Lately, the sales teams from Klüber Lubrication have practically been bombarded with questions from customers about the companies commitment to climate neutrality, ethical norms, and diversity and inclusion. For companies like Klüber Lubrication, it’s now more important than ever to embrace social responsibility and conduct business in a sustainable manner.
To allow Klüber Lubrication to quickly provide customers with standardised, comprehensive information about how the company is contributing to these issues, Klüber Lubrication established the Responsibility Council in 2021. It also served as the basis for Klüber Lubrication to be awarded the gold medal in the EcoVadis sustainability rating in March.
For this purpose, the goals that Klüber Lubrication had already defined in terms of environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement, as well as concrete measures and key figures for measuring success were clearly compiled and, where necessary, developed from scratch. The results were used to write up the first internal report on responsibility (CSR) and sustainability in 2021.
Representatives from GBT, GIT, Global Quality & HSE, Global Sales, HR, Marketing, Strategic Purchasing and the Compliance Office (not pictured) form the Responsibility Council.
Photo: KLM
What’s next?
“We want to show Klüber Lubrication how to maintain our leading position in these areas in the future,” says Sustainability Manager Markus Hermann, explaining the core task on behalf of the entire Responsibility Council. “Because our customers expect us to continue improving.” Additional resources will be provided for this, for example by HR and Global Product Innovation.
The Freudenberg Group also has to submit a report on the design of its corporate responsibility and sustainability activities in accordance with EU requirements for the first time for 2024. With the Responsibility Council, Klüber Lubrication is perfectly equipped to provide the answers being demanded.
What does this mean for us?
This broad-based commitment means employees at Klüber Lubrication can rest assured that they work at an ethical, future-proof company. “When it comes to sustainability, we don’t just meet the minimum requirements of our customers, we actually lead the way following our own vision,” says Markus Hermann. The EcoVadis Gold Medal is testament to this. “Only by taking responsibility and engaging in comprehensive sustainability activities can we secure our position as an attractive supplier and employer,” he adds explaining the importance of these measures. Prospective employees also increasingly value sustainable behaviour when looking for jobs.
When it comes to sustainability, we don’t just meet the minimum requirements of our customers, we actually lead the way following our own vision.
Markus Hermann, Sustainability Manager at Klüber Lubrication
CSR? ESG? Responsibility!
Some companies talk about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) when they commit to meeting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Global Compact, while others use the term Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) or bundle their activities under the term “sustainability”. At Klüber Lubrication, we talk about “sustainability & responsibility” – building on Freudenberg’s value and principle of “responsibility”.