Responsibility for the environment and the future: Beurer publishes its first sustainability report as part of a comprehensive sustainability strategy

The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time. As an international company, Beurer is aware of its responsibility for the future and would like to play a role in ensuring that future generations can also live in a healthy world. The Ulm-based health specialist Beurer has devoted a large amount of attention to these topics over the past two years and has created a comprehensive sustainability strategy just in time for World Environment Day on 5 June. The first sustainability report with reference to the GRI Standards has now been published. It focuses on goals relating to climate protection, the circular economy, and social responsibility.

"Resource conservation and social commitment are part of our corporate philosophy. Each of us has a responsibility towards our climate. We are committed to health and well-being and it is therefore also of particular importance to me to play a part in ensuring a liveable planet for our children and future generations," as Marco Bühler, Beurer Managing Director and CEO stated.

Step by step towards becoming a more sustainable company
The interdisciplinary sustainability management team works intensively with all divisions of the company as well as with outside experts. In addition to the CEO, the managers of all relevant divisions – from Purchasing, Production, Regulation, Technology & Development, Product Management to Service, Marketing and Sales – are all responsible. However, the project ultimately stands on the shoulders of all the employees. After an extensive look at the situation, Beurer has found ways to boost awareness of climate protection and to firmly establish actual measures within the company guidelines. Together with the Terra Institute from Brixen in South Tyrol, the first sustainability report has now been published with reference to the current international GRI Standards. This not only sets out clear plans for the responsible use of resources, but also shows the measures that have already been successfully implemented.

Beurer has defined specific fields of action based on a number of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) stipulated by the United Nations (UN).

These will be rolled out step by step throughout the company before they are further developed in a strategic manner. The following main goals are currently being looked at:

• Climate Protection: Our goal is to reduce, avoid, or offset 100% of all emissions directly caused at our sites by 2024 (Scope 1–2). Furthermore, we are also working together with our suppliers to continuously reduce their emissions (Scope 3).

• Circular economy: Our desire is to develop products that last as long as possible from materials that have an optimal CO2 footprint and which can ultimately be recycled or reused. We want to make product packaging smaller and more environmentally friendly by using less materials and by using recyclable/recycled materials.

• Social responsibility: We want employees to work in a safe, fair and healthy working environment where they feel comfortable. With the help of the Beurer Foundation, we also want to promote social projects to educate and train children, young people, and women in need.

"Regenerative energy, the use of recycled materials, sustainable packaging management, and a transparent supply chain are the biggest levers we can operate to optimise our CO₂ footprint. Proactively promoting environmental protection and developing solutions to environmental challenges are simply part-and-parcel of good corporate governance today. We have also been involved in social education projects with our Beurer Foundation since 2015 and would like to give something back to society," says Marco Bühler.

Further detailed information can be found on the topic page (in German) and in the Beurer sustainability report.