H+A: Leaders in sustainability
The hum of solar-powered machines fills the air at H+A’s manufacturing hub. Outside, 15% of the property has been deliberately set aside for trees and gardens, creating green pockets alive with birdsong and shade. Inside, Chris Hewitt, founding member of H+A, wraps up a call confirming the next training session for South Africa’s national para surfing team before heading into a meeting about a new recyclable packaging innovation.
This is what sustainability looks like at H+A: it is not a side project or add-on, but a way of doing business that informs every decision, every partnership, and every product.
Engineering a greener future
H+A’s state-of-the-art facility is a benchmark for sustainable manufacturing in Africa. Over 40% of its daily energy needs are met through renewable power, with 392 solar PV panels stretching across half of the factory roof. Smart motion-sensor lighting and passive climate control systems reduce unnecessary consumption, while a rainwater harvesting system cuts municipal water usage by 30%.
On the production floor, every raw material is selected with the planet in mind: FSC-certified paper, packaging with a minimum 64% recycled content, and products that are 100% recyclable and biodegradable. Partnering with PlanetCare, the team recycles an extraordinary 40 tons of kraft paper and board, and 4 tons of plastic, every month. An on-site compactor ensures proper sorting, keeping waste streams clean and maximising recycling value.
These investments have reduced long-term operating costs, improved resource security, and strengthened production reliability. For clients, this translates into supply chain consistency, high-quality sustainable solutions, and greater transparency, empowering them to meet their own environmental targets and elevate brand trust.
Pioneers with purpose
H+A has long understood that sustainability must be measurable to be meaningful. That’s why the company has invested in systems that track recycling volumes, renewable energy usage, and packaging innovations, data that gives clients clear insights into environmental performance. By combining transparency with innovation, H+A demonstrates that true leadership in sustainability is not defined by holding a licence, but by consistently delivering results that matter.
The result is a partnership model where innovation and accountability drive mutual growth, proving that responsible manufacturing is also smart business.
People at the heart
H+A’s sustainability story is as much about people as it is about the planet. Chris’s involvement with Made for More, a non-profit that uses sport to empower people with disabilities, has brought para surfing into H+A’s culture. The company sponsors the organisation monthly, helping athletes access training, equipment, and competition opportunities.
Staff engagement is just as important. For 15 years, H+A has run on-site Abet classes, with a qualified teacher providing weekly English and numeracy lessons for employees seeking to grow their skills. On Mandela Day 2025, staff collected and delivered donations to The Baby Home, and each year, they participate in Slipper Day to support Reach for a Dream, bringing hope to children with life-threatening illnesses. Another long-standing tradition is H+A’s participation in the Santa Shoebox Project, where employees pack and donate around 30 shoeboxes each year. It’s a staff-driven initiative that delivers dignity, delight, and a sense of belonging to children across South Africa, a reminder that impact can be both practical and deeply personal.
“This isn’t a box-ticking exercise,” says Chris Hewitt. “When we recycle a ton of plastic, coach a para surfer, or deliver baby supplies, we’re creating real possibilities, for people and for the planet. Our people believe in it, our clients see it, and together we’re proving that impact is most powerful when it’s built into everyday culture.”
This culture of care drives loyalty and innovation internally, while giving clients confidence that the teams behind their products share their values and commitment to making a difference.
The future they’re building
H+A is proving that profitability and responsibility are not competing priorities, they’re partners. By embedding , H+A is not just manufacturing point-of-sale displays. It’s manufacturing trust, opportunity, and a legacy of impact.
“H+A’s approach to sustainability embodies exactly what Provantage stands for: measurable impact that benefits our clients, our communities, and our planet,” says Jacques Du Preez, CEO of Provantage. “Their innovations prove that environmental leadership and business growth are not competing goals, but partners in building a better future.”
In H+A’s world, innovation doesn’t just sell products, it plants trees, powers communities, and changes lives.
