When the first working group on sustainability was formed at Hauni ten years ago and someone was needed to take responsibility for this area, Dirk H. Kronenberg raised his hand immediately. “After our very first fundamental discussions, I was instantly passionate about what was then still a largely unknown field,” recalls Kronenberg, who had previously worked as Head of Engineering in the Hauni Primary. In 2010, he took on the staff position of Sustainability Manager – and with it, the task of developing a sustainability program as a core element of the Hauni Group’s corporate strategy.
For a livable future
“To take responsibility as a company for a liveable future in which economic, ecological, and social interests are balanced as much as possible, our sustainability program has focused from the very beginning on five action areas: products, employees, environment, society, and commitment,” explains Kronenberg, who completed a part-time master’s degree in Corporate Responsible Management between 2011 and 2012. “Over the years, we have brought this wide range of topics to life through numerous projects and activities.” Examples include the construction of the company’s own combined heat and power plant, the addition of electric vehicles to the company fleet, and the regular involvement of Hauni Group employees in social projects and environmental initiatives.
Sustainability performance moves into focus
The field of sustainability has become significantly more professional over the years, and its growing importance in society is directly influencing how companies operate in many countries. One example is the increasing focus of major tobacco manufacturers on the sustainability performance of their suppliers. “Our customers must increasingly justify their actions to stakeholders and therefore expect their suppliers to meet defined criteria in areas such as human rights, environmental protection, and compliance,” says Kronenberg. “For us, the fact that we have integrated sustainability into our business processes for many years is now paying off. We welcome our customers’ initiatives and face current and future reporting requirements with confidence.”
Conversely, the Hauni Group also places rising expectations on its own suppliers. “Internationally, human rights in supply chains will be one of the major topics of the coming years,” Kronenberg explains. “It is no longer sufficient that we comply with these standards at our own sites and that our major suppliers do the same. Expected legal changes mean that large and medium-sized companies will have to assume even greater responsibility for their supply chains in the future. We are working intensively on this together with our procurement department and are well prepared for stricter regulations.”
