Bonding - More than materials | Herrmann Ultraschall

4 2 3 1 4 1 Future²: a few trainees on the roof with the solar modules. 2 Charging station for the two electric ZOEs, which employees can take for a try. 3 Company bicycle instead of company car. 4 Otherwise invisible: the extensive photovoltaic system on the roof. “TO ME, SUS- TAINABILITY MEANS NOT CONSUMING MORE RESOURC- ES THAN THE PLANET MAKES AVAILABLE TO US PER A CERTAIN TIME UNIT.” are already part of our company philosophy and were intuitively implemented in the past. Additionally, a new action plan is defined and further projects will follow. It is not uncommon to- day for both applicants and customers to be asking about our sustainability. Some of our projects are less visible for people from the outside, such as the solar system on the roof, while others are immedi- ately noticeable, such as the charging stations for electric vehicles and our insect hotels around the building. These were built by the trainees as a project of the WIN Charta 2018. Mr. Herrmann, how do your colleagues feel about the topic of sustainability? By now, sustainability has become an important part of the corporate strategy. Some colleagues are already very active – with really good ideas. This enthusiasm also has an external effect; when employees tell their friends about activities such as the building of the bee hotels, that makes an impact and we receive more applications. Herrmann is a company that operates globally; and indeed, the company has local employees working for it in many countries. That is also in the interests of sustainability. Definitely. Not just that we have ultrasonic laboratories and employees in the direct proximity to our global cus- tomers. This also reduces the number of flights. This saves costs and CO2. Additional- ly, the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us more heavily into the virtual space; this begins with online training and does not stop at live video start-ups. Inevitably, everyone must operate more sustainably, which pleases me, to be honest. How will Herrmann Ultraschall become even more sustainable in the next ten years? The non-financial reporting on corporate responsibility, which is required by law as of a certain company size and form, is forcing us toward a new master plan in the industry in general. By now, large customers are demanding more sustain- ability from us as their technology suppliers. This brings completely new tasks for us – we are working very hard on meeting them. Mrs. Herrmann, what does sustainability mean to you personally? Personally, it means under- standing that resources are not unlimited, and that it is vital to be sparing in their use and consider what I re- ally need. And considering what a life looks like when 8 billion people inhabit the earth: Be considerate, toward others, animals, and, above all, nature. “DOING THINGS BECAUSE THEY ARE RIGHT AND SECURE A BETTER FUTURE, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE PROMOTED.” 131 130