Health Connection: Sustainable Wellbeing
Sustainability and the health of our environment is a focal point for Health Connection. As a business, we strive to operate in a way that is both environmentally and socially responsible. Over the last few years we have made various changes to our products, packaging and the way we operate in order to reduce our impact. Some of the changes are:
Recyclable Packaging
We are currently upgrading all our packaging to be more environmentally friendly. As of February 2021, 35% of our packaging is 100% recyclable and by the end of 2021 we aim to have at least 95% of our product packaging made of widely recycled materials. Our new boxes (launched November 2020) are made from recycled paper with a water-based earth-friendly varnish. The inner bag is completely food safe (plastic resin 5) and currently widely recycled in South Africa. In our factory we recycle wherever possible and 90% of our bulk packaging is collected daily and taken to various recycling depots.
Sustainable Energy
We have solar panels installed on our factory roof to power our business. Since the installation of these solar panels we have had a 39% decrease in consumption from Eskom.
Saving Water
We have taken various measures to ensure that our water consumption stays low. The installation of rainwater tanks has been a major success; reducing our water consumption by 30%. The rainwater we collect in the tanks is used for our non potable water needs, including flushing toilets.
Responsible Sourcing
We choose suppliers who are farming responsibly and have appropriate certifications in place. We have a supplier audit programme to ensure compliance.
We also visit our international suppliers in countries like Peru, India, Sri Lanka and China to meet the farmers and check that the processing facilities meet our standards for responsible sourcing.