12 SUCH GOALS APPLY TO OUR BUSINESS

Our goals are to :
• Continue to have a sustainable impact locally and on communities by investing in the education and raising awareness of the younger generations (SDGs 4, 11 and 13)
• Continually improve our energy efficiency (SDGs 6, 9, 12, 14 and 15)
• Aim for excellence in the sustainable production of our products by favouring local purchases and high-quality woods (SDGs 1, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 and 15)
• Encourage the local economy (SDGs 1, 8 and 10)
• Be and remain a prime employer by offering good working conditions and ensuring equity among employees (SDGs 1, 4, 5, 8 and 10)
• Pursue our efforts as an inclusive business (SDGs 5, 8 and 10)
• Support our employees in their acquisition of new skills in their personal development  (SDGs 5, 8 and 10)
• Develop sustainable marketing practices (SDGs 1, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15)

Our commitments fall under the three pillars of sustainable development: ecology, economy and social

Our suppliers: Espace-Bois makes a point of honor in the selection of its raw materials. The wood we transform into burnt wood comes from local forests managed in a sustainable way. Encouraging the use of local products allows the company to support the development of the local economy.

Our means of transportation: We manage our supplies in order to optimize the transportation of our goods from the place of cutting and primary processing to our factory. The impact of transport upstream of the finished product is therefore very low (less than 250 km). Doing business with local foresters and sawmills gives us continuous product traceability. We do not import woods from overseas. Furthermore, the CO₂ emissions emitted during transportation are offset by the planting of trees in our province. We aim to limit the number of intermediaries between our products and customers in order to reduce the GHG emissions from our supply chain.

Supply chain & shipping example

Our products:  Burnt wood is an environmentally product compared to traditional materials, such as brick and concrete. Wood stores carbon as the tree grows. Burnt wood is therefore a product to be used for a building with a low carbon footprint. Using one square meter of burnt wood emits 2 kg of CO₂, while the use of bricks for the same unit of measurement is equivalent to 65 kg of CO₂ emitted into the atmosphere. In general, the use of wood in any construction project reduces its environmental impact. Furthermore, the emission of this type of CO₂ is taken advantage of by living biomass from photosynthesis. The sealing oils used when finishing burnt wood have a very low impact on the environment, unlike other wood finishing products and treatments that are harmful to it.

Our manufacturing processes:

We optimize as much as possible the resources used in the production of burnt wood (electricity, raw materials, water, etc.). Optimizing resources goes hand in hand with optimal input management. We also recycle as much as possible! For example: planks with defects are used to fabricate our product samples.

Our responsible packaging: Each packaging used for our samples or finished products is recyclable and / or reusable.

Our employees: We consider our collaborators to be part of the sustainability of the company. They are key to our success. We guarantee them quality working conditions and pay equity regardless of their gender. At Espace-Bois, we hire every year people in difficulty and support them in their professional reintegration. We collaborate with professionals specialized in the reintegration of vulnerable people. Furthermore, the consolidation of skills and knowledge is an integral part of the elements offered to our employees. In partnership with local training organizations, Espace-Bois regularly offers training to its employees.

Our community: Since 2019, Espace-Bois has been involved with Arbre-Évolution, a non-profit organization offering reforestation and socio-educational programs. Our commitment and leadership earned us a Bronze Membership, and lead to the realization of eco-educational workshops via the Le Semoir project among others. We are very proud to participate in raising awareness among new generations of the importance of the environment and to be recognized as an Eco-Educational Leader.

Here are the goals to which Espace-Bois cannot contribute by the nature of its activities:
SDG 2: Eradicate hunger, ensure food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
SDG 3: Enable everyone to live healthy and promote well-being for all at all ages
SDG 7: Guarantee access for all to reliable, sustainable and modern energy services at an affordable cost
SDG 16: Promote the creation of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, ensure access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
SDG 17: Strengthen and revitalize the means of implementing the global partnership for sustainable development