Bona, a global, sustainably-driven company that supplies products for installing, renovating, maintaining, and restoring premium floors, released the results of its 2020 Sustainability Report. Despite a challenging year with the global pandemic, Bona continued to progress with its sustainability agenda including ongoing product innovation, reduced energy use, and grassroots community giving.
“As a part of a global community we must keep focusing on the issues affecting our world,” said Pontus Cornelius, president and CEO, Bona. “As a sustainable brand, Bona is making commitments and taking action to do better not just for today but also for future generations. For 100 years, sustainability has been at the foundation of our company so we will build on that base to continue our efforts in the years to come.”
Highlights of the Year
In 2020, the company recognized a number of milestones. For example, Bona estimates that the amount of floor finishing product produced, and thereby finishing rather than replacing hardwood floors, saved 28 million square meters of a 125-year-old oak tree forest area, which is equivalent to 3,610 soccer fields.
“One of the most significant milestones of last year was the third party research from IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute that proved refinishing a wood or PVC floor reduces the carbon footprint by more than 75%,” said Björn Johansson, global environmental manager, Bona AB. “This kind of data supports a circular economy approach to building and renovation, which is how we all will create to a better future.”
Additionally, Bona adapted to a the changed landscape in 2020. As the pandemic brought an increased focus on cleaning and sanitation, Bona launched a new antibacterial cleaning formula with great success. With the world leaning on digital resources, e-commerce around the world gained momentum. Bona increased its online sales in all markets and saw more than 28,500 logins to BonaTraining.com with 500 more courses completed than in 2019.
While Bona was navigating its business challenges of this unprecedented time, the company stayed true to its core value of giving back to others. Through the initiative Bona Cares, a grassroots program centered around providing small acts of generosity, the company helped those affected by the pandemic including hand sanitizer, N95 mask, and product donations as well as providing food for those in need. The program spanned across the US, Europe, and Asia.
Key Facts
Additional notable facts from Bona’s 2020 Sustainability report include:
- Solar panels at Bona’s facilities in Limburg, Germany and Malmö, Sweden generated 768,448 kWh of solar energy.
- Overall energy consumption at Bona was reduced by 20%.
- The Bona Certified Craftsman Program celebrated its 10th anniversary with 2,800 members worldwide.
- Bona Germany tested Bona Pure with the third-party agency Technical Rules for Biological Agents which verified the product meets the high requirements for safety, health, and hygiene in healthcare.
- The first phase the Lund University project Sustainable Plastic and Transportation Pathways (STEPS) was completed, which delivered a component from sugar that has the potential to make usable plastic or possibly make plastic from sawdust.
- 2020 was Bona’s fourth year participating in Hand in Hand’s Village Uplift program in southern India.
About the Framework of Bona’s 2020 Sustainability Report
For the fourth year in a row, Bona reported the company’s sustainability work in accordance with Swedish law and standards. The 2020 Sustainability Report aligns to the UN Sustainability goals and summarizes the sustainability information in the four areas of environment, social conditions, personnel and respect for human rights and the fight against corruption. View the full report at bona.com/sustainability.
About
Bona is a family-owned, sustainably driven company that supplies products for installing, renovating, maintaining and restoring premium floors. Founded in 1919, Bona was the first in the industry to offer a full system of waterborne hardwood floor finishing and floor care products. Today Bona offers products for most premium floor surfaces including wood, tile, vinyl, resilient, rubber and laminate. Bona’s turnover is 3.1bn SEK (EUR 307 million) 2020. The head office is in Malmö, Sweden, and the company is represented globally by its 17 subsidiaries, 70 distributors, 600 employees, and 5 factories.
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