Pollution

[E2-1]

The dominant share of water-based and water-containing products in the Group’s portfolio, which do not have a material impact on environmental pollution, was considered a material opportunity.

It applies to the entire Śnieżka Group, i.e. FFiL Śnieżka SA (the parent company) and other subsidiaries. The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for implementing the policy. In order to ensure business efficiency, the Group places emphasis on rational resource management and decision-making based on data and facts.

Through the Supplier’s Code of Conduct, the Group spurs undertakings in the value chain to increase the awareness of employees and business partners, primarily in the area of ​​counteracting environmental pollution and limiting the negative impact on the natural environment. Both the Supplier’s Code of Conduct and Policy are available on the Company’s website.

The Śnieżka Group companies strive to reduce the impact of their production facilities on the natural environment. Respect for environmental requirements is ensured through continuous formal and legal supervision and implementation of obligations specified in environmental decisions. New investments are based on the latest available technologies. The Group companies conduct an on-going monitoring of their environmental impact, by maintaining registers of information and data on the scope of their use of the environment.  They monitor consumption of energy and water, emissions of pollutants, generation of waste and packaging.

However, the current policy does not provide detailed guidance on specific methods for mitigating negative environmental impacts, including strategies for preventing and controlling air, water and soil pollution, procedures for dealing with incidents and emergencies, and how the policy relates to its own operations and value chain (both suppliers and buyers) in the context of minimising negative environmental impacts. It should also be noted that the policy does not take into account the perspective of stakeholder groups and third-party initiatives. The geographical location of the Śnieżka Group has no influence on the implementation of commitments arising from environmental policies. Following the risk and opportunity analysis conducted in 2024, material pollution-related impacts were identified. As the IRO analysis was conducted in the reporting year, the Quality, Environment, Health and Safety Policy does not address the identified pollution-related aspects.

[E2-2]

In 2024, the Śnieżka Group continued to monitor the amount of gases and dust released into the air and the quality of discharged rainwater and rainwater – in accordance with the necessary environmental decisions. Periodic measurements are performed to confirm compliance with the standards set out in law and environmental permits. As far as the emission management is concerned, systems generating significant emissions are equipped with appropriate atmosphere protection devices, such as filters, which are covered by the control system. The management of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions is carried out by preparing annual information on the scope of environmental use and setting the amount of fees due. The documentation contains a summary of data in relation to the permits held for the release of gases and dust into the air. For control and supervision purposes over the correct operation of VOC reduction devices, VOC measurements are performed once a week at the emitter with adsorber. Due to the lack of a policy covering identified pollution impacts, the Group has no future actions planned to address the identified impacts.

The Group meets legal regulations regarding chemical mixtures and preparations (e.g. REACH and CLP). The undertaking conducts systematic monitoring of changes in legal regulations that may affect production processes and implements activities enabling dynamic adaptation to changes, also in the field of technological processes. Additionally, actions are taken to obtain approvals and certificates confirming that the Group’s products, when used as intended, have a low impact on the environment and do not pose a threat to human health (e.g. Ecolabel, hypoallergenic certificates described for the own indicator [W2] in the Product liability section). 

The Śnieżka Group focuses on activities aimed at mitigating the classification of manufactured products by optimizing recipes and replacing ingredients with equivalents that are more environmentally and health friendly.

Since the IRO analysis was conducted in the reporting year, the actions taken to minimise the impact of production facilities on the environment are not fully systematised and comprehensive. There is also no update of the Quality, Environment and Health and Safety Policy, which does not address newly identified aspects related to pollution. Consequently, there is a lack of coherent guidelines and coordinated actions aimed at effective pollution prevention and control.

[E2-3]

The Śnieżka Group has not defined objectives strictly related to pollution concerning the use of potentially hazardous substances and the use of volatile organic compounds. Indirectly, the restriction of the above-mentioned substances results from the defined objectives for products with low impact on the user and the environment, which were presented in the own indicator [W2].

[E2-4] 

The Group does not exceed the limits set out in Annex II to Regulation 166/2006 in any of the systems.  It is not possible to provide comparative data for 2024, as this was the first year the calculations were made. At the same time, as part of the applicable legal provisions and conducted inspections, no exceedances have been detected so far. None of the Group’s systems require, in accordance with applicable regulations, constant monitoring and measurement of emission levels, hence the data presented were based on estimates resulting from periodic measurements. Constant emission parameters were assumed as no significant events that could affect production or emission parameters were identified in the reporting year. It is impossible to precisely indicate the levels of uncertainty of the assumptions and calculations made. The data were estimated for all systems and were not subject to additional control, but each time they were based on periodic tests, which are generally subject to verification within the framework of the accreditations held by the entities performing the tests.

In 2024, the Group did not produce but introduced to the market a product containing 0.003 tonnes of microplastics.

All measurements were performed by external entities, in accordance with applicable national regulations and accredited methods (Poland).

Based on the calculations for Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC, reports submitted to offices were drawn up. Foreign companies prepare annual reporting in accordance with the national requirements applicable to a given company. For the following foreign companies: Poli-Farbe, Śnieżka-Ukraina, Śnieżka-BelPol, the volume of pollutant emissions was estimated based on the monitoring of specific parameters in emission measurements and groundwater and sewage samples or recalculated in accordance with the indicators characterizing their emissions in permits for the release of gases and dust into the air.

The estimation method involved multiplying the measurement result by the number of operating hours of the system or, where applicable, the amount of water or sewage used/discharged. As for Śnieżka SA and Poli-Farbe, measurements are performed by accredited laboratories in line with applicable standards.

The results are not additionally verified by other auditing bodies, but the systems are overseen on a regular basis by supervisory authorities. All reports and statements submitted to relevant offices are assessed by them.  The Group did not adopt performance indicators for the metrics presented.

[E2-5]

The data presented have not been subject to any control other than that required by the mandatory certification of this report. The Group did not adopt performance indicators for the metrics presented.

Due to the production of mixtures that consist entirely of chemical substances, we do not provide information regarding services or product parts.

The results presented were based on available data. The raw materials, constituting both substances and mixtures, have been divided into single components and their quantity has been divided in terms of the percentage composition specified in the safety data sheet and classification. The calculations also included the amount of raw materials purchased in individual companies for a given accounting year.

It is assumed that 100% of the raw materials were incorporated into the finished product and were used in production. Currently, it is not possible to calculate the percentage of substances that leave the plant as emissions by hazard class and category.