Sustainability at Lodge
2025 Sustainability Report
At Lodge, reuse has been part of how we work since 1896; in the past three decades, a focus on sustainability has entirely changed the way our Foundry operates. Our latest Sustainability Report includes fresh goals across our organization, from reducing our carbon footprint and material usage, to expanding the services we provide for Lodge employees. But it also pulls focus on some of those things we'll never change, like our commitment to doing right by our South Pittsburg community, our legacy of manufacturing nontoxic cookware, and our focus on working safely.
Made to last generations
One of the most meaningful environmental impacts we can have as a cookware company is to create products that last a lifetime. A typical nonstick pan can last as little as three years before it loses its coating and must be discarded, while a Lodge Cast Iron pan lasts literal generations.
Putting recycled materials to work
Our Foundry is naturally circular. On average, a piece of Lodge Cast Iron cookware is composed of 61% recycled materials, including 12% recycled steel and 49% recycled iron reclaimed from the line.
99% plastic-free packaging
In 2022, we transitioned all our labels to use 50% less material. In total, our packaging is 99% plastic free and predominantly sourced from within 300 miles of our Foundry.
Electrifying the Lodge foundry
In 1991, after nearly 100 years of burning fossil fuels, we replaced the coal-fired cupola in our foundry with an electromagnetic induction melt furnace. A foundry induction furnace uses on average 25% less energy than a cupola and eliminates air pollution from burning fossil fuels on site.
Prioritizing employee wellness
Lodge has a Wellness Center on campus to provide reliable healthcare to over 500 employees and their families; in 2023, over 44% of our employees received their annual wellness exams free of cost, right on our South Pittsburg campus.
Leading with a culture of safety
As an organization, creating a safe work environment is an ongoing goal. In 2024, we proudly passed an important safety milestone: more than 1,000,000 collective hours without a lost time injury. We are one of two US foundries recognized by the American Foundry Society for achieving this milestone in 2024.
The data collected and presented here was gathered leveraging the guidance in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, a best-practice in sustainability reporting.