Responsibility as opportunity
As an internationally operating technology group, HOERBIGER follows a long-standing tradition of ecological and social commitment. As part of the progressive standardization in the area of sustainability management, the Group today faces the task of formalizing its existing activities to meet the multifaceted interests and needs of its employees, business partners and the general public.
A long-term view and responsible action have always been part of the corporate culture practiced at HOERBIGER and have contributed to the Group’s prospering stability for more than 125 years. They form the pillars of the company’s international success so as to offer guidance, preserve agility, and thereby safeguard its continued existence even during times of change. Sustainability is also of central importance for HOERBIGER as an employer: Not only our 5,948 employees worldwide, but also people in the wider labor market, set great store by sustainable work practices and business models, especially when it comes to the topic of environmental protection.
With its commitment to sustainability issues, HOERBIGER is not so much following a current trend; rather, its actions are established practice. For decades, the company has advanced innovative products that help save energy and curb emissions. At the same time, the company has always lived up to its social responsibility – whether by helping employees who find themselves in distress, by sponsoring local and regional projects or by supporting international humanitarian organizations.
No longer a choice, but a necessity
The sustainability debate has migrated from a niche to the mainstream. No longer is it only sensitized minorities who take an interest in environmentally compatible products and demand value-based action; instead, the broad market is calling for these steps. Today, corporations are subject to a host of new and increasingly stringent requirements. Since HOERBIGER is not listed on the stock exchange, the company was previously exempt from many regulations and reporting requirements – all our ecological efforts and social commitments were made out of the conviction to want to give back to society. Now, HOERBIGER is measured by the same standards as its customers and lenders. This enforcement makes it necessary to formalize existing practices and bring them to a new level.
Starting in 2025, public-interest entities that exceed a defined sales volume or have more than 500 employees will be subject to new European Union regulations. These include in particular the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the EU taxonomy and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). These form part of a larger Sustainable Finance Framework of the EU, which obligates companies to provide sustainability information and is intended to create transparency for consumers. The prevailing goal of the Framework is to drive decarbonization of the economy by focusing more heavily on companies’ ecological and social responsibilities.
Sustainability as a foundation and source of success
Going forward, HOERBIGER plans to increasingly bolster its long-term economic success through its established responsibility and solid governance practices. The Executive Board, the Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees jointly strive for continuous improvement in this regard and consider the combination of the ecological, social and economic dimensions of sustainability to be a balanced pathway toward long-term business success. Establishing sustainability as a corporate value forms the foundation for the entrepreneurial transformation toward a sustainable economy and society. HOERBIGER’s own intent to be an important player in the area of emission-reducing products focuses on the primary objective of creating a future that is worth living for future generations, while meeting customers’ requirements as a solution provider.
In early 2022, a project team launched a comprehensive sustainability program and began to pool all efforts to make products, offerings, processes, and production and service locations more sustainable. At the same time, the company ensured the necessary attention to and effectiveness of the related efforts by appointing a new Head of Sustainability. In his function, he assumes the management of and accountability for the sustainability strategy (ESG), the organization, and the responsibilities at the Group level.
„Establishing sustainability as a corporate value forms the foundation for the entrepreneurial transformation toward a sustainable economy and society.“
Initial steps have been made
Many of the traditional business areas in which HOERBIGER operates today are undergoing fundamental change. The goal is therefore to strategically expedite the Group’s transformation and to expand its leadership position in viable niche markets. For the systematic incorporation and implementation of the sustainability strategy, HOERBIGER uses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations as a reference and focuses on the areas of environment, social and governance, applying the widely used ESG criteria. Status analyses have already been conducted in all three areas and corresponding core areas defined (see graphic). The first complete HOERBIGER sustainability report will be published in late 2023.