Over the last ten years, the concept of sustainable development has started to appear in our minds. It is representative of a new reality, to which our societies are confronted and which challenges our production models and consumption models; it lays down limits as a reaction to the exhaustion of fossil fuel, to worldwide environmental upsets and to the increasing North / South inequality. The bell has tolled: damage to land-borne eco-systems will lead to direct consequences for mankind and the fact that the world population will double in the next 40 years means we are up against an energy impasse.

Malongo has decided to look into this concept. The firm started asking questions:

• What exactly does this mean?
• Are Fair Trade and Sustainable development synonymous?
• How should our partners engage in this concept? Will it change the way we work?
• Will it add value to our company?
• How can we communicate with the outside?

Since then, the debate has grown and grown. Parallel to this, Malongo has validated a certain number of aspects and is currently working towards the implementation of procedures in line with this policy, department by department.

For example, the Head of Marketing and the Head of Purchases are concentrating their research on the “eco-design” of products, whereas the Production department is gradually concentrating on overcoming the environmental impact of the factory (carrying out carbon tests, checking smoke output, implementing waste recycling systems and signing a partnership with the Electricity Board regarding the purchase of at least 21 % of “environment-friendly” energy.

Similarly, the computer department’s policy is to minimise the use of cathodic screens and to store used computer parts.

As for Logistics, river transport is used to carry our 123 Spresso machines as far as the warehouse in Lyons; lorries are filled to an estimated 90 % of their capacity. Finally, waste is sorted and distributed among the firm’s recycling systems. A major effort has also been made to reduce the volume of packaging over the last 2 years.

Sustainable development is less of a problem with regard to outside communication than it is to ensure people’s awareness within the company. This is the specific transversal notion of the firm, which fully integrates its Quality Policy.