ETSA News

Interview with Kati Pallasaho & Carmela Crippa on the new ETSA Sustainability Task Force

Introduction: The textile services industry has a long-standing tradition of circularity and responsible business practices, with sustainability deeply embedded in its core operations. From textile reuse to recycling, and much much more,  the sector has exemplified how circular economy principles can drive both environmental and economic success. However, in light of the urgent need for action against climate change, the industry is stepping up its efforts to innovate, collaborate, and set new standards for sustainable practices.

At the forefront of this renewed commitment are two leaders who have recently taken on a pivotal role in guiding industry-wide sustainability efforts. We are excited to present an exclusive interview with Kati Pallasaho, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Sustainability at Lindström Group, and Carmela Crippa, Head of Corporate Sustainability at JENSEN-GROUP. Together, they have assumed the role of co-chairs for the ETSA Sustainability Task Force, which will convene in December to tackle some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the industry today.

In this conversation you can read below, Kati and Carmela share their personal journeys in sustainability, their vision for the future of the ETSA Task Force, and how they plan to leverage their combined expertise to drive meaningful change.

Can you both share your personal journey to sustainability and what motivated you to take on the role as co-chairs of the ETSA Sustainability Task Force?

Carmela: As a studied archaeologist I have always been passionate about understanding the human footprint and its impact on the environment. In my current function at JENSEN and through my involvement with ETSA, I have shifted from an observer of the past to an actor of the future. This role is a great opportunity to join forces with other key players to advance sustainable practices and innovative solutions within our industry, so that we can leave a positive legacy for future generations.

Kati:Throughout my career, I have worked with transformations in companies' strategies and business models. Sustainability transformations are by far the most intriguing ones. They require ambitious goals, clear direction, bold action, new solutions, and speed. Working with long-term development is something I feel like I'm at home with and I'm so happy we get to work together with ETSA member companies on the biggest sustainability topics in our industry.

Kati, your background includes leading sustainability initiatives within a circular textile services company. How will your experience in creating textile recycling partnerships and cutting GHG emissions contribute to your new role within the task force?

Circularity and decarbonization are among the sustainability topics common to all in our industry. I hope to contribute to the Task Force by bringing experiences from how we at Lindström have tackled these challenges and opportunities to help our industry to become more sustainable compared for example to linear business models. However, I firmly believe there's a lot we can learn together and from each other and by doing so, accelerate sustainability actions to benefit not only us but our customers and the planet.

Carmela, you have led corporate sustainability and ESG compliance efforts across global operations," How will your experience with ESG requirements and compliance shape the task force's approach to sustainability reporting and alignment with net-zero goals?

 The CSRD has emphasized the critical need for collaboration across the entire value chain, requiring companies to report on key issues like greenhouse gas emissions and climate reduction targets. This directive has highlighted our interdependence on each other's efforts to achieve these goals, thereby establishing a solid foundation for this task force's objectives.

Can you both perhaps discuss how innovation plays a role in advancing sustainability efforts particularly in the context of our industry? Are there any developments that excite you?

Harnessing new technologies and approaches will be key to create laundry operations that combine productivity with environmental and social considerations.  The task force will give us the opportunity to explore and share new ideas on how to tackle common challenges like reducing our carbon emissions and further increasing the lifetime of textiles and machines.

Another interesting area for innovation is textile products, their materials, and recycling of end-of-life textiles. The EU is pushing for circular economy but we need rapid scaling of production for new materials and end-of-life recycling. In our industry, we can together drive demand for new materials and end-of-life recycling solutions.

In both your views, what does success look like for the ETSA Sustainability Task Force in the short-term (next 2-3 years) and in the long-term (5-10 years)?

The ultimate success would be to trigger actions that make us reach our sustainability goals and  generate positive outcomes for every participant in the industry, including the environment. The textile service industry, one of the world's oldest examples of a circular economy, exemplifies a business model where profitability is built on responsible practices like textile reuse and recycling. Serving as a model for how circularity can foster both environmental and financial success would be another significant achievement.

We aim to choose one sustainability topic at the time during the next few years for our collaboration in the task force, starting with climate targets and actions to reduce emissions. We believe this approach would make us more focused and impactful as well as accelerate joint action.

How do you both hope your leadership will shape the industry's perception and commitment to sustainability?

Kati: By taking joint action on sustainability, I believe we can clearly differentiate from linear business models and together create opportunities for growth for textile services. Together, we can achieve so much more than each and every company working alone. I hope to inspire and encourage member companies of ETSA and the task force to openly share challenges, lessons learned, and potential solutions from the sustainability journey.

Carmela: I fully agree. The task force offers an ideal space for exploring new ways to work together and tackle common issues. We  are all confronted with the challenge of leading sustainable business transformations within our organizations, which requires a lot of energy and resilience in the face of resistance to change. I think our impact will be greater if we use our collective voice in moments that are essential for the development of a sustainable industry future.