Offering sustainable products is a key pillar of our 2030 sustainability strategy. We partner with sustainable brands and continuously seek optimisations for our own brands. One great case in point is Capi by B&S, known for its innovative consumer electronics retail stores in airports around the world. The retailer expanded their product range with the latest in sustainable electronics, from salmon leather phone cases to eco-friendly bamboo headphones. And they are removing plastic items in packaging.
Responsible sourcing practices
A sustainable product is not just environmentally friendly. It’s also produced with people in mind. Eline Westerhof, Head of Category Management: “As part of our commitment to offering sustainable products, we are investing in responsible sourcing practices. Suppliers must follow our strict standards for human rights, labour conditions, the environment, and anti-corruption. We are on track to work with 100% externally certified suppliers by 2030. For Mitone, we already work exclusively with BSCI certified factories.”
From plastic to FSC certified paper
We are proud to sell high-quality travel electronics, such as chargers, travel plugs, and headphones, under the Mitone brand. In 2022, the product range was upgraded with more than 100 SKUs to offer travellers more sustainable product choices. Kim van den Hoogen, Senior Category Manager: “Our private label Mitone is the ideal starting point for expanding the selection of sustainable products in our Capi airport retail stores. By working with an expert partner, we removed all plastic from our packaging and replaced it with FSC certified paper. This makes packaging recycling easier for our customers and the waste industry.”
Eco-labelled electronics
The team is also updating the Capi entire range with new eco-labelled products by premium brands, such as the JBL eco-speaker and Sony’s sustainable earphones, as well as products by lesser-known brands. Capi actively monitors which latest sustainable innovations they can best offers to consumers. Recently, more and more brands are putting sustainability front and centre, such as House of Marley. The Capi stores feature House of Marley earphones, speakers, and accessories produced with responsibly grown bamboo, FSC certified wood, and recycled plastic. Kim: “House of Marley is a sustainable frontrunner in our audio category. By actively promoting their products, we hope to see even better results."
Sustainable accessories
Customers can also choose from a large variety of sustainably produced accessories: Woodcessories makes plant and wood-based phone cases. DECODED uses Nike Grind, a material made of leather scraps from used Nike shoes, in its Apple accessories. Njord byElements is even using salmon leather, made of by-products from the salmon we eat, in its phone accessories. These products all have a much lower impact on the environment.
Continuous improvement
We continue to make improvements. In the future, we aim to make our Mitone packaging completely circular by using recycled paper. It’s part of our commitment to make our operations as sustainable as possible. Our Capi customers can expect to see more and more environmentally friendly products in our stores to enhance their travel experience.
