Sustainability Initiatives
Protecting the environment as well as employees is important at DJO. This is very much a ‘win-win’ situation since the reduction in employee injuries and the reduction in manufacturing waste, scrap and pollution are all effective expense control measures. DJO endeavors to continuously improve its environmental, social and economic practices and has made significant progress relative to these efforts.
On the environmental front, reducing the volume of DJO's wastes that go to landfills is a daily activity at the Company's manufacturing facilities and offices worldwide.
DJO recycles its scrap packaging and manufacturing materials, including corrugate (cardboard), paper, plastic and metals. In 2008, the Company' manufacturing sites recycled approximately 175 tons of aluminum, 159 tons of steel, 34 tons of stainless steel, 6 tons of other metals, 68 tons of plastics, 206 tons of fabrics, 400 tons of corrugate and over 8800 wood pallets.
In addition to strict adherence to internal recycling standards, DJO's lean manufacturing practices continuously examine all internal processes to increase plant efficiency and eliminate sources of waste. As examples of this effort, DJO recently initiated important production changes that reuse scrap PVC and urethane. This scrap is reground onsite instead of external recycling and the reground material is utilized as raw material for other manufacturing processes. Additionally, DJO now regrinds scrap from its injection molding processes, virtually eliminating all waste form this process. Reusing scrap material reduces green house gas generation by eliminating much of the energy needed to reprocess and transport the scrap into a usable form of raw material, while at the same time improving DJO's manufacturing yields and lowering cost of goods sold.
In addition to reusing and recycling raw materials, some of the Company's medical products can be reused after proper refurbishment and strict inspection to ensure that they meet the standards for new products. Products that may be refurbished include electrotherapy devices for pain management and traction units all of which undergo rigorous processes of disassembly, repair, cleaning, remanufacturing, testing and verification to ensure that they meet new product standards.By preventing these products from needlessly ending up in landfills, the environment is protected without any loss of safety or quality to the patient.
Conservation of resources also plays an important role in DJO's commitment to improving its sustainability practices. Water is a precious resource and DJO is committed to reducing its water footprint. Many of the Company's offices across the U.S. have been retrofit with ultra-low-flow lavatory equipment, including the corporate headquarters in Vista. Manufacturing plants represent a large source of water consumption and DJO's facility in Tijuana, Mexico took aggressive steps in 2008 to conserve. In addition to installing ultra-low flow devices in lavatories, the Company implemented crucial manufacturing changes, which collectively resulted in a 15% water savings over 2007, despite having a significantly larger operation.
DJO is also actively pursuing projects to reduce the consumption of electricity. At the Company's Vista headquarters, for instance, the Company is working with its electric provider on a "Demand Response" system that can automate energy reductions during peak demand hours. DJO's manufacturing plant in Mexico also reduced its electricity consumption by installing energy efficient equipment, which lowered overall consumption by 14% in 2008 compared to 2007. When viewed on a units manufactured per kilowatt of electricity consumed basis, output increased by over 16% per kilowatt.
Since 2001, DJO has utilized balers and compacting equipment to achieve landfill source reduction (5:1 compacting of trash) and baling of corrugated material for recycling. The Company also maintains a strong commitment to the proper management of hazardous materials. Changes to some of DJO's manufacturing processes have enabled the Company to reduce the quantity of spent solvent by 57%. Spent solvent is also recycled.
DJO believes in "Green Teams". The Company has formed local green teams at each of its domestic locations, including Vista, CA, Austin, TX, Clear Lake, SD, Shoreview, MN, Chattanooga, TN and Indianapolis, IN. The Company has also formed green teams at two of its international locations, including the Company’s manufacturing facility in Tijuana, Mexico and its office in Guildford, the United Kingdom. These "Green Teams" are staffed by DJO employees who are looking at ways to help the Company reduce its carbon footprint and become a better steward of the earth. Since the beginning of 2009, all teams have all undertaken a recycling and conservation programs aimed at reducing the overall consumption of paper, electricity and water, while recycling office paper, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, cell phones, batteries, computers and monitors and printer and toner cartridges.
In addition to recycling office paper, DJO switched to 30% post-consumer recycled white office paper two years ago. DJO orders this paper from two different sources that carry certifications from either the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). In 2007, DJO's Vista headquarters reduced its consumption of white paper by 20% compared to 2006. In 2008, DJO reduced its consumption of white paper by approximately 12% compared to 2007.
Other green initiatives at DJO' corporate headquarters include the following:
- Use of environmentally friendly cleaning products by DJO staff and cleaning crews;
- Discontinued use of Styrofoam coffee cups for employees. The Company encourages re-useable coffee mugs, but now only stocks recycled paper coffee cups;
- Implementation of automated lighting and air conditioning controls;
- Turning off computer monitors at the end of the work day and utilizing sleep mode when not in use; and,
- Initiated a program to purchase 20% of its electricity for its corporate headquarters from green sources, earning it a Green Power Partnership award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
DJO's green team will initiate a program to build value into the DJO's product development process to ensure that new products are made from recyclable plastics and resins.
Last Updated: 10/09/2009
