Dear readers,
The task we are facing could not be more of a challenge. Our economy and society require ecological modernization. And time is running out. This decade will be crucial. So we have no choice: We must make the years ahead the “roaring twenties” of sustainability and transformation.
Let us be open and honest when it comes to the magnitude of this task. Cosmetic changes will not be enough to achieve systematic change – and this will be necessary. We need profound, in some cases even radical, change. The strength required for this cannot come from just a few. We are convinced that we will have to activate the ideas and motivation of all our 11,494 employees worldwide if we are to make consistent advances in sustainability at Greiner and uphold our responsibility to society. In short, rethinking the status quo will take each and every one of us.
Given this, it is only logical to place our employees at the heart of the Greiner Sustainability Report 2020. The heading of this report has very deliberately been chosen as “If not us, who?”. It is clear to us that nobody can do this for us. Only we can assume our responsibility. This report illustrates what we have already achieved, without ignoring areas where we have not been as successful as we wanted. “If not us, who?” also demonstrates our ambition to be a pioneer in our industry. Leading by example!
We must follow these words with actions. And so, even though the pandemic has demanded a lot of all of us, we put our sustainability measures to the test in 2020. The result of this is a fully revised sustainability strategy called Blue Plan. Blue Plan centers around three major topics: Climate protection, the transition to a circular economy and, naturally, our employees. We have set ambitious targets for all three areas.
2020 was a tumultuous year. It was no normal twelve months, a year that will be remembered. The pandemic turned all of our lives upside-down. It stretched us to our limits and provoked social and economic upheaval, which of course did not pass our company by. In Poland, Mexico and the Czech Republic, we lost four colleagues to Covid-19. This loss is hard to put into words. We send our deepest sympathy and condolences to the families and relatives of our late colleagues.
Axel Kühner
CEO Greiner AG
Hannes Moser
CFO Greiner AG