Hettich Australia is now a proud member of the Green Building Council of Australia.

Hettich is serious about protecting the environment and we are pleased to be affiliated with this environmentally focussed organisation.

Converting environmental awareness into responsible action to protect the environment is a challenge that confronts every company in business today. The Hettich Group has drawn up Environmental Guidelines that outline the goals we have set ourselves and the approaches we take to achieve them through our environmental management system.

Businesses can act in many ways to reduce the environmental impact of their activities. Characteristic of companies that take this responsibility seriously are sparing use of resources, recyclable products, environmentally friendly production methods and effective environmental management systems. Regular internal audits and external verification show that Hettich production sites are in compliance with the rigorous standards of the EU’s eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS). Public recognition has included several prestigious environmental protection awards.

In Australia, Hettich has joined the Green Building Council of Australia to support the need to introduce environmentally friendly building practices for commercial and residential buildings.

A green building incorporates design, construction and operational practices that significantly reduce or eliminate its negative impact on the environment and its occupants.

Building green is an opportunity to use resources efficiently while creating healthier environments for people to live and work in.

These values and goals are fully supported and concurrent with the Hettich Environmental Protection Guidelines.

As a business enterprise, the Hettich Group of Companies is aware of its special responsibility for the conservation of the natural resources that are the basis for life on our planet. For this reason, we assign high priority to environmental protection.

These guidelines outline our policies and the objectives we have set ourselves:

• Environmental protection is entrenched in the company mission statement.
• An environmental protection officer is responsible for coordinating environmental   protection activities throughout the Hettich Group. Environmental protection coordinators and staff with special environmental responsibilities are designated in each company / production site / business facility in the Group.
• An environmental protection committee at each production facility is responsible for setting annual environmental targets and reviewing performance in achieving the prior year's targets.
• We regard limits and standards set by regulatory authorities as the minimum requirement. Over and above mandatory requirements, our aim is continuous improvement to our environmental performance, through measures to:
• eliminate, reduce and recycle residues
• minimize emissions
• safeguard soil and water quality
• minimize raw material and energy inputs.
• To achieve these aims, we use the best available technology that is economically viable.
• We consider environmental aspects of each product, such as manufacturing processes, product life and disposal, during the development stage.
• We include environmental protection as a separate criterion in planning and monitoring business activities, preferably in quantifiable form.
• We inform and involve all employees in the company's campaign to protect the environment.
• We review the company's emergency response plans at regular intervals and update them where necessary to take account of changes in business operations.
• We document environmentally relevant activities and environmental protection measures on a systematic basis.
• We involve suppliers and customers in our environmental endeavours through information and, wherever possible, by appropriate agreements.
• We maintain a relationship with the general public and local and national authorities that is characterized by frankness and trust.