At the end of 2024, the Global Management Team (GMT) signed off on Rompa’s long-term Sustainability strategy. A plan that needs to lead Rompa into a demanding future, in which environmental, social and governmental (ESG) topics are becoming more and more important for companies. Which topics will we focus on? What do we aim to achieve? Why are we actually doing this? And what does this mean for our colleagues? CEO Patrick Gerard and Sustainability Manager Tim Franssen provide insight.

“For me it’s not a question whether we invest in being a sustainable company – it’s a necessity”, Patrick states. “Climate change is a reality, and I’m afraid it’s my generation that started it. My own life may be finite, but life in general isn’t. I want my children and grandchildren to inherit a livable planet. That’s why we must act. Our customers recognize this as well, and are driving us to make this change with them.” To make sure Rompa leads the way here, Sustainability was defined as a must-win priority in the North Star-plan, and at the start of last year, a global Sustainability team was formed.

When it comes to climate change, the term ‘carbon footprint’ frequently comes up. This refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases that are generated by an individual or a company. Currently, more than 90% of Rompa’s direct emissions – those linked to our own activities, categorized as Scope 1 & 2 – is related to the electricity we use. Tim explains: “One of our automative customers has set a target for us to reduce our footprint by 80%, by 2027. The most effective way to achieve this is to drastically cutting emissions through the use of renewable energy.” An initiative that the GMT approved in the meantime, resulting in a major milestone: four out of six Rompa plants are now operating on 100% renewable energy. Something Patrick was very much in favor of: “Transitioning to renewable energy is a huge step forward. Firstly, I see it as our duty, being a modern production company. Secondly, it aligns with market demands.” Thanks to this initiative, Rompa has already reduced its carbon footprint by 70%.

Assuming also the Mexican facilities are able to implement renewable energy in the near future, Rompa could even reduce its footprint up to 95%*. This ambitious prospect inspired Tim to go even a bit further: “If you can reach for the stars, why don’t shoot for the moon? If we can eliminate 95% of our Scope 1 & 2 emissions, I’m confident we can go all the way.” Initially this ambitious target was not matching the mission statement Tim was given. Nevertheless, the GMT did approve this target. Patrick shares his enthusiasm: “Rompa, the injection moulding company operating completely net-zero by 2030. That has a great ring to it, don’t you think? I believe this is something our employees can be truly proud of.

Sustainability at Rompa isn’t just about the environment – it’s also about people. Patrick, who openly shares his personal aversion when it comes to inequality and injustice, states: “At Rompa we want to create an environment that creates equal opportunities for everyone.” Tim adds: “That’s why anti-discrimination was incorporated into our Sustainability strategy. While it didn’t rank as a high priority in our stakeholder analysis, it is a priority for the GMT.” This focus extends to employee satisfaction and well-being. “For me personally, one of the most important figures during the year, is the employee satisfaction score”, Patrick mentions. “Because it reflects how people feel within our company. Seeing our ‘NPS-score’ improve year by year, tells me that we’re on the right track.” That said, there’s still progress to be made. Patrick acknowledges that an NPS score of over 30 is his personal goal. He believes this is achievable, with continuous focus on our working conditions, personal development, and ensuring everyone’s health and safety.

Environmental:

• Reduction of 80% on scope 1 & 2 emissions in 2027 icw 2019
• Achieve net-zero on scope 1 & 2 emissions in 2030
• Have our GHG emission reduction targets on scope 3 validated by SBTi in 2026
• Have PCF methodology embedded in our cost calculation model by Q1 2025
• Increased recycled material usage year on year towards 2030
• Zero waste of plastics by 2030

Social:

• Continuous improvement on our Employee Satisfaction Survey across the group
• Zero accidents in the workplace
• Zero cases of discrimination in the workplace
• ISO 45001 Health & Safety certification at all plants (except Rompa DE) in 2025
• High-potential program in place across the group as from 2025

Governance:

• Implement ESG monitoring on (senior- & middle-)management level as from 2026
• Ecovadis: all plants to achieve a score of > 60 points in 2025
• Fully comply with all reporting legislations, predominantly CSRD
• Start driving responsible SCM globally as from 2026, through audits and a supplier CoC – with special focus on respecting Human Rights through the value chain