Comprehensive approach: Efficiency and renewable energy

In order to meet the diverse challenges of both the economy and society, an integration of environmental and social success factors into company management is necessary, thus complementing the tried and tested success factors as well as ensuring a comprehensive approach to management and business development.

Circular economy: the response to demographic growth

The demographic development and at the same time the desire to secure prosperity require the success factors of the circular economy. In the year 2012, the World Economic Forum (WEF) made the circular economy the leading subject, thereby underlining relevant megatrends.

Three pillars: closed loops, decoupling and energy efficiency

An economic system based on the circular economy is built on three pillars:

• Closing material loops by transforming waste into reusable materials and other production factors, for example through eliminating persistent toxic pollutants.
• Decoupling economic growth from energy consumption and the demand for natural resources such as land, biomass and abiotic raw materials.
• Decoupling economic growth from the pressure on the services of the ecosystem, such as the capacity to cleanse and remove hazardous pollutants in air, soil and water.

Biodiversity and resilience

Using natural resources responsibly ensures the value chain and increases the resilience to changes for the supply chain. The Stockholm Resilience Center illustrates this with Planetary Boundaries, a concept about quantifying the safe operating range of our planet.

According to this concept, the reaching of critical levels becomes apparent, especially concerning biodiversity, climate change and the cycles of phosphate and nitrogen. Price volatility, decreased availability and quality of raw materials are the economic consequences of these developments. Namely the consequences of climate change have already become noticeable for businesses and governments alike.

Success factors: energy efficiency, life cycle and responsibility

We complement the tried and tested success factors with four additional ones, thereby achieving the targeted comprehensive approach. They are the four environmental success factors efficiency, quality, integrity and innovation.