Even hsp’s corporate identity suggests that Bahrenfeld is thinking green. Many companies paint their façades green. But if you look more closely, all too often these measures fall into the category of ‘greenwashing’ – in other words, a pretence of sustainability without any substance. But how does genuine sustainability in a medium-sized company? What questions should one ask, and what measures must or can be implemented?
hsp has made it its mission to become greener. But where does a software company even start? hsp runs a production facility, but there are no smoking chimneys or the like. It is therefore more a question of processes and behaviour within the company. For this reason, a working group has been set up to address the company’s sustainability.
As a first step, the number one energy consumption factor in a software company was scrutinised: electricity consumption. To reduce standby consumption, all workstations were fitted with power strips that could be switched off. The equipment itself was then examined, for example the servers. Outdated, energy-intensive components were replaced with energy-efficient ones. In doing so, the working group ensured that the resource consumption involved in manufacturing the new parts did not exceed the savings achieved.
Greener through greens
Office plants may not be immediately obvious, but they are indirectly linked to sustainability. By choosing the right office plants, oxygen production can be increased and carbon dioxide removal promoted. To this end, all offices have been planted with a special mix of different plants. It is worth bearing in mind that shipping consumes resources and produces pollutants. On the other hand, it improves the indoor climate, reduces the need for frequent ventilation and thus lowers heating costs, whilst also promoting better health, which in turn reduces resource consumption associated with illness (medication, doctor’s appointments).
We now turn to the topic of reducing paper use. Here, the first step is to consider the processes involved. The first question to ask is: where is paper being used? Identifying and reducing paper usage leads to drastic reductions in environmental impact. This is because cutting back not only reduces paper production but also the manufacture of printing materials. Subsequently, the need for disposal is eliminated. All in all, even small steps are worthwhile here. And with the Opti.Tax software, paper can be saved in several ways: both the creation and the submission of documents to the authorities are carried out digitally. At the next level, your own processes can be scrutinised to determine where paper is being used. This is one of the reasons why we prefer to talk about ‘value-added documentation’.
Another critical area: plastic. Offices usually have waste bins at every workstation. All sorts of waste end up in them – from paper and plastic to aluminium and food scraps. To improve the recyclability of the waste produced, hsp has introduced a different system. The waste bins at workstations are wastepaper baskets, intended solely for paper waste. The rest of the waste goes into categorised bins in the kitchen. It is very important to agree on such systems with the cleaning contractor. After all, all this sorting is pointless if, in the end, everything ends up in a blue bin and is incinerated.
Sustainable even outside the office
However, the sustainability team did not want their commitment to end at the office door. So they considered where hsp could get involved further. There is a wide variety of climate and environmental projects, whether regional or global. As hsp staff were to get involved themselves, projects in distant countries were out of the question for hsp. However, this decision is left to each company to make for itself. In the end, hsp opted for a reforestation project near Hamburg. In 2021, staff spent a day in the forest planting saplings with their own hands. The original plan was for 500 trees, but in the end more than 800 were planted.
When it comes to planting trees, most people think of reducing CO₂ emissions. However, the ‘Climate Sponsorship’ project is actually focused on protecting drinking water. In the post-war years, large quantities of timber were needed for reconstruction and manufacturing. Coniferous forests were planted for this purpose. Today, these monocultures pose a major problem, as conifers remain green all year round. This means that even in winter, rainfall clings to the needles; most of the water evaporates and does not reach the ground. Deciduous trees, on the other hand, are bare in winter, so the water ends up in the ground. This replenishes the groundwater supply.
Lots of little things, big impact
Coffee is, of course, a major topic in any office. Most people are familiar with the Fairtrade mark, which ensures that certain criteria regarding the remuneration of those involved in production are met. However, companies can go even further. hsp has decided to trace the entire supply chain and source coffee that is produced fairly and sustainably.
In addition, there are a number of other measures being taken by hsp. For example, the company is planning to install charging points in its car parks and to convert its entire fleet to electric vehicles. Discussions have taken place with the cleaning service provider regarding sustainable cleaning products that benefit both the environment and the health of everyone involved. These examples show that many small measures add up to a significant whole that makes a difference. If you have any further ideas – big or small – on how a company can contribute to sustainability, Paul Liese and the hsp team look forward to a lively and inspiring exchange.
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