Translations Best practice in French version Best practice in English version

KBANE - GROUPE ADEO cooperates with its suppliers in order to develop new and responsible products

5. Fair Operating Practices

Responsible purchasing

Context

Created in 2007, Kbane designs and implements sustainable solutions for healthier homes that are more energy efficient and environmentally-friendly. Set up at 5 distinct sites (3 stores and 2 warehouses), Kbane has a current workforce of 83 employees and offers 3 types of services: consulting, installation, and self-serve retailing. Kbane makes a point of accompanying its suppliers in the development of new responsible products (a prerequisite to being referenced).

Objectives

 - Promote an innovative spirit
- Provide clients with scheduled opportunities to benefit from professional products adapted to the general public
- Redouble efforts to recycle end-of-life products.

APPROACH

The company's product managers select items whose function or composition exerts fewer environmental and health impacts. Suppliers are chosen on the basis of their innovative and unique products.

For its product line available in self-serve retailing, Kbane favors bulk sales. As an example, the brand proposes a white paint sold by the liter. The client enters into a terminal the surface area to be painted or else the desired volume of paint. The machine will then deliver the paint in a flexible reusable bag (15 times lighter than a metal can, with a closing mechanism to prevent the paint from drying between 2 coats). This bulk paint supply is the happy result of a partnership established with Ripolin.

Kbane also offers fertilizers and hardware items in bulk, as part of a partnership with Ecover.

To the greatest extent possible, Kbane builds its commercial relations with local suppliers.

Insulation materials are produced in the nearby Seine-Maritime and Nord-Pas-de-Calais departments.

In addition, Kbane facilitates client access to products originally intended for building industry professionals. An illustration here would be Kbane's accompaniment in the development by its supplier Argilus (clay washing) of a product sold under this professional brand name and adapted to general public applications.

Kbane strongly encourages its suppliers to make greater strides in their respective recycling strategies. One case in particular dealt with a window supplier that had only been recycling its own windows; Kbane convinced the company to recycle all types of windows.

In 2012, Kbane plans on having its suppliers sign a charter calling for greater respect of its human resources and of the environment throughout the product life cycle.

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

Kbane is committed to ensuring the durability of its activity by constantly striving for product differentiation and innovation.

Benefits

-   enables clients to purchase just the right quantities, thereby avoiding excess consumption
-   limits the production of packaging and its subsequent waste.

Workforce
83
Turnover
n.c.
Country
France

KBANE - GROUPE ADEO

1, rue de Menin
Parc de l
59520 MARQUETTE LEZ LILLE

www.kbane.com

Mise à jour le 26/05/2016

Creative Commons Attribution This work by Réseau Alliances – World Forum Lille is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.