Read how we measure our impact
Building on our commitment to make progress against the United Nations Sustainable Development goals, we track our contribution to SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth. This means that we estimate the jobs and economic value ROCKWOOL creates directly or indirectly, as well as the socio-economic value of the energy our products save.
Around 40,000 jobs locally at our stone wool-producing facilities and with suppliers;
EUR 3,088 million economic value globally;
A net lifetime saving in energy costs of around EUR 85 billion for customers in households and industry from ROCKWOOL’s insulation products sold in 2021.
In 2019, we worked with Copenhagen Economics to develop a new SDG impact metric and methodology to estimate ROCKWOOL’s global and local contribution to creating local jobs and economic growth[3]. Three types of impacts are included in the methodology:
We collaborated with Copenhagen Economics to develop the SDG impact metric and methodology to estimate ROCKWOOL’s global and local contribution to creating local jobs and economic growth
ROCKWOOL helps create economic growth and supports job creation through three main channels:
One of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals - SDG8 – specifically focuses on sustainable growth and full employment. The aim of SDG8 is to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
Nearly half a billion people worldwide lack decent jobs, according to a new ILO report[1]. Responsible companies can help create sustainable social economies both globally and locally by creating economic growth, employment and decent work for all.
Our business is local, meaning we produce close to our customers and hire from the communities where we operate[2]. Currently 16 of Rockwool’s 19 stone wool producing factories in Europe are in non-urban areas. These areas are often associated with higher unemployment and lack of opportunities for local jobs. For ROCKWOOL, building and operating a production facility is a long-term investment. We believe that communities and countries can be empowered when corporations become active neighbours and contributors to the economy.
When it comes to building new manufacturing facilities, power generation plants, or other infrastructure projects, gaining community acceptance is a growing challenge in some markets. This can be the case even if a new project otherwise serves a highly desirable social goal – such as saving energy or reducing carbon emissions. At its most extreme, the trend extends to opposing construction of almost anything near population centres.
While ROCKWOOL’s relations with the communities hosting our facilities are overwhelmingly positive, vocal local opposition is an increasingly common part of the industrial landscape for greenfield projects. This is a challenge that we are actively addressing by reviewing and updating our internal due diligence processes.
With 51 manufacturing facilities in 23 countries, our focus is to produce and sell our products locally, generating employment, investment, and tax revenues in the host communities while at the same time being in full compliance with environmental requirements and standards. ROCKWOOL’s factories are essential to the Group’s success, as is maintaining constructive relations in the communities that host our facilities. It is vital to communicate effectively regarding the benefits and changes we bring.
[1] ILO, 2020, ‘World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends 2020’.
[2] For instance, around 90 percent of our sales do not cross a customs border.
[3] The calculation model is an Input-Output model using EUROSTAT data. The methodology, assumptions and information about the study are available here: www.rockwool.com/group/about-us/sustainability/socioeconomic-impact/
Vice President, Group Communications, Denmark
ROCKWOOL Group
