Sussex ‘makes it right’ and becomes Australia’s first carbon neutral tap company!
After a decade-long journey towards sustainability, Sussex is the first Australian tap company to be certified as a carbon neutral organisation, offering carbon neutral tapware, in partnership with Climate Active.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson | Photography: Courtesy of Sussex
Founded in Melbourne 25 years ago by jeweller-turned-watchmaker Nicholaas Johannes van Putten, the baton was handed over to his daughter, Vanessa Katsanevakis, in 2011. In the wake of the Global Financial Crisis, Vanessa was tasked with choosing cheaper offshore processes or stay in Australia and invest in renewable energy.
Vanessa’s wise decision to stay in Australia earned her the Young Manufacturer of the Year by the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame in 2018, and today, celebrates the huge milestone of becoming Australia’s first carbon neutral tap company. ‘By committing to keeping production onshore, we’ve not only removed the need for international shipping in our production line, but we’ve also preserved and built dozens of jobs for local artisans,’ Vanessa shares.
Today, Sussex is one of the largest tap manufacturers in Australia to own and operate its foundry where the brass shavings and all waste metal materials are recycled and melted down for each tap. Alongside this sustainable approach in the factories, the company offset 1,133 tonnes of carbon emissions via wind farms to achieve net zero carbon footprint.
They achieved carbon neutral status in partnership with Climate Active—an Australian company that inspires businesses to work together to do their bit. ‘We are proud Sussex Taps has made the choice to be part of the Climate Active network,’ says Climate Active spokesperson Katrina Maguire. ‘As our first carbon neutral tap manufacturers, Sussex Taps has joined a network of climate leaders, working within their sectors to drive change.’
Sussex houses 273kw of solar panels which will reduce current carbon emissions by 16%—332 tonnes per year—which is equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road. Photo: Courtesy of Sussex.
“Every tap we make passes through the hands of a seasoned craftsperson, and that has never changed.”
Sussex houses 273kw of solar panels which will reduce current carbon emissions by 16%—332 tonnes per year—which is equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road. Photo: Courtesy of Sussex.
‘Reducing emissions is a shared responsibility, and it is encouraging to see Australian businesses like Sussex Taps doing their bit,’ says Katrina Maguire, Climate Active spokesperson. Photo: Courtesy of Sussex.
In 2021, Sussex’s emissions reduction strategy includes goals to reduce packaging, landfill, water, electricity usage, and recycle 85% of materials each year. ‘For Sussex, sustainability is about investing in the future, and that means three key things: investing in people, investing in Australia and investing in our product,’ says Vanessa. ‘From the craftspeople we employ, to the solar energy we use, sustainability is approached through a simple yet powerful proposition: to make it right.’
Between 2016 and 2020, Sussex has installed LED lighting upgrades at all four of its facilities, leading to greenhouse gas emissions reductions of at least 30% at each site. Sussex houses 273kw of solar panels which will reduce current carbon emissions by 16%—332 tonnes per year—which is equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road. Vanessa hopes this approach will inspire other Australian companies to make the same pledge.
‘The right way is tied to our belief that world-class manufacturing begins with respect for people and the environment,’ says Vanessa. ‘We have held a bold and ambitious target to be the first tapware manufacturer in Australia to be carbon neutral by 2021, and we are enormously proud to have worked with the industry leaders in Climate Active to make that a reality.’
With their beautiful, handcrafted designs, Sussex are well-loved across the design industry, and their products have been seen in projects from Nightingale Housing, Elenberg Fraser, Three Birds Renovations and Biasol. But it’s their efforts for the environment that will ensure they are a company well-loved for future generations—grateful for a company that cares.
‘Our story is built around a family endeavour: to build an Australian business with sustainability at its heart. Creating sustainable and ethical solutions is key to our collective future,’ says Vanessa Katsanevakis. Photo: Courtesy of Sussex.
‘Every tap we make passes through the hands of a seasoned craftsperson, and that has never changed,’ says Vanessa Katsanevakis. Photo: Courtesy of Sussex.