Sustainability at Apple Rubber

Conservation of Natural Resources

• Using water saving practices including advanced water purification and flow reduction equipment within our facilities to conserve water and ensure efficient resource use.
• Meeting and exceeding requirements for building insulation to minimize the escape of conditioned air and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Applying timers, motion sensors, variable speed drives, and other energy efficient devices to reduce electricity consumption.
• Managing waste by minimizing non-hazardous waste and recycling.
• Promoting energy saving habits among employees (e.g., turning off energy demanding utilities such as lights, computers, and machinery not in use).
• Assessing if renewable energy sources could be an alternative for current consumption areas.
• Utilizing internal electricity meters to identify energy intensive loads and potential improvements.
• Exploring energy efficient practices and utilities, and determining if improvements can be made throughout the company.

Clean Operations

• Restricting EPA TSCA Section 6 substances; properly disposing of hazardous chemicals following state and local guidelines; and ensuring proper PPE for employees to reduce any contact with potential hazards.

Waste Reduction

• Continued development of rubber injection and cold pot technology to reduce rubber waste.
• Reducing paper consumption by promoting digital tools amongst company procedures/ policies.
• Prioritizing reusable bins for storage instead of disposable paper products.
• Maintaining a recycling program.
• Promoting product development that encourages minimizing waste.
• Extensively reviewing repair options instead of replacing items that break down. Repairs will keep old items out of landfills.
• Continued monitoring of internal water meters to prioritize water saving measures at high demand areas and checking for leaks.

Empowering Communities

• We support fair labor practices and ensure safe, ethical working conditions.

Workforce Well-Being

• Prioritizing employee health and safety, fostering a workplace that values growth, diversity, and inclusion.

Conflict-Free Sourcing

• Apple Rubber adheres to the Conflict Mineral Act to responsibly source materials like tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold, ensuring they do not contribute to armed conflicts or unethical labor.

Employee-Driven Sustainability

• Employees are encouraged to contribute to sustainability efforts through recycling initiatives and the use of water dispensers across our facilities, reducing reliance on single-use plastic bottles.

Green Purchasing

• Assessing and prioritizing suppliers and products that are committed to sustainability.
• Switching/ maintaining use of environmentally friendly cleaning products throughout operations.

Transparency and Compliance

• Rigorous supplier evaluations and reporting processes ensure alignment with global ethical standards.

Accountability

• As part of our EcoVadis assessment, we continually measure and improve governance practices to meet environmental and ethical goals.

Green Technologies

• Developing sustainable solutions that meet customer demands without compromising environmental standards.

Continuous Improvement

• Participating in global sustainability initiatives and assessments to monitor and enhance our performance.