manufacturing.
Solar energy in Malaysia and India
To increase the share of renewable energy, solar projects were implemented in 2021 at our Southeast Asian sites in Malaysia and India.
Hydropower in Germany
Since 1956, we have operated a Kaplan turbine at our headquarters in Stein, generating over 1.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually through hydropower. This can cover around 20 percent of the site's electricity needs.
Gradual transition to sustainable mobility
We are progressively converting our vehicle fleet to alternative fuels, such as biofuels or electric mobility. For this, we are expanding charging facilities, for example, at sites in Germany and the Czech Republic.
Global LED expansion
At many of our sites, we have replaced conventional lighting with LEDs as a quick and efficient measure.
Water and waste water management
We are committed to the sustainable use of water, a vital resource. Faber-Castell places great importance on thoughtful water management. As part of this, we have initiated various projects to save and reuse water.
Our water and waste water projects
Water-saving production in Germany
In Germany, we have shifted our lead production to a less water-intensive process, reducing waste water intensity by up to 28 percent.
Waste water treatment plant in Brazil
Since 2018, our Brazilian production site in São Carlos has been operating an especially efficient waste water treatment plant. We use the purified water for the maintenance and irrigation of our outdoor facilities, allowing us to reuse approximately 10,000 cubic meters of water annually.
Rainwater tanks in Indonesia and Malaysia
At our sites in Indonesia and Malaysia, we have installed several rainwater tanks to save fresh water.
