Article published on 24 February 2023
Our commitments to sustainability and the environment.
Now more than ever it is important to deliver sustainable playground design and eco-friendly sports areas. Proludic is a leader within the childhood development and play sector. Therefore, our decision to encourage initiatives aimed at protecting the environment for future generations is an essential move.
It has always been important to deliver outdoor play and sports equipment that does not negatively impact the natural environment. Proludic has been proud to champion sustainable playground design for some time now. Additionally, we are very conscious of our responsibility to contribute to a long-lasting legacy towards improving children’s wellbeing and protecting the resources of the planet for future generations to enjoy! Therefore, we are 100% committed to continuing to use a sustainable development approach as part of our environmental policy. We aim to protect natural resources to ensure children grow up in a world preserved for them to enjoy.
“True to our values, we are taking tangible action to maximise the service life of our designs and reduce their environmental impact. We are striving to reduce global warming for future generations.”
Proludic’s Sustainability Mission Statement
This article shines a spotlight on the steps Proludic has taken toward being more sustainable. As a long-standing and responsible organisation we are as determined as ever to mitigate our activities by delivering on the company’s latest environmental policy that centres around 3 key commitments that we measure with specific indicators.
Key Commitment 1: Sustainability
In terms of sustainability, we are determined to extend the life of our play and sports installations further through the use of quality recycled material choices and extended parts availability for all our ranges.
We have always aimed to deliver sustainable playground design and sports equipment that is not only robust in design but also capable of standing the test of time! From the outset, our play equipment products have been engineered from predominantly recycled materials with the finished units being underpinned by 2 to 25-year-long guarantees (please refer to ‘Our Guarantees’).
Our natural playground ideas for play and sports products are designed with repairability in mind to extend their life to ensure they last as long as they possibly can for many decades into the future. According to a global study conducted by Proludic in 2022, 90% of the outdoor playgrounds that we produced over 15 years ago are still 100% functional.
As part of our strategy for innovative playground design, we actively look to improve the designs of our products to increase the service life of our playground and sports equipment. We source and procure increasingly durable and environmentally friendly materials as they become available to the market. A good example of this is a move away from plywood on our decks to the more durable HPL (High-Pressure Laminated) substitute.
It is reassuring to know as a client that what is installed at your site can withstand many years of high footfall traffic and unrelenting consumer use, without worrying about the integrity and safety of your playground.
The Repairability Index
Proludic is once again staying one step ahead of the innovation curve by creating the first repairability index for playgrounds and sports areas within the sector. Each item of play equipment manufactured by Proludic now comes with an index to determine its repairability score. This can be found on the product pages and technical sheets on the website. The average score is 9.12 out of 10. Easy access to spares as part of our aftersales service is unparalleled in the sector. We also offer parts for our equipment 10 years after its manufacture date as part of our Proludic Promise.
An example of this is our ropes. They are made of galvanised steel cable covered with a polyester-treated outer to stand up to ultraviolet radiation. Many playground equipment suppliers offer climbing nets that must be completely replaced as soon as one section fails. By careful design, Proludic individual ropes are easily replaced instead of a whole section. This is a prime example of the company designing longevity and affordable maintenance into our play and sports equipment.
Key Commitment 2: Fighting Climate Change.
We have utilised the latest carbon footprint process to review all our activities that are C02-producing. Therefore, we refocus on managing and acting on the design, manufacturing and transportation for our playground and sports area equipment. Additionally, we focus on our travel, to minimise the respective carbon footprints and act responsibly.
Proludic’s outdoor play and sports equipment is currently designed to incorporate a maximum amount of recycled and recyclable raw materials as possible within the units we produce. Now 75% of Proludic’s products contain recycled raw materials and 88% of those materials used in production are recyclable.
All our manufacturing processes are designed with an emphasis on recycling waste. 93% of production waste is recycled during production from our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Vouvray, France.
The internationally recognised PEFC (the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) covers the entire supply chain of the wood used in our wooden playground and outdoor gym equipment products. Since 2015, Proludic has guaranteed its clients that its products are manufactured following the demanding requirements of the PEFC certification.
The wood harvested for our use comes from sustainably managed forests thereby reducing the exploitation of these resources. Wood also contributes fewer greenhouse gas emissions than non-renewable steel and concrete.
ISO Environmental Accreditation
The Proludic Group has been a holder of ISO 14001 since 2006 the industry standard for environmental management systems. This accreditation helps us to better manage the impact of our activities on the environment. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of our management systems.
Key commitment 3: Commitment to Maintaining a Strong Local Presence.
We have additionally acted by setting up and promoting a tight-knit network with all the stakeholders in our business ecosystem. This network includes both clients and suppliers working closely with us.
At our French manufacturing hub, we make a point of sourcing our raw materials and services from local suppliers. 94% of our these are European, and 72% are based in France helping to reduce our carbon footprint further. Sourcing products locally and within the Eurozone is something we are proud of and not having to rely on further afield. As a result, our supply chain logistics has seen a four-fold decrease in transportation emissions.
Additionally, to guarantee the best fit and long-lasting playgrounds, 93% of our projects are preceded by a preliminary on-site assessment. This assessment ensures that:
- the needs of the local community are correctly taken on board
- the topography of the site is reflected in the design
- the project management and delivery of the play area can be delivered in a timely and environmentally friendly way possible.
International and National Green Initiatives
While Proludic has grown on a global scale, the company has made tremendous strides toward mitigating climate change by reducing our carbon footprint by 30%*. Initiatives such as sourcing renewable energy for our UK office and investing in electrical charging and greening our transport fleet have all helped support a reduction in our emissions.
With this renewed commitment to delivering sustainable and environmentally friendly products, Proludic is doing its bit within our industry to meet this crucial global challenge. Guided by a robust 360-degree set of environmental indicators, we will continue to be at the forefront of future green initiatives. As a company, we love trailblazing this cause. So we are dedicated to delivering more sustainable play and sports areas that all our users can love!
* from 2009 to 2019 – Assessment carried out by Bureau Veritas
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