Ercros reduces its emissions rate by 8% and its accident rate by 38%
In 2021, Ercros reduced its emission rates, CO2 emissions by 4.8% and total emissions by 8.4%. During the year, it reduced its accident rate by 38.4% and improved the quality of its products by 26.3%. In 2021, Ercros spent 24.7 million euros on prevention, safety and environmental protection, 5.5% more than in 2020.
Specifically, in environmental aspects, the company reduced its total emissions index –this index measures the substances emitted into the air and water, and the generation of waste– by 8.4% compared to 2020. During the past year, the greenhouse gas emissions index –which measures the number of tons of CO2 equivalent for each ton produced– fell by 4.8%. The company also reduced its relative energy and water consumption by 7.8% and 6.2%, respectively, and its relative waste generation by 21.8%.
In terms of accident rates, between 2020 and 2021, the overall accident frequency rate –which measures the number of accidents among internal and external personnel (with and without sick leave) per million hours worked– fell by 38.4%, and the same rate applied only to internal personnel fell by 34.3%.
Last year, the quality of the products commercialized by Ercros improved, as the complaints index –which measures the number of tons of products affected by customer complaints over the number of tons sold– was reduced by 26.3% compared to the previous year.
Ercros continues to make progress in the decarbonization of the activity, as foreseen in the 3D Plan. At this moment, the projects to improve energy efficiency at the Tortosa factory have been completed (unit for the recovery of waste heat generated in the polyol plant and replacement of various equipment with more efficient ones); replacement of lighting systems with LEDs in the factories of the intermediate chemicals division; and optimization of consumption of chemical products and raw materials in Aranjuez. Progress has also been made in the salt recrystallization and hydrogen utilization improvement projects in Sabiñánigo and Vila-seca I, as well as in the steam production from biomass and EDC manufacturing projects with more efficient technology in Vila-seca II.
Ercros' commitment to safety was recognized with the Safety 2021 award, granted by the Spanish Chemical Industry Business Federation (Feique) to the Tortosa, Cerdanyola and Sabiñánigo factories, for not having had any occupational accidents, with or without sick leave, among its own personnel during the entire year. All Ercros centers have their occupational health and safety management system certified in accordance with the ISO 45001 standard.
Ercros applies a sustainability management system, certified annually by an accredited company, based on the ISO 14001 reference standards, which certifies the implementation of an environmental management system; ISO 45001, which certifies the implementation of a health and safety management system; and ISO 50001, for energy management. It also verifies its emissions of gases in accordance with the ISO 14064-1 standard for the quantification and declaration of emissions of gases that have a greenhouse effect. The company is committed to the climate neutrality objectives of the European Green Deal and plans to achieve total decarbonization of its activity by 2050.
Ercros' commitment to all aspects of sustainability has earned it a Platinum rating in the international EcoVadis rating, with a score of 84 out of 100, placing Ercros in the top 1% of the 75,000 companies evaluated in terms of ESG (environmental, social and governance) best practices, and it has obtained an A rating and 77 points out of 100 in the ESG Rating 2021 of the Spanish Institute of Financial Analysts. The company has also been certified as a CSR Company in the Excellence category by the Responsible Care program of the global chemical sector.