Germany sustainable economy | Best practice companies
The future of industry lies in sustainable business. The only question is: how can this work? These examples show how established companies from Germany are acting in an exemplary manner.
Vaude – completely sustainable
Sustainability is not a goal for the outdoor and sporting goods manufacturer Vaude, but rather, as the CFO Erwin Gutensohn: “It's in our genes.” This means that the principle of sustainability applies comprehensively. The company headquarters in Tettnang, not far from Lake Constance, has been climate-neutral since 2012. Products are made from old car tires or plastic waste, from rain pants to bicycle bags – and they are in turn recyclable. Repairability is an important goal of product development. The supply chains are voluntarily subjected to the Fair Wear Audit. Vaude is also making progress in other areas: 40 percent of managers are women, home offices long before Corona and flexible working hours for the almost 600 employees make it easier to combine work and family. And on top of all this, the company shares its experiences: The Vaude Academy informs and trains companies and organizations.
ZinQ – permanently sustainable
Circular economy is a magic word for sustainable business. 50 percent of global CO2 emissions are caused by the extraction and processing of raw materials. There is correspondingly high potential for savings in recycling. ZinQ from Gelsenkirchen, with 1,700 employees, specializes in corrosion protection of steel by galvanizing – this extends the lifespan of such products to up to 100 years. But ZinQ aims at consistent recyclability in its factories, in other words a consistent circular economy, among other measures. A special process removes almost 100 percent of the zinc used from old material. Compared to conventional processes, ZinQ saves almost 80 percent of the raw material in production.
Schwörer Haus – sustainable construction
Schwörer Haus received the Baden-Württemberg State Environmental Award for Companies in 2020. The company, which builds around 100 houses a year in Germany with 1,500 employees, wants to be climate-neutral by 2022. Its own biomass heating plant produces electricity, the waste heat heats its own company and a neighboring company and dries the lumber more sustainably. This lumber comes from a radius of 60 kilometers. The houses are also energy efficient – the energy consumption of an average new building has fallen by twelve percent in the past twelve years.
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