Three-day campaign for more sustainability

Press Release Nov 28, 2022

Bietigheim-Bissingen, November 28, 2022 — The goal of limiting global climate change requires a wide range of efforts. In addition to politics and society, companies must also make an active contribution to curbing global warming and reducing greenhouse gases. For three days in November, the Dürr Group therefore focused on ideas for environmental and climate protection. More than 700 employees throughout Germany took part in the campaign. A total of 350 ideas for more sustainability in the business and at the locations of the mechanical and plant engineering firm were submitted, discussed and further developed. The Dürr Group combined the project with a fundraising campaign and will provide 17,500 euros to protect the native forest from the consequences of climate change.

In order to involve the workforce in brainstorming ideas for greater sustainability, the mechanical and plant engineering firm organized its first Ideation Jam. The aim of this online brainstorming session was to get as many employees as possible involved in the collection and development of ideas over a period of three days. For the Ideation Jam, the Dürr Group used its new online platform “Spark,” which was introduced at the beginning of October in order to fundamentally modernize the company-wide idea management system. The software simplifies the opportunities for participation, creates more transparency and stimulates exchange across departments and locations.

To facilitate personal exchange on site during the Ideation Jam, there was a “denkBAR” (“Thinking Bar”) at the three major sites in Darmstadt, Schopfloch and Bietigheim-Bissingen. There, employees could engage in conversation over snacks and drinks in a cozy atmosphere.

Numerous ideas for climate protection
In line with the 1.5°C target of the Paris Climate Agreement, the Dürr Group has set itself ambitious climate targets for the year 2030. With the three-day Ideation Jam, the company underlined the fact that this depends on everyone’s commitment. The positive response and the numerous contributions are a strong sign for Group CEO Dr. Jochen Weyrauch: “We can see that the topic of sustainability is on the minds of many colleagues and that we have no shortage of good ideas for even more climate and environmental protection.”

Suggestions from the workforce ranged from revising the offering of the dining halls to saving packaging materials, water and energy, and expanding the number of bicycle parking spaces. Numerous suggestions were also received for reducing the energy and material consumption of the machinery and equipment on offer. The ideas collected are now being examined internally and further elaborated.

Fundraising campaign for climate-resilient forest
The Dürr Group linked the Ideation Jam to a fundraising campaign to promote climate-resilient forests, so that employees could contribute to greater sustainability in two ways with their suggestions. For each idea submitted, the company donates 25 euros, which makes it possible to better prepare a forest area of 50 square meters for the changing climate through targeted maintenance interventions. A total of 8,750 euros was raised during the campaign. To honor the commitment of the workforce during the Ideation Jam, the Dürr Group doubled the amount donated to 17,500 euros. This means that 35,000 square meters of regional forest can now be made climate-resilient.

Press photos

Group CEO Dr. Jochen Weyrauch was also "on duty" at the denkBAR.

Employees discussing ideas — At the denkBAR in Bietigheim-Bissingen, granola bars and smoothies provided the necessary energy for particularly good ideas.

Person working at a laptop — The ideas for more sustainability were collected and discussed on the new Group-internal online platform “Spark.”

About the Dürr Group

The Dürr Group is one of the world's leading mechanical and plant engineering firms with extensive expertise in automation and digitalization/Industry 4.0. Its products, systems and services enable highly efficient and resource-saving manufacturing processes in different industries. The Dürr Group supplies sectors like the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, chemical, pharmaceutical, medical technology and woodworking industries. It generated sales of €3.54 billion in 2021. The company has almost 18,400 employees and 120 business locations in 33 countries. The Dürr Group operates in the market with the brands Dürr, Schenck and HOMAG and with five divisions:

Paint and Final Assembly Systems: paint shops as well as final assembly, testing and filling technology for the automotive industry, assembly and test systems for medical devices
Application Technology: robot technologies for the automated application of paint, sealants and adhesives
Clean Technology Systems: air pollution control, noise abatement systems and coating systems for battery electrodes
Measuring and Process Systems: balancing equipment and diagnostic technology
Woodworking Machinery and Systems: machinery and equipment for the woodworking industry

Disclaimer

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