OUR COMMITMENT TO HOLISTIC SUSTAINABILITY
BALANCE means integrating a holistic approach with sustainable methods and practices. At Kawneer, this has always been at the heart of our business, operations, product and value chain. We have made significant progress in our efforts towards sustainability and paved a leadership approach for over 100 years. With a focus on mindfully balancing business strategy with business responsibility, we are renewing our commitment to this approach through BALANCE as an ongoing journey to continuous growth for future generations.
Learn about our BALANCE philosophy:
Three Pillars | Planet | People | Product | Material | Projects
We believe in a balanced holistic approach to sustainability through our three pillars: Planet, People and Product.
We are striving to make the world healthier, more sustainable and balanced by focusing on our business practices, product design, production, operations and our people.
As buildings are currently responsible for approximately 39% of global greenhouse gas emissions, we are committed to using recycled aluminum to minimize the environmental impact of our products. We work to reduce the impact of our products and operations on the planet by taking accountability, lowering our products’ embodied carbon through recycled billet and lowering operational carbon through our thermal and ultra-thermal product options. We are tracking and taking steps to reduce our emissions across Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Kawneer is committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 40% by 2030 in alignment with Paris Climate agreement, and 1.5 °C.
BALANCE is about caring for our planet, being mindful of the environmental impact of our products and our entire value chain. We have partnered with EcoVadis, the leader in sustainability ratings based on international standards, to provide an assessment of our supply chain sustainability and management practices. Kawneer will continue to focus on working with stakeholders who share our vision, standards and passion for transparency and protecting the planet, ensuring that a minimum of 50% of our purchases are from suppliers under our supply chain sustainability management program by 2025
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At Kawneer, we believe that taking care of people is a fundamental pillar of our commitment to creating better relationships, partnerships, environments and a better world. We maintain a strong focus on integrity, accountability, safety and respect in all our interactions with employees, customers, suppliers and local communities.
Our people make an impact on a daily basis. At Kawneer, we strive to promote an inclusive workplace based on equality, mutual respect, shared responsibility and a sense of community. We have robust policies and governance standards that we adhere to across all our offices in North America. These standards are in place to ensure we have a safe, ethical and inclusive workplace. Kawneer is also adding a gender equity target as we strive to grow the number of salaried women at Kawneer to 35% by 2030.
As an industry leader, Kawneer works hard to share our industry knowledge with architects, specifiers, customers and employees. Kawneer offers a variety of courses and trainings designed to educate and inform with a wide range of discussions featuring everything from curtain wall design and thermal barriers to storefront framing and sustainability. We believe investing in people helps create a better business and communities and a more positive environment in which people can thrive.
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At Kawneer, we take great pride in creating industry-leading facade products that champion sustainable facade design and innovation. We offer total product ingredient transparency, from aluminum billet to building facade, providing key information on our products and how they are manufactured. We provide environmental product declare labels (EPDs) for all our products and offer Red List Free product solutions. We are also dedicated to expanding and enhancing our Cradle to Cradle offering, as we believe this certification fully encompasses the sustainability of a product for its entire lifecycle. Kawneer engages in partnerships that deliver more value to sustainable buildings, prioritizing how they can become part of the surrounding environment and promote greater well-being for the people who use them. We are proud to partner with USGBC, ILFI, WELL, PHIUS, BREEAM USA, CHPS and Green Globes.
In 2023, Kawneer North America was honored in the US Glass Sustainability Awards in the product category for demonstrating a commitment to designing and creating high-performance and sustainable architectural façades. Also in 2022, Kawneer North America was awarded the Planet Positive award recognizing the most innovative products that benefit people and the planet, as well as firms leading the way to a better built environment. Kawneer is leading the industry in sustainable design and innovation.
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We are committed to conducting all aspects of our business ethically and transparently, so we can continue to deliver and increase the sustainable value of your project.
We have a wide range of useful resources to keep you better informed and can add environmental value to your project.
Our certification guidelines show how our products and systems can contribute to earning points/credits in various categories for different programs.
Modern building design has evolved in complexity as today’s buildings serve more than one purpose. Architects, specifiers and contractors are now looking at projects holistically and factoring in functionality, economics, aesthetics and a building’s role in the local community. The materials used on a building are integral to executing a successful building design and aluminum’s durability and flexibility deliver longevity as well as a wide range of aesthetic options. Aluminum’s high strength-to-weight ratio, recyclability and formability give it many advantages compared to alternative materials.
LEARN MOREKawneer leads the industry in sustainable design and innovation. We provide a tremendous amount of transparency, not just about what goes into our products but also on how they are manufactured. In 2016 we released our first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and have since continued to work diligently in defining sustainability for the industry. With advanced technology processes and highly recyclable aluminum products, we are focused on continuing to reduce our environmental footprint.
Kawneer is committed to accelerating this approach through our ‘BALANCE’ philosophy. This does not represent a new path but an ongoing journey. We are dedicated to constantly improving for future generations.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification system is currently the most well-known and widely used sustainability certification in North America, covering a variety of building and project types. Browse some of the unique and inspiring buildings we’ve helped bring to life.
Photography: © Prakash Patel
Photography: © Jeff Goldberg/Esto
Photography: © Bob Perzel
Photography: © Bob Perzel
Photography: © Bob Perzel
With our products spanning across the globe, we are committed to protecting the planet. We also take the same responsibility when it comes to our people at Kawneer and our stakeholders who are making a positive difference across our organization and in our wider communities.
Learn more about Kawneer’s global commitment to sustainability.