SUSTAINABILITY
For over 35 years, ARVA has been protecting people by manufacturing the best mutual assistance avalanche rescue equipment. But in the face of climate change, helping people also means protecting their playground.
Today, everyone has a role to play in limiting environmental imbalance. Greenhouse gas emissions are largely responsible for this imbalance, which is why ARVA launched a sustainability programme in 2020 to establish a clear picture of the brand’s environmental footprint so that we can act effectively to protect the natural environment that fuels our passion for the outdoors.
RESCUE PEOPLE
PROTECT THE PLANET
Measure, reduce, offset
The ARVA approach is based on the measure, reduce and compensate process. The first step is to take stock, undertake a carbon assessment and understand our footprint. Faced with this situation, the brand must define objectives for reducing its CO2 emissions effectively. Finally, offsetting helps absorb CO2 emissions by implementing solutions that "sequester" greenhouse gas emissions.
CARBON BALANCE
To determine its greenhouse gas emissions, ARVA has taken into account the processes involved in the life cycle of its products, from the raw material to the end of the product’s life.
And what is more, it has also the processes involved in the sale of the products.
Emissions are calculated according to the GHG protocol, which takes into account six greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O, CH4, HFCs, PFCs, SF6) and expresses the emissions in CO2 equivalent.
This calculation makes it possible to establish a carbon footprint of 1,089 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2020 for the brand’s activities.
Breaking down emissions
To implement an effective reduction plan, it is essential to understand where these CO2 emissions originate. Almost 60% of ARVA’s impacts are concentrated in the production phases of raw materials and products. Freight and distribution account for 17% of these impacts. The impact of offices and shops, which includes several sources of emissions, energy, travel, packaging for distribution, digital, supplier spending and office waste, represents 13% of the company’s impact.
Raw materials
Aluminium is the raw material that emits most with 38% of emissions. This is due to the large quantity of material used because it is light and robust. It is the material used for shovels, probes and for part of the Reactor airbag system.
Textiles used for backpacks and accessories (PA, PE, PP, recycled PE and PET yarns) account for 36% of the impact of raw materials.
The electronics and LCDs used in transceivers represent 14% of emissions linked to raw materials.
Finally, other materials (plastics, carbon, steel and others) account for 12% of emissions in this category.
Transport
Transportation between warehouses and shops accounts for 47% of ARVA’s transport impact.
Next, there is FREIGHT (transport of raw materials to factories) with 43% of emissions and transport from factories to warehouses with 10% of emissions.
Air and road transport are almost equivalent in terms of emissions. They account for 52% and 43% respectively of the emissions from the transport phases for 8 tonnes transported by air and 660 tonnes transported by lorry. Maritime transport is mainly used for FREIGHT and transport between factories and warehouses.
ARVA produces all its avalanche transceivers and airbag systems in France, close to the warehouse, which is why a significant part of the transport takes place by road.
Sales
The CO2 emissions linked to sales result mainly from employees’ business or daily travel with 70% of emissions.
15% are related to the energy used in offices and 15% for everything else, including advertising, marketing, computing activities, packaging, office waste, and supplier expenses.
2- REDUCE
Following this assessment identifying the activities that emit the most greenhouse gases, ARVA has set itself 14 objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Initially, to maximise efficiency, these objectives will focus mainly on product production and raw materials, which represent the largest share of emissions.
The overall objective is to reduce our CO2 emissions by 15% by 2025
OUR 14 COMMITMENTS
Optimise the shovel blade manufacturing process to reduce waste material and thus reduce aluminium consumed in blade manufacture by 5%.
Progress : 0%
Use 10% recycled aluminium in the shovels and probes category.
Progress : 40% -At the end of 2021, less than 5% of the aluminium used is recycled
Reduce by 50% greenhouse gas emissions linked to the shovel and probe categories
Progress : 5% - Research on new less-emitting materials in progress
100% PFC free : eliminate the use of PFCs from the entire backpack range
Progress : 100% All of our backpacks are made without PFCs.
100% recycled fabrics: use only recycled fabric for the entire backpack range
Progress : 55% - 55% of the fabric we use for backpacks is recycled. This represents 60% for backpacks and 50% for airbag backpacks.
20% of EVO4 produced using antennas from scrapped devices. Reuse the antennas from end-of-life transceivers in the production of new EVO4s.
Progress : 0%
Refine the carbon footprint by product, so we know the CO2 emissions for each product and can refine the objectives
Progress: 20% - Carbon footprint measurement by product in progress
Measure and display the weight of single-use plastic for each of the products
Progress: 40% - Weight measurement underway
Limit air travel to reduce the impact of the ARVA organisation’s business travel
Progress : 0%
Help our subcontractors to improve their energy mix
Progress: 20% - 100% of the electricity used to manufacture our shovels is hydroelectric in origin and is produced directly on site
Offer a clear programme for products’ second life.
Progress: 20% - Programme development underway
Reduce the proportion of air transport in upstream distribution (transport between factories and depots)
Progress : 0%
Add an environmental message into the brand’s communications
Progress: 10% - Implementation of “eco-design” and “carbon footprint” theme in brand communication
Add a criterion into the recruitment of athletes and ambassadors based on their ecological commitment
Progress : 10% - Support of Gaëtan Gaudissard for his film Conscience
3- OFFSET
Faced with the challenges of climate change, ARVA has measured the urgency of the situation. Changing industrial processes, sourcing raw materials and implementing a second-life programme takes time.
But as with avalanche rescue, every second counts!
This is why, in parallel with an ambitious emissions reduction plan, ARVA has chosen to offset its CO2 emissions from 2021 and is starting on a path towards contributing to global neutrality.
From November 2021, every kilogramme of CO2 equivalent emitted by the ARVA brand will be offset by funding carbon sequestration projects in partnership with ClimatePartner.
Partnering with ClimatePartner ensures that greenhouse gas sequestration projects are certified to international standards, are audited annually, and contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.