“Even in the third generation, sustainability remains an outstanding corporate value of E/D/E, which we are guided by,” says Dr. Andreas Trautwein, Chairman of the E/D/E Management Board, Dr. Andreas Trautwein. This results in a voluntary commitment to assume responsibility for the environment, employees and society – above and beyond the legal requirements.
The central concern here is to further develop the E/D/E network with foresight and to secure the future viability of the partners. Entrepreneurial success and sustainability are mutually dependent prerequisites. Sustainability is firmly anchored in E/D/E’s DNA and business model. This is because the S-Group business has a natural, inherent sustainability (see info box).
In addition, E/D/E is working on its sustainability claim in various initiatives and activities based on six fields of action (see diagram). The Sustainability Department, which reports directly to the Chairman of the Management Board, acts as an internal and external contact and coordinator for sustainability issues at E/D/E. Responsibility for specialist activities remains with the specialist areas. Coordination takes place via a newly installed communication and advisory platform. “We have identified specific goals for all of our fields of action, which we are working on consistently,” explains Jennifer Träptau, Sustainability Officer at the E/D/E Group.
In the E/D/E Group, for example in new formats or currently in the Business NETZWERK groups, valuable impulses are created for the participating entrepreneurs – specifically also on sustainability. A new group specifically on the topic of sustainability is being planned. The close dialog with the partners also serves to create concrete services. E/D/E procures and bundles sustainability information from suppliers for its members. Another example is ECO-Consulting. With this offer, E/D/E supports its partners in initiating or specifically strengthening their own sustainability activities. The innovative PreWave software solution is another specific service component (see page 28).
In the area of environmental sustainability, E/D/E pursues the approach of eliminating waste, reducing the use of resources and reusing resources. Examples of this include the complete switch to green electricity since January 2022 and the commissioning of the fully automated packaging machine in eLC logistics, which reduces the use of packaging material by 30 percent. In addition, the installation of a large-scale photovoltaic system is currently being planned. The recent ÖKOPROFIT certification (see issue 2/2023) shows that numerous energy and savings potentials have been identified and leveraged at E/D/E through the measures taken to date.
In addition, E/D/E has always been committed to its employees – for example through health promotion, but also through targeted training and further education – and assumes social responsibility, for example through the E/D/E Foundation. In this way, E/D/E, like so many of its medium-sized partners in the region, is making an impact that makes a difference.
