Victoria PLC
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2022, 2024)
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:303,717 tCO2e/year
Scope 1 Emissions:249,234 tCO2e/year
Scope 2 Emissions:40,482 tCO2e/year
Scope 3 Emissions:77 tCO2e/year
Total Energy Consumption:1,548,654,291 kWh/year
Carbon Intensity:0.332 tCO2e/1000m2 (UK & Europe Soft Flooring), 4.887 tCO2e/1000m2 (UK & Europe Ceramic Tiles), 0.393 tCO2e/1000m2 (Australia), 0.004 tCO2e/1000m2 (North America)
ESG Focus Areas
- Energy management
- Carbon Emissions
- Waste and Water management
- Attracting, Developing and Retaining Talent
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Health Safety and Wellbeing
- Responsible Sourcing
- Human Rights and Modern Slavery
- Reporting, Disclosure and Transparency
Environmental Achievements
- Increased production output by 46% while delivering a significant reduction in man hours and waste.
- Reduced water usage per square metre of carpet produced by 16% since acquisition.
- Close to 100% of UK carpet waste expected to be converted into underlay by the end of 2023.
- Diverted more than 1,000 tonnes of waste underlay away from landfill in Australia.
- Developed a 100% recyclable underlay product in the UK.
- Installed solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and wind turbines at many sites.
- Switched to renewable energy sources at some sites.
- Using the heat from spray driers to produce electricity from co-generation plants in Spain and Italy.
- Nearby wind turbine supplying up to 40% of electricity needs at UK carpet manufacturing site.
Social Achievements
- Avoided driver shortages in UK logistics by offering retention bonuses and benefits.
- Initiated the ‘Talk With Me’ project in Spain to improve employee engagement.
- Developed a new Teleworking Policy in Spain.
- Focus on encouraging young people, especially girls, into STEM subjects in the UK underlay manufacturing business.
Governance Achievements
- Adopted the Quoted Companies Alliance (“QCA”) Code.
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Net-zero carbon warehouse operations.
Medium-term Goals:
- By 2030, achieve 75% clean energy in Italian ceramics plant.
Short-term Goals:
- By the end of 2023, close to 100% of UK carpet waste to be converted into underlay.
- By 2030, improvements to hydrogen technology will enable up to 75% of the plants’ energy needs to be met by clean energy, reducing carbon emissions by 35%.
Environmental Challenges
- Supply chain constraints
- Significant inflationary pressures
- High energy prices
- Covid-19 lockdowns (particularly in Australia)
- Shipping constraints (North America)
Mitigation Strategies
- Successfully increased prices up to four times across each product area.
- Laser-focussed on delivering synergy projects to increase operating margins.
- Actively hedging or managing key input costs.
- Deliberately structured with low operational gearing.
- High cash conversion (90.5% pre-tax operating cash conversion over the last five years).
- Production output supplied to order, reducing exposure to de-stocking risks.
- Resilient balance sheet with cash and undrawn credit lines in excess of £200 million.
- Long-duration, fixed interest rate, covenant-lite bonds.
- Investing in cleaner, greener and more secure energy, sourced more locally.
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Sourcing wood materials from sustainable sources (FSC or PEFC certified).
- Developing a Supplier Code of Conduct (Interfloor).
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR), GHG Protocol
Certifications: ISO
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- renu underlay (98% recycled materials, 100% recyclable)
- Biodegradable artificial turf football field
Reporting Period: 2024
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:280,016 tCO2e/year
Scope 1 Emissions:193,171 tCO2e/year
Scope 2 Emissions:68,794 tCO2e/year
Scope 3 Emissions:228 tCO2e/year
Total Energy Consumption:1,345,285,384 kWh/year
Carbon Intensity:Intensity Ratios (tCO2e/1000m2)
ESG Focus Areas
- Energy management
- Carbon Emissions
- Waste and Water management
- Attracting, Developing and Retaining Talent
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Health Safety and Wellbeing
- Responsible Sourcing
- Human Rights and Modern Slavery
- Reporting, Disclosure and Transparency
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced total Global Gross emissions from 314,521 tCO2e to 280,016 tCO2e
- Delivered first fully electric trucks, collecting over 1200 rolls of carpet per week carbon free
- 95% of site waste (including cardboard, paper, yarn, and other raw materials) is being managed, segregated, and recycled at our carpet manufacturing plant in Wales
- Achieved ISCC PLUS certification for our use of recycled content in Schramm yarn and backing powder
- Developed an innovative new polyurethane coating for artificial grass products, eliminating water usage and requiring approximately 70% less gas to produce
Social Achievements
- Launched several employee well-being initiatives, including office renovations and training programs
- Partnered with non-profit organisations to support community initiatives
- Ran pilot programs for apprenticeships and supported school students gaining work experience
- Continued to focus on reducing accident frequency through safety campaigns and training
Governance Achievements
- Established an ESG Committee to assist the Board in overseeing ESG matters
- Aligned climate-related risks and opportunities disclosure with TCFD guidelines
- Strengthened the finance function of Hanover Flooring Limited and implemented robust control environment
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Not disclosed
Medium-term Goals:
- Not disclosed
Short-term Goals:
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Global flooring market downturn due to pull-forward of demand and macroeconomic factors
- Aggressive pricing competition from Indian ceramics manufacturers
- Volatility in the Turkish Lira and government-mandated wage increases
- Challenges in recycling synthetic carpets and artificial grass due to complex material mixes
Mitigation Strategies
- Completed integration projects to improve operating margins and reduce costs
- Removed low-margin SKUs and non-profitable customers
- Initiated projects to integrate production across ceramics businesses and optimize efficiency
- Reformulated clay composition to produce thinner tiles, lowering energy consumption
- Refocused Saloni brand on high-end commercial applications
- Improved working capital management through better inventory control
- Exploring opportunities for wider deployment of electric trucks
- Investing in sustainable materials and recycled materials for products
- Driving progress in carpet recycling through membership of Carpet Recycling UK
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier codes of conduct
- Sustainable sourcing of wood materials (FSC/PEFC certified)
- GRS certification for recycled products (Balta)
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Disruptions to supply chain due to flooding, extreme heat, drought, and sea level rise
Transition Risks
- Energy price volatility
- Increased costs from carbon taxes
- Reputational damage from not meeting climate performance and disclosure requirements
Opportunities
- Capturing market share by responding to consumer demand for more sustainable products
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR), Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
Certifications: ISO (various), ISCC PLUS
Third-party Assurance: Grant Thornton UK LLP
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Renu underlay (98% recycled and 100% recyclable)
- Solution Dyed Nylon (SDN) products using recycled waste
- Bio-based underlay using renewable source sugar cane
- Artificial grass yarn and secondary backing containing end-of-life materials