Sustainability as a self-image: For more than 120 years, sustainability has been an integral part of Günzburger Steigtechnik's corporate profile. At the quality manufacturer from Bavaria, values such as environmental protection and resource conservation, respectful interaction with one another, as well as the quality and durability of its products are not empty phrases, but lived reality. This is now also shown by Günzburger Steigtechnik's second sustainability report, which it published as the first in the industry and which proves in black and white on 68 pages: The family-owned company has grown strongly and, true to its motto "Shaping the future, preserving the future", has developed into an innovation and technology leader for access technology, but the values have remained the same.
"Over the past decades, Günzburger Steigtechnik has become a modern and internationally active industrial company that is still based on the values of my ancestors. For my family and me, the task is to let these traditional values live on, adapted to today's times," says Ferdinand Munk, Managing Director of Günzburger Steigtechnik GmbH. He also emphasises: "What distinguishes us from other manufacturers is that we really take sustainability seriously. We do not rely on compensation strategies, but set ourselves clearly defined goals and consistently implement the measures directly at our site. That is sustainability in action."
As early as 1899, when Munk's great-grandfather founded a wainwright's workshop, environmental protection and resource conservation, respectful interaction with one another, as well as the highest quality and durability of the products were an integral part of the company's philosophy. Based on this responsibility, Günzburger Steigtechnik has set itself the goal of "ensuring the livelihood of future generations and creating more social justice". This high standard is also successfully put into practice, as recently confirmed once again by the auditors of the EcoVadis company, who examined responsible corporate action (Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR for short) and awarded it the CSR rating in silver for the third time as part of the evaluation programme. "With this result, your company is among the top 25 per cent of the companies evaluated by EcoVadis," the auditors declared.
Value creation in the home county
The second sustainability report is again oriented towards the six fields of action: company, production and production environment, products, employees and social affairs, society as well as nature and living space. Günzburger Steigtechnik is characterised by its high awareness of tradition and its ties to its home region. It is already being managed by the fourth and fifth generations and produces exclusively in its home district of Günzburg under the company promise "Safety made in Germany". Here, the company is not only constantly expanding its range of jobs, but with the concentration of all functional areas and decision-makers, it also ensures short distances, simple communication and quick decision-making. For company boss Ferdinand Munk and his team, cooperation and the preservation of existing partnerships with manufacturers and suppliers from the surrounding area are important concerns.
Commitment to society and nature
"However, it is no less important to look beyond our own factory halls and the company to society, the environment and nature. Only if the location and its people are doing well, are we doing well as a company," adds Munk. Günzburger Steigtechnik is therefore also committed to local associations, social projects and the protection of nature, which it sees as the basis for all life and business. One of the many measures is a 4,000 square metre photovoltaic system on the roofs of the halls, which supplies almost 300,000 kilowatt hours of electricity for feeding into the grid. This corresponds to the annual consumption of 235 people or a CO2 equivalent of 247 tonnes or 1.3 million kilometres driven. In the meantime, the company has managed to neutralise about 25.5 per cent of its direct and indirect emissions from buildings and plants.
As a purely processing company, Günzburger Steigtechnik is a very low-emission operation anyway, and the following measures further underline the high level of ecological responsibility that the quality manufacturer assumes: these include, among other things, heat air recirculation in the extraction systems, the use of compressor waste heat to heat the halls, the use of energy-efficient processes, resource-saving material flow and inventory optimisation, and process-optimising Big Data projects to reduce production waste.
Distinct product responsibility
In addition to the careful use of resources and responsible cooperation within the family business, respectful behaviour towards society, customers and business partners is an important part of the sustainability philosophy. In this context, Günzburger Steigtechnik also attaches great importance to a pronounced product responsibility. "As an innovation and technology leader for access technology solutions, we only bring reliable and safe products to the market that offer users real added value in practice and impress with their long service life," emphasises Ferdinand Munk.
The success of the family-owned company is also based on a sustainable management approach, which in turn is guided by a quote from Marion Gräfin Dönhoff: "Those who enjoy their work are capable of achieving a great deal". For this reason, Günzburger Steigtechnik has always practised flat hierarchies, open doors and a family-like working atmosphere. Solutions to problems - whether of a professional or private nature - are found and implemented together and with collegial support. Despite the great growth in recent years, this social culture and togetherness have remained an integral part of the company's philosophy. This is evidenced by various awards, including the coveted special prize in the "Work & Family" competition of the Günzburg district. The company was recently honoured again for its above-average commitment to the compatibility of family and work.
Setting the course for the future
Under the title "Shaping the future, preserving the future", Günzburger Steigtechnik's sustainability report also deals with the company's plans and goals. The measures it intends to implement in the short or long term include, for example, greater use of e-mobility and the expansion of digital structures. In addition, the course for the future has already been set with the "Future MUNK" project and work has begun on the construction of new production, storage and sales areas as well as outdoor facilities in the Günzburg district. The company is investing around 15 million euros here, thus not only ensuring sufficient space for its growing business divisions, but also creating new jobs in the region.
"Sustainability is not only about the moderate use of resources, but also about conscious investment in the future. In all projects, it is therefore our duty to act responsibly, proportionately and in accordance with our values. In this way, we take responsibility for Günzburger Steigtechnik as a company, but above all also for our employees and their families. Only when growth, ecological and social responsibility go hand in hand is the future of all involved secured," says Munk. For the new buildings within the framework of "Zukunft MUNK", for example, compensatory areas are being created that provide a home for native animal species with climate-adapted tree species and flowering meadows.
Anyone who wants comprehensive information about sustainability at Günzburger Steigtechnik can download the 68-page sustainability report at www.steigtechnik.de or request it by e-mail at vertrieb@steigtechnik.de or by phone at 08221/3616-01.
