Kuraray Europe GmbH Sustainability Blog It was great stuff! Looking back at Sustainable September
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Five internal events, two talks by external keynote speakers, one customer event, participating in the Malteser Social Day, and the Kuraray Golf Cup for a good cause – there was certainly nothing boring about Sustainable September at Kuraray Europe GmbH (KEG). Anyone who was interested could find out more about the sustainability activities at our company, take a broader look beyond their own work or get involved in joint charitable events. Many people took part and took away plenty of food for thought and a clear motivation not to slacken when it comes to the major future issue of sustainability.
Sustainable September started with an internal talk about global sustainability management in the supply chain – an insight into the complex task of making procurement more sustainable and performing all the necessary time-consuming supplier audits. Colleagues from Frankfurt and Troisdorf reported on the measures that have been taken to optimize production at their sites, which have also resulted in enormous environmental benefits by saving energy and water. Our Poval division gave a talk on greenwashing and the EU’s legislative work on consumer protection. Kuraray’s subsidiary MonoSol provided an overview of the extensive assessment process for EcoVadis certification. Last but not least, a colleague from Kuraray’s Innovation Network Center talked about the specific sustainability challenges in the area of Paper & Packaging.
Two external speakers gave very different talks – but both invited their audience to look ahead to the future. Michael Carus, Managing Director of nova Institute in Hürth (near Cologne), a leading expert in the bio-based economy and political consultant, presented many facts about the enormous transformation challenge facing the chemical industry and urged the need to be prepared. Cultural scientist and zeitgeist researcher Kirstine Fratz from Hamburg painted a broad picture of how dramatically society’s ideals have changed and will continue to do so, and how this also affects how we think, feel and act. Her advice: companies should be actively aware of the momentum of the current mood (“zeitgeist”) if they what to play a positive role in shaping the future.
Another highlight was the talk by Uwe Heiser from Velux, an important customer of our AIS division. He reported how Velux intends to bring about a massive reduction in CO2 emissions in its supply chain in keeping with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. One surprising detail: the company also takes historical emissions since its establishment in 1941 into account and is investing correspondingly in WWF forestry projects. Heiser also had a clear message: “Waiting is definitely not an option when it comes to sustainability.”
Malteser Social Day at our production site in Troisdorf and our headquarters in Hattersheim took place on September 6 and September 20. In Troisdorf, colleagues with a flair for working with their hands erected a Wendy house, built a wooden horse and crafted Montessori materials for a local childcare facility.
In Hattersheim, Kuraray employees also rolled up their sleeves and had a lot of fun brightening up another childcare facility. The entrance area is now lighter and more appealing, making it an attractive place to play.
The Kuraray Golf Cup was an opportunity to collect donations for a good cause. The proceeds of this tournament support the Frankfurt-based charity “Butterfly Project”, which helps cancer patients and their relatives deal with mental stress. The tournament attracted 35 players, including business partners and members of the Butterfly Project, who enjoyed the golf course and weather to match! It ended with a relaxed evening with plenty of opportunity for conversation.
Overall, Sustainable September was well-received by everyone who took part and we would like to thank those colleagues who put so much energy into organizing it and contributed to its success.
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