Michele Vela, Director and Head of Research and Development at Ebnat AG, explains in an interview how the seminar changed the way participants think and act, which surprising insights were gained and why specialists and managers are the key to a successful transformation.
A pragmatic team’s inspiring solutions for greater climate protection in the company.
Photo: Ebnat AG
myclimate: How did you hear about the myclimate Educational Portfolio for Companies?
Michele Vela: We have been working with myclimate for years – primarily for product analysis (Smart PCF) and expertise. It made sense to rely on a proven partner for internal training as well.
myclimate: Were there any specific challenges that you wanted to solve with our Educational Programme for Companies?
Michele Vela: In our internal specialist groups, we have been working on various sustainability topics ourselves for the past few years. But we wanted more: a uniform level of knowledge across the entire management team and, above all, a shared commitment. The workshop was not only intended to provide information, but also to inspire managers to take action themselves.
myclimate: What was the climate protection situation in the company before the management workshop? Where did Ebnat AG stand?
Michele Vela: We’re doers, not theorists. That’s why we want to make a real difference when it comes to climate protection and not just produce reports. The sustainable design of our products is at the forefront. Over the past few years, we’ve developed a lot of expertise within the company on materialisation, the circular economy and plastics recycling. We’re also fortunate that we’ve been heating our company with wood for over forty years. With other, now conventional measures, such as energy-saving programmes and photovoltaic systems on all the roofs, we have reduced Scope 1 and 2 to well below 1 per cent of our carbon footprint.
myclimate: Where does Ebnat AG stand today in terms of sustainability and climate protection measures, and to what extent was the myclimate climate workshop specifically able to help achieve this progress?
Michele Vela: We’ve wanted to join the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for some time, but had to wait for the Trisa Group, of which Ebnat AG is a member, because of financial ties. In the meantime, we have submitted our corporate targets for reducing CO2 emissions.
Our greatest leverage lies in Scope 3, meaning the supply chain. This is where 99 per cent of our emissions are generated. To make a difference, we need to start with the right product design. For example, we have been able to demonstrate to various customers how we can reduce the CO2 proportion of products by 50 per cent through the use of recycled plastic. Systematically reducing CO2 sources together with our suppliers is a major task that still lies ahead of us.
In the climate workshop, all of us who took part became even more aware of the urgency of climate protection measures. Working in different teams, we defined various measures to encourage the management of Ebnat AG to take action and used those measures to develop action plans for each area, which are now being coordinated and monitored centrally.
myclimate: What specific findings, tools or methods were you and your specialists and managers able to take away from the management seminar with myclimate that have made a measurable difference in your day-to-day work?
Michele Vela: Firstly, it helps in our day-to-day work when we no longer have to explain basic background information. We have reached a new level of understanding within the company. Secondly, there are now many more ideas and impulses on how we can continue to improve. Sustainability and climate protection are no longer the focus of individual specialist groups, but a company-wide initiative.
myclimate: What was the highlight of the three-day management workshop for you?
Michele Vela: Personally, I was impressed by the engaged discussions about the state of our world. I was also surprised by the many project ideas we came up with. And all the managers who attended certainly enjoyed the hands-on part: we protected trees from damage caused by game with a forester and visited one of the highest-elevation organic potato farms.
myclimate: Were you able to listen to the participants’ voices and, if so, what was the mood like after the workshops?
Michele Vela: The mood in the team ranged from shock to “we have to do something about this”. Of course, management seminars like these also have a team-building function, and anyone who knows our colleagues at Ebnat knows that we not only work hard, but we know how to have a good time too…
myclimate: Climate workshops represent an important cost item. What role do internal programmes such as further training, innovation budgets and climate funds play in your company?
Michele Vela: We have hardly used external funding so far, and as an SME, it’s not easy to get an overview of possible sources – or of the initiatives for which we could receive funding. However, we did receive financial support for the management seminar, which of course helped.
But let’s be honest: the issue of climate protection is too important to us not to want to invest in it ourselves! Ultimately, for us, it’s all about making an impact. We can only achieve this together with our suppliers and customers. For us, this means quite simply: don’t just sit around and talk the talk – walk the walk!
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