Since the company was founded in 2001, sustainability has been anchored in Badenova’s corporate policy and is lived both internally and externally.
The energy service provider has constantly adapted and modernized its sustainability strategies over the years. This is how you look at the topic holistically in the house. This means that economic activities are not in conflict with social and ecological issues, but are brought into harmony. This means that the company’s actions should benefit society and the environment at the same time. The 100 percent municipal company has always made an important contribution to the sustainable development of the region.
Today, Wednesday, Badenova board member Heinz-Werner Hölscher presented the further development of the sustainability strategy to the public together with the sustainability team of the energy company as part of a press conference.
“Sustainability is in our DNA. A consistent focus of corporate policy on socio-ecological sustainability serves both climate protection and peace,” said Heinz-Werner Hölscher before his keynote speech. Sustainability is more than just pure climate protection. “Our contribution is not limited to simply distributing profits to the municipalities involved in Badenova,” Hölscher continues. This becomes clear in the holistic sustainability strategy of Badenova.
In the three dimensions of society, economy and environment, Badenova focuses on the six goals of climate neutrality, biodiversity, diversity, circular economy, sustainable procurement and awareness-raising.
Each of these topics is provided with measurable goals and measures. As an example with a long history of success, Hölscher named the innovation fund for climate and water protection. Since the company was founded, the Badenova shareholders have waived three percent of the company’s earnings in favor of this fund, which corresponds to an annual amount of around 1.5 million euros. Around 300 environmental projects with a volume of 33 million euros have been funded since 2001. In addition, the Black Forest Crowd was founded in 2009, which supports the commitment of individuals, clubs and local initiatives.
Climate account for a climate-neutral Badenova:
The aim of this internal climate account is to finance measures to avoid CO2. In order to achieve the goal of climate neutrality by 2035, internal budgets are made available depending on the CO2 price. Climate neutrality should be achieved by saving and avoiding CO2 and not, as is so often the case, by compensation.
“This is a sporting goal that we absolutely want to achieve!”, says Hölscher. “We are very aware that the consistent implementation of the energy transition requires financial resources.”
The fields of action for the sustainability measures are largely in the field of renewable energies. For example, the Badenova subsidiary Wärmeplus is working on Erdwärme Breisgau, which develops regenerative geothermal energy from the depths. This is intended to replace heat from fossil natural gas.
Internally, materials are only purchased according to defined sustainability standards. They should be produced regionally and packaged in an environmentally neutral way. If possible, the circular economy should be included. This means old materials should be recycled and new goods should also be purchased recycled.
In the areas of awareness-raising, Badenova is active in schools and in internal training courses, and diversity is propagated and lived within the workforce.
In the area of biodiversity, sites are being redesigned to make them more attractive to birds and insects. With the “Wakli bread” a regionally baked bread produced with regionally grown and ground wheat is promoted by making the cultivation areas on company premises available.
“The energy and heat transition is a social task,” summarized Heinz-Werner Hölscher. “That’s why we are very grateful that our approximately 100 shareholders have our backs!”
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