11 March 2020

Call to action: Operation EcoWarrior

Submitted by: Bronwyn
Call to action: Operation EcoWarrior

OPERATION ECOWARRIOR
Hansgrohe: Sustainable by Design 

South Africa’s branch of Hansgrohe is an extension of the values that were created over a century ago by founder Hans Grohe and his son Klaus; a love for water and a passion for the advocacy of water, respectively. The local chapter has the same passion that Hans had for his local Kinzig Valley spring water, but it is rooted in saving our rivers from pollution, creating sustainability and helping stave off the looming water crisis.  

EcoWarriors 

Hansgrohe have taken up the mantle of EcoWarriors, in affirmation of their sustainability goals, which have been in place for nearly half a century.  “The responsible use of water is essential for the Hansgrohe Group. We are actively committed to reducing the consumption of water in the production of our products,” says their sustainability report. Hansgrohe’s EcoSmart products consume up to 60% less water than conventional products, with a lower hot water consumption which adds to massive energy savings in the long run; and the lower CO2 emissions are better for the environment. 

Operation EcoWarrior 

Hansgrohe’s Operation EcoWarrior is a campaign which intends to create awareness and encourage discourse by educating riverside communities on the sustainability of its products and production methods; as well as providing information on the importance of keeping rivers clean.  “We are responsible for looking after tomorrow, today. Everyone is responsible for making a sustainable decision when buying a product or service and to make sure they choose a company that focuses on doing business without harming the environment,” says David Cooper, Marketing Director at Hansgrohe. The launch of this campaign will be through a river clean up, promoting Hansgrohe’s commitment to becoming even more sustainable than they are as they push to become ‘sustainable by design’.   

River Clean Up 

The river in question is the Sandspruit, flowing from the wild southern slopes of the Witwaterstrand out into the Jukskei River and, eventually, into Hartbeespoort Dam. Theoretically, the entire river is meant to be a hiking trail, upon which one can experience peaceful and natural surroundings with ever-running water, spectacular rock formations, indigenous vegetation, willows, blue-gums, invasive black wattles, bugbushes, kakiebos and black-jacks. There are Egyptian geese, ducks, plover, guinea fowl, various ibis, other birds (particularly waterfowl), and occasionally a rare sighting such as a legavaans (monitor lizards). Unfortunately, the river suffers from a major garbage problem, as litter dropped into nearby streets washes down into the flow. Urbanisation has caused major bank erosion, and the city’s densification policy has increased run-off from rainfall leading to flash floods, erosion and lower water-levels between floods.  

Teaming Up 

Hansgrohe will be teaming up with a number of partners to achieve this goal, including ARMOUR, Infinite Industries, Friends of Sandspruit and HOT 91.9 and a number of schools in Johannesburg.  All plastic collected will go toward making school desks for those in need.  

Sustainable by Design 

This campaign is a progressive move by the global powerhouse, announcing to the world that the time for action is nigh. No longer can we sit in abject silence while the environment around us disintegrates. Now is the time for action. Now is the time to fight. Now is the time of the EcoWarriors.  

hansgrohe. Sustainable by Design. 

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Issued By:The Lime Envelope
On Behalf Of: Hansgrohe
For Media Information:Bronwyn Levy
Telephone:011 467 9233
E-mail:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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About the Hansgrohe Group

With its brands AXOR and hansgrohe, the Hansgrohe Group, based in Schiltach/Southern Germany, enjoys a reputation as a leader in quality, innovation and design within the bath and kitchen industry. The Hansgrohe Group brings form and function to water with taps, showerheads and shower systems. The 116-year history of the company is marked by innovations such as the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen tap, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower. The company holds more than 17,000 active propriety rights. The Hansgrohe Group stands for long-lasting quality products. With 34 subsidiaries and 21 sales offices supplying products in more than 140 countries, the company is a reliable partner to its customers around the world. The Hansgrohe Group, its brands and products have won numerous awards, including more than 500 design prizes since 1974. Sustainable production of resource-conserving products is central to the company’s business activities around the globe. The products of the Hansgrohe Group are featured in projects around the world, such as the luxurious ocean liner Queen Mary 2, and the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Group’s high-quality standards are ensured by five wholly-owned production facilities: two in Germany, one each in France, the United States and China. In 2016, the Hansgrohe Group generated a turnover of EUR 1.029 billion. It employs more than 4,800 people worldwide, about 60 percent of whom work in Germany.  

iF Design Leader in the Bathroom Industry In the current 2019 ranking of the International Forum Design (iF) of the best companies in the world of design, the Hansgrohe Group, with its brands AXOR and hansgrohe , ranks in the TOP 10* among 4,215 listed companies. The Black Forest based showers and fixtures specialist outperforms famous brands such as Apple, Audi or Daimler and reconfirms the company’s leading position * in the bathroom industry. At the iF DESIGN AWARDS 2019 eight AXOR and Hansgrohe branded products received an iF DESIGN AWARD 2019 For further information on our design awards, please visit www.hansgrohe-group.com/en/about/claim/design/awards. *www.ifworlddesignguide.com