Circular economy
At Bosch Power Tools, we want to move away from the dominant, linear value creation and towards closed cycles in the long term. While the former means that the product's life ends after the first phase of use, circular value creation means that a product can be reused in whole or in part during and after the initial use phase. This includes processes such as repairing and refurbishing the entire product, reusing individual parts, and recycling.
Circular economy for an even more sustainable product portfolio
With our circular economy strategy, we aim to achieve the highest possible level of sustainability along the entire product life cycle – from procurement, production, use, return and refurbishment, to recycling and reuse of materials.
For this purpose, we want to create cycles either within Bosch or close them outside our company as part of established recycling processes. We are therefore not only reducing material use and the carbon footprint of our products, thus helping to attain our scope 3 target, but are also preventing potential risks in relation to compliance with environmental and social standards. This is because by recycling materials, risky parts of the value chain in particular can also be eliminated.
The three levers of our circular strategy
Material efficiency
The first lever comprises all measures that promote the efficient use of materials. A more economical use of materials is particularly beneficial for the environment, as both the ecological footprint and the manufacturing costs of a product are reduced. Furthermore, these measures can be influenced directly.
Second life
The second lever comprises various approaches to optimizing our material flows or closing our own cycles within the company. These measures range from repairing and reusing individual components to remanufacturing. Our main aim here is to extend the useful life of our products and components.
Recycled materials
The third lever comprises the usage of recycled materials and the recycling process. This includes all measures that serve to reuse materials such as steel, aluminum or plastics. In this way, we can reduce the need for new raw materials and at the same time reduce the environmental impact and risks associated with the extraction of raw materials.
Repair service – a second life for our tools
We focus on the highest quality, functionality and safety for our products. At the same time, they should leave the smallest possible ecological footprint. Extending the service life of our tools is therefore an elementary component of our sustainability approach. The repair and service center in Willershausen (Germany) carries out repairs for our customers throughout Europe. A total of around 260 associates work at the site, 120 of whom are involved in the repair of tools. Every year, around 160,000 appliances are repaired and returned to our customers.
Tools that are returned by trade partners for various reasons, for example, are also given a second life in the internal Bosch Power Tools Shop. Before they are sold, they are carefully checked for full functionality and safety and then distributed to Bosch associates so that they do not have to be disposed of for no reason.
Reverse logistics – a success story
Back into the cycle
Based on the idea to create a circular economy that minimizes waste and resource use, a consortium of around 50 companies, including Bosch Power Tools in Brazil, started a reverse logistics initiative back in 2019. Reverse logistics is an approach designed to facilitate the conscious disposal of products and packaging. Once electronic equipment reaches the end of its useful life, it can be handed in for repair, disposal, or, where possible, recycling.
Bosch Power Tools in Brazil has relied for this process on the expertise of Green Eletron and GM&C, two companies that specialize in reverse logistics. To facilitate the collection of discarded or unusable products, collection points have already been set up in cities across the country. In addition to this consortium, Bosch Power Tools launched its own initiative in 2022 and set up a further 670 certified service points, which have recovered nearly 30 tons of material so far.
