Sustainability

Sustainability task force – holistically sustainable

Sustainable management is firmly rooted in our thought processes and actions. We actively implement sustainability, because we believe that humans and nature give each other strength.

The specially founded ‘Sustainability Task Force’ coordinates and implements numerous small and large sustainability and environmental protection projects within the company. Our employees are encouraged to actively contribute their own ideas and suggestions for optimisation in their respective fields of work. After all, they often know best what can be improved in their work routine to protect the environment.

Photovoltaics & green electricity

We care about sustainable energy generation and use. In 2004, we installed a photovoltaic system with an output of 30 kWp at our production site in Wittibreut-Ulbering. It generates about 27,500 kWh of electricity per year and thus covers up to 6% of the local electricity requirements with environmentally friendly solar energy.

We are currently planning an expansion to a 100 kWp PV system dedicated 100% to our own consumption of electricity in production and storage. This will enable us to cover an additional 21% of our electricity requirements with solar energy.

For the entire remaining electricity requirement at our production site in Wittibreut-Ulbering, which we cannot cover with our own photovoltaic systems, we exclusively use 100% green electricity from renewable sources.

Prevention of food waste

Avoidance of food waste is an important project for us. Generally, our planning is so meticulous that we hardly have any goods with an approaching best before date (BBD). Furthermore, we always purchase raw materials for production in such a way that only a small amount is stock-piled and the shelf life of the raw materials does not reach a critical level. In cases in which, despite good production and purchasing planning, food is available that cannot be delivered to the retail segment due to an approaching best before date, is the only time we pass products on to a biogas plant. The primary goal is to avoid spoilage (and thus unnecessary waste) of food.

Packaging Waste – Zero Waste & Recycling

We make sure that our packaging is as environmentally friendly as possible. Therefore, we only package as much as absolutely necessary and as little as possible, e.g. in single-layer films, paper bags, glass or tins. We are the first food manufacturer to be allowed to carry the official ‘Made for Recycling’ seal and are working to ensure that as many of our products as possible carry the seal. The seal certifies that a packaging is highly recyclable according to the methodology of the bifa Umweltinstitut (Environmental Institute) and Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging, i.e. it can be separated, sorted and recycled very well. You can find out more about our packaging concept here.

Plastic free shipping packages

We also care about the issue of shipping material – for all product orders from you. Because we operate our own online shop. In the course of 2019, it was permanently converted to low-plastic shipping. We are managing this, for example, by using filling materials made of paper.

Conversion to LED

Another project was the conversion of all light sources of our company to LED light bulbs. This enables us to reduce the power consumption for lighting by about 80%.

Sustainable office supplies

Our sustainability task force has initiated a programme to ensure that in the future only 100% recyclable and reusable office materials (e.g. paper, envelopes, file folders, ballpoint pens, etc.) will be used throughout the entire company. The changeover will take place successively. Paperless working is also being promoted in all areas.

Long-term marketing

Ways and approaches to make sustainable action even more consistent are being found in all departments. In the marketing division, for example, all promotional gifts are selected based on strict ecological criteria.

One example is our biozentrale Sprout pencils, which contain a seed capsule at the end of the pencil. Once the pencil is used up, the stubs do not end up in the garbage but in the flowerpot. Herbs or tomatoes then grow from it.

Our biozentrale writing pads are made of paper that consists of up to 50% grass fibre. Even the press pads (press kits and press paper) were custom-made especially for us from grass paper or grass cardboard.

Apple harvest on our premises

There are many fruit trees on our premises, including several apple trees. When they are ripe, we collect their fruit together and process it into apple juice, which we then use for meetings or company celebrations.